ASHEVILLE, NC – America’s largest private estate has abruptly closed in Asheville after Hurricane Helene caused major flooding and building damage along the 8,000-acre estate.
Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the iconic Biltmore Estate spans 175,000 square feet, features 250 rooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, and 22 miles of hiking trails.
But the historic property, a tourist attraction known for its gardens and outdoor adventures, tours, exhibitions and restaurants, will be temporarily closed, the estate announced in a social media post this week, becoming another casualty of the hurricane .
The Biltmore entrance and other low-lying areas such as the farm experienced significant winds, flooding and building damage, the post said.
There was some luck, however, as damage to the conservatory, winery, gardens and hotels was minimal.
“We are still assessing the impacts to the estate from Tropical Storm Helene and that will take some time,” the estate said. “As in the entire region, the damage varies. In forest areas, which cover a large part of the estate, wind damage is extensive to sites and some structures.” The post also said crews are clearing roads to begin repairs.
Hurricane Helene and its relentless flooding have killed at least 223 people in the country’s southeast, and the death toll could continue to rise as dozens of people remain missing since the storm made landfall in Florida on September 26.
Last weekend, tree limbs, logs and a dumpster floated through nearby Biltmore Village after the area was flooded following initial landfall.
In western North Carolina, including Asheville and surrounding Buncombe County, uprooted homes, flooded vehicles and submerged roads illustrate the devastation caused by a brutal hurricane.
Thousands of trees were toppled by Helene’s rage, mangled train tracks were left on the riverbeds, and school buses were blown away.
George Vanderbilt, who opened Biltmore during the Gilded Age in 1895, is a Staten Island, New York, native and grandson of industrialist Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, who built the family’s wealth through shipping and railroad monopolies in the mid-1800s.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
