The 129-year-old iconic Biltmore Estate in North Carolina is a swampy disaster area after Hurricane Helene.
The 8,000-acre estate in Asheville remains America’s largest home and serves the public as a historic house museum and tourist attraction, built by George Vanderbilt in 1895.
The famous mansion has been featured in at least 15 films, including Patch Adams, Forrest Gump, Hannibal and Richie Rich.
Today, the faithful caretakers are busy clearing away the rubble of Helene’s wrath.
The once daffodil-lined access road is awash in mud. The Biltmore Village, where visitors could walk around and admire the historic buildings, is full of fallen statues.
The flooding also killed several animals on the property and left buildings in low-lying areas in ruins.
The main building was undamaged by the storm, but fallen trees and buildings in the low-lying Biltmore Village were flooded
Cleanup crews continue to work on the damaged site. The roads to Biltmore Village are now filled with mud and debris
On Thursday, Biltmore shared an update on Facebook on how the property, grounds and animals fared in the Category 4 tropical storm after public concern.
“The entrance to Biltmore, located in Biltmore Village, and other low-lying areas of the property, such as our farm, experienced significant flooding and building damage,” the post said.
The iconic Biltmore Village has been a tourist attraction for decades. Upstairs, in front of Helene
The 8,000-acre Asheville property suffered severe flooding, leading to the destruction of some buildings on the property. One of the destroyed outbuildings is shown
A sign commenting on the 1916 flood lies on the ground next to a flooded waterway near Biltmore Village in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 28, 2024 in Asheville
Destroyed cars lay in the water in the Biltmore Village across from the Biltmore Estate in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 1
People inspect flood damage in Biltmore Village in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 28, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina
‘Unfortunately we lost some of our animals during the storm, but the vast majority are safe and cared for thanks to our dedicated farming and equestrian teams.’
Fortunately, some parts of the estate were spared significant damage, including the Biltmore House, conservatory, winery, gardens and hotels – all of which remained largely untouched by Helene.
But Biltmore Village, just three miles north of the mansion, faced a very different fate.
The historic village, originally built for employees of the Biltmore Estate in the 19th century, suffered widespread disaster after more than 40 inches of rain poured from Helene onto Asheville. Above, the destroyed Biltmore Plaza on October 1
BEFORE: The pristine Biltmore Plaza buildings
Biltmore Estate shared photos on Facebook of the damage to alert concerned locals and tourists of the condition of the property
The entrance to Biltmore, located in Biltmore Village, also experienced extensive damage from the flooding. It is shown before the hurricane, left, and after it, right
BEFORE: The entrance before the hurricane, with a charming daffodil-lined path
Business owners returned to the village on Monday to assess extensive damage to their properties after significant flooding took hold.
The historic village, originally built for employees of the Biltmore Estate in the 19th century, suffered widespread disaster after more than 40 inches of rain poured from Helene onto Asheville.
Residents said the water was as high as five meters in some parts of the village. WRAL reported.
The floodwaters came largely from the Swannanoa River, which has since receded, leaving a haunting view of what remains underwater.
Business owners covered their buildings with plastic and laid down sandbags to contain flooding in a desperate attempt to prepare for the hurricane.
But Helene proved too strong during their efforts. The floods covered signs and windows and even reached above the hoods of cars and trucks. It left businesses devastated and in the mud.
“You know, I’m a little bit in shock, maybe like most people,” Randall Gary, an Asheville resident for 50 years, told WRAL.
Gary has worked at the village’s New Morning Gallery for 25 years and made little progress as he tried to dig his shop out of the mud on Monday.
“I don’t even know what to say,” he added. “It’s bad.”
The devastated community is just one of Helene’s devastating effects. Residents told us WRAL News Monday that the seriousness of the situation cannot be overstated.
The floods covered signs and windows and even reached above the hoods of cars and trucks
Residents said the water was as high as five meters in some parts of the village
Western North Carolina is one of the hardest hit areas, particularly in the Blue Ridge Mountains and other areas in and around Asheville, where at least 57 people have died and hundreds are still missing, the Daily Mail reported.
Residents are looking for basic needs, including food, water and gas stations where fuel is available.
About 100,000 Asheville residents were left without running water after pipes washed away, leaving residents to wash and wash themselves in nearby creeks.
And more than 1.3 million people in six states are still without power, including 347,000 households in North Carolina. The Guardian reported. It could take days or even weeks for power to be restored.
“It was crazy,” one resident told WRAL. “Supplies are tight… it was quite emotional.”
Business owners covered their buildings with plastic and laid down sandbags to curb flooding in a desperate attempt to prepare for the hurricane in Biltmore Village
Flooding from Hurricane Helene destroyed businesses in Biltmore Village and left them mired in mud
Corey Sizemore removes items from the Casablanca Cigar Bar in the Biltmore Village across from the Biltmore Estate in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 1, 2024 in Asheville
“The inability to contact your loved ones… and the uncertainty of not knowing when we can leave or just, you know, having the ability to go somewhere to contact anyone, has been very difficult.’
The search and recovery continues in the state as the death toll reaches triple digits. But residents hoped that help – especially supplies, food and fresh water – was on the way.
The Biltmore Estate is still assessing the impacts of Hurricane Helene on the property and will remain closed for repairs until October 15.
“In wooded areas, which make up a large part of the estate, wind damage is extensive to sites and some structures,” the Facebook post said. “Crews have been working tirelessly to clear the roads so we can begin repairs.”
“Like all our neighbors who have experienced the impacts of Helene, we are working on our plans for a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming our guests to this region as soon as it is safe to do so.”