Carl Alwin Schenck Collection Photograph Series
Biltmore Estate and Forest - Pisgah Forest 1901, 1908, 1909

MC 35


Abstract:
This folder contains 44 images of logging operations, trees, and Dr. Carl Schenck's summer residence in the Pisgah Forest. There are photographs of trees in different stages of growth, railroads, and sawmills. There are also photographs of geographical features such as streams and mountains. The majority of the photographs are undated, but of the ones that are dated the majority of those are from 1909.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Biltmore Estate and Forest - Pisgah Forest 1901, 1908, 1909
Call Number
MC 35
Extent
13
Photographic prints
30
Kallitypes
1
Photographic postards
Location
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference staff.

Information for Users

Preferred Citation
Carl Alwin Schenck Collection, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Copyright Notice
North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections Research Center are responsible for using the works in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.
Processor's Note
The titles of the individual photographs were derived from the notations on the backs of the photographs. When there was no notation on the photograph, a title was created and enclosed in brackets.The information on the back of the photographs has been transcribed verbatim. The author's capitalization and punctuation have been retained exactly as originally written. When a word could not be deciphered, it is indicated by a set of empty brackets: [].

Historical Note

George W. Vanderbilt's original holdings at Biltmore included 100,000 acres of trees in the Pisgah Forest. Dr. Carl Schenck held summer sessions of his forestry in the Pisgah Forest from 1898 to 1909. In 1915, Edith Vanderbilt sold 87,000 acres of the forest to the federal government, creating the core of the Pisgah National Forest.

Related Material

Carl Alwin Schenck Collection

Detailed Description of the Photographs

Logging Scene in Pisgah Forest
Item Description: This is a photograph of a wagon loaded with logs being pulled by two oxen. There are three unidentified men in the picture. "[Front] Logging Scene in Pisgah Forest, on the Biltmore Estate. Good roads greatly cheapen the expense of lumbering."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 3/4 x 3 3/4)
Item Identification: VIII
[Image]

Narrow Gauge Railroad
Item Description: Two unidentified men standing on a railroad car. The "Gillespie" referred to on the back of the photograph was George Gillespie, a ranger at the Biltmore Estate. "Narrow gauge above Gillespie's built by Lafour (logging in Pisgah Forest)"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (5 x 4)
[Front] [Back]

Interior of a Sawmill
Item Description: This photograph shows the interior of a sawmill. "Interior of one of the sawmills in Pisgah Forest engaged in...forestry!! at the left: Lumber inspector Eaton, who has given the hands at the mill a lecture on hardwood inspection"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 x 5)
[Front] [Back]

Joe Rose on Avery's Creek
Item Description: This is a photograph of a team of oxen pulling a large log. "Logging in Pisgah Forest Joe Rose on Avery's Creek near Jim Perry's place"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 x 5)
Item Identification: No. 23
[Front] [Back]

Ranger's House
Item Description: This photograph shows the ranger's house in Pisgah Forest. "[Front] Ranger's House of Pisgah Forest - Mt. Pisgah in background."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (3 3/4 x 4 1/2)
Item Identification: No. 21
[Image]

Looking Glass Falls [#1]
Item Description: A photograph of Looking Glass Falls. "[Front] Looking Glass Falls on Looking Glass Creek."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 1/2 x 3 3/4)
[Image]

Three Day Camp, 1901
Item Description: Two photographs of the "Three Day Camp" mounted on a piece of matboard. "[Front] This is ""Three day camp"" built by Ely H. Potter in three days for a Vanderbilt party. It contains 6 bedrooms, and in the rear dining room and kitchen. The building material was supplied by one single readoak tree at the head of the Davidson River, Pishgah Forest. 1901"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 3/4 x 3 1/2) [Each photograph]
Item Identification: No. 20
[Image]

Looking Glass Falls [#2]
Item Description: Two photographs of Looking Glass Falls. Both of the photographs are mounted together on a piece of matboard. "[Front] The great falls of Lookingglass Creek in Pisgah Forest."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 1/2 x 3 1/2) [Each photograph]
[Image]

White Pine Plantation, Ferry Farm Road
Item Description: This is a photograph of a white pine plantation. The French Broad River is visible in the background. "Ferry Farm Road Biltmore Estate Biltmore, N.C. White Pine plantation across the Dairy Farm pasture French Broad in distance"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (2 1/2 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: 989
[Front] [Back]

H.Q. of Forestry
Item Description: A photograph of the Schenck's summer home in the Pink Beds. "H.Q. of forestry in the Schenck Summer Home Pinkbeds from 1895 to 1909 Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 1/4 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: No. 39 page 75 No. 13
[Front] [Back]

Summer Residence in the Pinkbeds, 1909
Item Description: This is another photograph of the Schenck's summer home in the Pink Beds. "Prof. Cobb the Pink Beds My summer residence in the Pinkbeds of Pisgah Forest, The front, the little bath house with water so cold it was never used. Green Knob. Pisgah Range in Background. "
Physical Description: Kallitypes (2 3/4 x 4)
[Front] [Back]

