Some people wait their whole lives to have something dedicated in their name, but Cornelia Vanderbilt was just a baby when she received the honor. Following their daughter’s christening in 1900, George and Edith Vanderbilt had a cucumbertree magnolia sapling planted on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in honor of their first and only child.
Planted in the Azalea Garden, the magnolia — nicknamed “Cornelia’s tree” and “the baby tree” — grew in tandem with Cornelia, helping her cultivate a lifelong interest in botany. After nearly 80 years, two world wars, and the Great Depression, Cornelia and her tree entered their final season together.
Though the heiress died in 1976, her tree stood strong for another three decades, a living memorial until, old and withered, it was cut down in 2008. But, like Cornelia, its legacy lives on: Its wood was repurposed and used in tables on the Biltmore grounds, emblems of the past and of a family whose roots in the state still run deep. Today, Cornelia’s descendants take care of her childhood home, and in the magnolia’s place stands one of its own seedlings.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
