Biltmore's Servant Quarters Hidden No More
The Biltmore, the largest house in the U.S., has now opened up 10 rooms on its fourth floor, including a hall where servants hung out when they were off-duty and three dorm-like bedrooms for maids. It's the first time that this part of the "upstairs/downstairs" equation could be seen on a tour here. Fun fact: Biltmore's head housekeeper, the top of the chain, was paid $300 a month in 1898. That's over $6,500 in 2005 dollars.Related Stories:
· Biltmore Estate [Official web site]
· Biltmore adds a look at life backstairs [Dateline Alabama]
· Millionaire Households and Their Domestic Economy [Harvard U. text of a tell-all by a Gilded Age servant]
