Tonight in Cashiers: The Women Behind Biltmore Estate

Photo by Lee Lawson on Unsplash

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 24, 2026

Tonight in Cashiers: The Women Behind Biltmore Estate

When most people think about Biltmore Estate, they think about George Washington Vanderbilt — the man who built it. But the story of that estate, and its deep ties to Western North Carolina, runs through two women whose names don't always get top billing: Edith Vanderbilt and Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil.

Tonight, the Cashiers Historical Society is hosting a talk that changes that.

"Making Their Mark: The Women of Biltmore Estate" is part of the Mountain Heritage Series and takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. at the CHS building at 249 Frank Allen Rd. in Cashiers. The presentation is free for CHS members and $5 suggested donation for non-members.

The speaker is Meghan Forest-Singer, Associate Curator at Biltmore Estate, who has spent seven years there and done graduate work at the University of Oxford. She'll examine how Edith and Cornelia — active from the late 1890s through the 1930s — shaped not just the estate itself but the broader communities around it. Their involvement in the social, philanthropic, and public life of Western North Carolina was significant, and largely untold.

It's a good talk for anyone who loves WNC history, or who has walked those halls at Biltmore and wondered about the people behind the rooms.

Details: - Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - Time: 3:00 – 5:00 PM - Location: Cashiers Historical Society, 249 Frank Allen Rd., Cashiers, NC 28717 - Cost: Free for CHS members / $5 suggested donation for non-members - Info: 828-743-7710 or info@cashiershistoricalsociety.org - Website: cashiershistory.org/events