The Biggest Mansions in America | DOCUMENTARY

I would've loved to have seen Millionaire's Row in Manhattan before the mansions were demolished. Seeing a street full of Gilded Age style mansions in person would've been a sight to behold.

When I was a young girl, my grandmother’s best friend visited Biltmore and told me all about it. I had never seen a mansion or palace and could not imagine it. About 9 years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Biltmore myself and I was NOT disappointed! It’s a beautiful house but so many very interesting points (that pool!!!) and one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen from that veranda. It is splendid and worth the wait of 35 or so years of dreaming before I could see it for myself. Oh, and the wine! 🍷 ❤😊

It's not the initial cost of construction that's daunting, it's the never-ending cost of maintaining and staffing, hence the ultimate demise of so many of these grand behemoths.

The Biltmore House is the most amazing I’ve ever visited 😊. I live near it, an hour and a half away and I love to visit. Rooms change from time to time. Furniture rotates so every time you visit you see something different. The grounds, gardens, and greenhouse are breathtaking.

I'm amazed at the amount of research you obviously had to do to prepare this video!! The Biltmore is on my bucket list!!

No matter the house style, time period built, old or new, the Biltmore house and estate will always be # 1.

By far my favorite is Biltmore. I live just an hour from it and have visited it many times over the years. It never gets old going there, always something you see you didn't see the time before.

My dad was pretty successful and i grew up in a 7,800 sgft house on ~250 acres and i always thought that was wayyy too much house especially for the 3 of us we didnt even use the 2nd and 3rd floor ever and only 2/3rds of the 1st floor however the land is totally worth it having acreage is better than a mansion

Whitemarsh Hall also contained two gate houses. When Stotesbury arrived at the gatehouse in his carriage, the gatekeeper would call the main house to alert the organist, who would then play (the sound echoing throughout the valley) until Stotesbury arrived at the house. There was also a limestone building over 80' long which housed only the valves used to water the gardens. Throughout the property were extensive statuary, some of which still exists in the post-WWII suburban neighborhood. The main house had three underground levels. When I urbex'd the mansion one evening during the tearing down process, the lowest level was full of water. The levels available underground had individual rooms dedicated to specific trades (tailor, electrician, plumber, etc...) During the destruction of the mansion, they found perfectly preserved pocket doors over 12' tall and a locked safe. Upon opening the safe, the only contents were the breeding records of Stotesbury's thoroughbred horses.

I was waiting for Lynwood hall, maybe I’ll see it in another video!

I love when you do longer form videos. Sometimes I like to put the videos on and listen while a complete a task. Thanks for your hard work!

Thanks for skipping past "the one". Big but just doesn't measure up.

I live about 150 miles from Biltmore House and I've been there several times.....And will be heading back there at the end of this month for my birthday! What and absolutely wonderful place to see and visit! Can't wait to see it again ❤

I have visited the Biltmore, once or twice, with my parents back in the 70s. It's amazing.

I have been to Biltmore estate. It is amazing! It has only got part of rooms are open to touring. So beautiful at Christmas! ❤️😀

"Before it was introduced to the wrecking ball". I am loving that line!  Of the ten, Oheka looks to be the nicest (extant) place for weekends - NYC's garbagemen certainly thought so, back in the day.

I thought Lynwood Hall would be on the list. But its a bit smaller at around 70k Sq feet! The amount of craftsmanship lost when the big places where taken down is tragic!

Spectacular homes! Winterthur, Whitemarsh Hall, Oheka Castle, Biltmore are quite lovely, but so are the others Thank you, Ken.

The Vanderbilts had many gorgeous and stunning mansions fit for the Gods on Mount Olympus, it's just staggering to comprehend that extent of wealth at the time of pre income tax era, so they sunk all those million$ into Lavish homes fit for a king, it still fascinates me the super rich robber Barrons of finance and industry, and how well they lived when the average person was struggling to survive Hand to mouth...

Biltmore House is just magnificent. At the time the wife and I visited it, it was $40 a piece. Well worth the price. Greenhouse, winery, working orchard, working farm. Jaw dropping views of the mountains. Absolutely spectacular!