Jimmie Case House
Item Description: A photograph of the office of the forester. James Case was a ranger at the Biltmore Estate. "Jimmie Case House [] different from 1903 (Office of the Forester in the Pink Beds from 1906 to 1909"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (3 1/2 x 3 1/2)
[Front] [Back]

[Unidentified House], 1909
Item Description: This is a photograph of an unidentified house in the Pisgah Forest. The writing on the back of the photograph is in german. "[german] 1900 [german] Pisgah Forest, North Carolina [german] C.A.S."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (6 x 8 1/4)
[Front] [Back]

Boarding House After Supper, Summer 1909
Item Description: Workers lounging on the porch of the boarding house. "[Front] The Boarding House after Supper. Summer 1909"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (3 1/2 x 5 1/2)
[Image]

House in the Pink Beds, 1908
Item Description: This is a sketch of the Schenck's summer home in the Pink Beds. The sketch was drawn by Homer D. House, an assistant forester at Biltmore."House in the Pink Beds"
Physical Description: Pencil sketch (8 x 13)
Photographer: Homer D. House
[Image]
photographer
Homer D. House

Yellow Poplar With Hemlock
Item Description: A photograph of yellow poplar and hemlock trees. "Yellow poplar in mixture with hemlock. Cove type. Waldo land, Nantahala National Forest, 4 miles north of Andrews, N.C. in Appalachians"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (6 1/4 x 4)
Item Identification: 530
[Front] [Back]

Natural Regeneration of Yellow Poplar
Item Description: This is a photograph of an unidentified man standing admist some yellow poplar trees. "Polewood [german] Natural regeneration N.S.R. of Yellow Poplar on an abandoned field Avery's Creek, North Slope, Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (6 3/4 x 4 3/4)
Item Identification: 554
Photographer: Herbert W. Pelton
[Front] [Back]
photographer
Herbert W. Pelton

[Man With Logs]
Item Description: An unidentified man posing with some large logs. "Dear Dr Schenck - Suppose this looks very familiar to you. Jeff Richardson"
Physical Description: Photographic postcards (3 1/4 x 5)
[Front] [Back]

Nurseries, September 1, 1909
Item Description: This is a photograph of two Biltmore students working in the forest nurseries. "Nurseries Sept. 1. 09 Two Biltmore Forestry students engaged in weeding at the Forest nurseries in Biltmore"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 1/2 x 3 3/4)
[Front] [Back]

Lafone's Log Chute
Item Description: A photograph of a log chute filled with logs. "Lafone's Log chute at Horse cove in Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 3/4)
[Front] [Back]

Snaking Logs
Item Description: A team of oxen pulling some logs. There is an unidentified man in the picture. "Snaking logs to a sawmill in Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (3 3/4 x 4 3/4)
[Front] [Back]

Wood Pile Near Ducker Mountain
Item Description: This is a photograph of a wood pile on the Biltmore Estate. "Wood Pile near Ducker Mt. Bilt. Fuelwood cut & piled on Ducker Mountain, Biltmore Estate, ready to go to the Asheville makert."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (5 x 4)
Item Identification: 22093
[Front] [Back]

Bridge Across Looking Glass Creek
Item Description: The bridge across Looking Glass Creek. "Bridge across Looking Glass Creek Close to the Pink Beds built by ranger Cyrus T. Rankin"
Physical Description: 5 3/4 x 3 1/2 ([dimensions])
[Front] [Back]

Sweet Birch
Item Description: A photograph of a sweet birch tree. "a Sweet Birch, in Pisgah Forest. a rare tree!"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (5 3/4 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: 558
[Front] [Back]

Chestnut Oak Bark
Item Description: This photograph shows some chestnut oak bark that has been peeled. "Chestnut oak - bark. Chestnutoak bark, peeled and leaning against a log, made ready for delivery to the tanning acid plant at Pisgah Forest station."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (5 3/4 x 3 1/2)
[Front] [Back]

Looking Glass Rock [#1]
Item Description: A view of Looking Glass Rock. "Looking Glass Rock in Pisgah Forest."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (3 1/2 x 5 1/2)
[Front] [Back]

Looking Glass Rock [#2]
Item Description: This is another photograph of Looking Glass Rock. "Looking Glass Rock, Pisgah National Forest North Carolina."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (7 3/4 x 9 1/2)
Item Identification: No. 228442 No. 14
Photographer: U.S. Forest Service
[Front] [Back]
photographer
U.S. Forest Service

Looking Glass Rock [#3]
Item Description: A photograph of Looking Glass Rock. "Looking Glass Mountain in Pisgah Forest. Looking Glass Rock, a bald mountain in the heart of Pisgah Forest."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 1/4 x 4)
[Front] [Back]

Pisgah Forest [#1]
Item Description: This is a photograph of some mountains in Pisgah Forest. "Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (3 1/2 x 5 1/2)
[Front] [Back]

