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Originally Posted by Sandy G
We had one of those little galvanised metal boxes outside our back door. too...Pet Milk Dairy. Seems like that lasted up til at least about '71 or so, when I went off to McCallie...We had the local dry cleaners', but the "Good" one was from Kingsport, the guy came 'round once a week...Funny how you remember this stuff...Biltmore Dairybar was REAL impressive place over in Asheville, sort of colonial style bldg, w/a 2,3 story picture window....Well, it was impressive to a little kid, anyway...And IIRC,it was fairly close to Biltmore estate, hence the name, I guess. If any of you ever get the chance to go to Asheville, you simply MUST see Biltmore House & Gardens...No radio or TV stuff, but it has a "Wow !" factor of about 15 on a 1-10 scale...When Mr Vanderbilt looked off this back portico, EVERYTHING he saw was HIS...They later made most of the Pisgah National Forest out of that part of the estate...The house was built in 1895, yet had electricity, & quite a few of what we'd consider modern conveniences...It takes the better part of a morning-or afternoon-to go thru...If you get the guided tour. They can have 2500 people going thru, & you WON'T feel crowded. It is obviously a major tourist attraction, yet it does NOT feel "Cheap" or "Touristy". It is still owned by the family, & is a fairly major local employer, & is EXQUISITLEY maintained.
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Also had central heat in that monster house Now, it's set up for wood heat, oil heat (a huge Iron Fireman -branded furnace,) and natural gas. I would advise the guided tour. The main buss lines that feed power between the floors of the house are totally original solid bars of copper in trenches. I also got to see the original generator distribution system, not working, and the site of the first Carrier air conditioning system in the sub basement. There is work going on there every day. Not a speck of dust anywhere, either.
I live, as the crow flies, about one and a half miles from the Biltmore House to the west. From close to my own house, with binoculars, I can see the big back patio of the home.
Used to call my house, Biltmore House West. My dad called my house, Biltmore House Worst.
