National Register of Historic Places

Gunston Hall

Biltmore Forest, Buncombe County, North Carolina
Listed
October 23, 1991
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
91001505

About this property

Gunston Hall, also known as Franklin Hall, is a historic estate and a national historic district located at Biltmore Forest, Buncombe County, North Carolina. The district encompasses five contributing buildings, one contributing site, and two contributing structures. The main house was designed by architect Waddy Butler Wood and built in 1923. It is a five-part Colonial Revival style dwelling consisting of a 1+1⁄2-story main block flanked by hyphens and 1+1⁄2-story wings. The grounds were designed by noted landscape architects Chauncey Beadle and Lola Anderson Dennis. Other contributing elements are the Grounds and Garden (1920-c. 1955), the Breezeway (c. 1950), Gazebo (c. 1955), Tool Shed/Potting Shed (c. 1951), Greenhouse (c. 1954), Garden Shed (c. 1951), and Entrance Piers and Gates (1923). The estate was built by Dr. William Beverley Mason, a great-great grandson of George Mason, who built Gunston Hall (1759). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 but is now a private residence.

Location

324 Vanderbilt Rd.
Biltmore Forest, Buncombe County, North Carolina
35.54773, -82.53629

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Shiloh African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Industrial
0.3 mi
Adams, Judge Junius G., House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Raoul, Thomas Wadley, House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Spinning Wheel
Industrial
1 mi
Reed, Samuel Harrison, House
Industrial
1.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Stoneman's Raid — Asheville NC Approaches
1865Civil War
3.4 mi
Stoneman's Raid — Swannanoa Gap Defense
1865Civil War
9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gunston Hall listed on the National Register?

Gunston Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 23, 1991.

What type of historic resource is Gunston Hall?

Gunston Hall is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Gunston Hall?

The period of significance for Gunston Hall is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Gunston Hall?

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