Largest Cucumber Tree
Item Description: A photograph of the largest cucumber tree in the Pisgah Forest. "The largest Cucumber tree in Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (5 3/4 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: 536
[Front] [Back]

Davidson's River Bridge
Item Description: This is a photograph of a bridge over Davidson's River. "In Pisgah Forest Davidson's River Bridge (one of several) built by ranger Cyrus T. Rankin."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 3/4 x 3 3/4)
Item Identification: 22093
[Front] [Back]

[Forest Road]
Item Description: This is a photograph of a road on a mountainside. "road"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: No 31 page 63
[Front] [Back]

[Man With Seedlings]
Item Description: This photograph shows an unidentified man working with some tree seedlings.
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: #49 #22 p 86
[Image]

Chute For Wood
Item Description: This is a photograph of a log chute. There is a pile of cut logs to the right. "chute for wood at Biltmore"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: No 20 Suite 46
[Front] [Back]

Wood Cutting at Biltmore
Item Description: A photograph of some piles of cut wood. There is an unidentified dog in the middle of the picture. "Wood cutting at Biltmore"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: No 20 page 48
[Front] [Back]

Big Creek Before Splashing
Item Description: This is a photograph of Big Creek in the Pisgah Forest. "Big Creek before splashing"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: No 25 Suite 57
[Front] [Back]

Logs in Big Creek
Item Description: A pile of logs in Big Creek. "logs in Big Creek waiting for a splash"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (5 x 3 1/2)
Item Identification: no 17 page 43 #10 p 46
[Front] [Back]

Biltmore Forestry Students
Item Description: This is a photograph of the Biltmore Forestry students at a sawmill. "Biltmore forestry students engaged at a sawmill in Pisgah Forest inspecting and learning to inspect hardwood lumber."
Physical Description: Kallitypes(3 1/4 x 4 1/4)
[Front] [Back]

Yellow Poplar in Pisgah Forest
Item Description: This photograph shows an ax stuck in a yellow poplar tree. "Yellow Poplar in Pisgah Forest photo by Dr. H.D. House, assistant director & dendrologist at the Biltmore Forest School"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (6 3/4 x 4 1/2)
Item Identification: 52
Photographer: H.D. House
[Front] [Back]
photographer
H.D. House

Big Creek [#1]
Item Description: A photograph of Big Creek. "Big Creek with banks destroyed by splashed logs."
Physical Description: Kallitypes(3 3/4 x 4 3/4)
[Front] [Back]

Splash Dam on Big Creek
Item Description: This is a photograph of a splash dam on Big Creek. "Splash dam on Big Creek of Pisgah Forest planned by Gifford Pinchot in 1895"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (3 3/4 x 4 3/4)
Item Identification: 22093
[Front] [Back]

Abies Fraseri [Fraser's Fir]
Item Description: This photograph shows some fraser's fir trees in the Pisgah Forest. "Abies Fraseri [] Balsams in Pisgah Forest"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (4 3/4 x 3 3/4)
Item Identification: 648
[Front] [Back]

Yellow Poplar
Item Description: This is a photograph of some men cutting down a yellow poplar tree. "A giant poplar Liriodendron locally known as yellow poplar Big Creek Valley of Pisgah Forest in the moment of its death, sawyers at work to cut it down. Height of the tree about 125 feet. Liriodendron Tilia americana [american basswood] Castanea dentata [american chestnut] Oxydendrum arboreum [sourwood tree] Fraxinus americana [white ash] Betula lenta [sweet birch] [german] Pisgah National Forest, Asheville, North Carolina"
Physical Description: Kallitypes (9 x 6 3/4)
Item Identification: No 6
[Front] [Back]

Virgin Stand of Beech
Item Description: This is a photograph of a stand of beech trees. "Virgin stand of beech. Pisgah Nat. For."
Physical Description: Kallitypes (6 x 8)
Item Identification: 354
[Front] [Back]

Primeval Woods in Pisgah Forest
Item Description: This photograph shows several different types of trees in the Pisgah Forest. There are two men visible in the photograph. "[] montana, next to the marksmen Liriodendron [yellow poplar] to its right Betula lenta [sweet birch] behind all other trees are Castanea dentata [american chestnut] (Primeval woods in Pisgah Forest)"
Physical Description: Photographic prints (8 1/4 x 5 3/4)
Item Identification: Abb. 217
[Front] [Back]

Primeval Stand on Big Creek
Item Description: This is a photograph of a primeval stand of several different types of trees. Some of the writing on the back of the photograph is in german."Castanea dentata [american chestnut], [] Liriodendron [yellow poplar], [german] Tilia[] Betula lenta [sweet birch] [german] Primeval stand on Big Creek: in front: Castanea dentata next Tilia globoa & Betula lenta behind [] The man at the right stands at a Liriodendron! Corpses of dead trees everywhere on the ground."
Physical Description: Photographic prints (7 1/2 x 5 3/4)
Item Identification: Abb. 218
[Front] [Back]