Event Archives

American Art and Architecture in North Carolina

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
May 8 -12, 2008

Travel with The Westcott House Foundation and Springfield Museum of Art to see the cultural wonders across the Blue Ridge Mountains. Visit the historic Reynolda House, Museum of American Art, in Winston-Salem then explore the architecture and grounds of the legendary Biltmore House in Asheville.

You are invited to join a trip to arts and architectural sites in North Carolina organized by The Westcott House Foundation in collaboration with the Springfield Museum of Art. May 8 – 12, 2008 we will first venture to Winston-Salem to see the renowned collection of American Art at the historic Reynolda House and Gardens. The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts and the18th century village of Salem and other cultural sites will be explored before we drive on to the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Behind-the-scenes and garden architecture tours, wine tasting and rides on the estate will provide many fun and entertaining opportunities to gain in-depth knowledge of this 250-room American icon.

We will bring our own lecturers for tours at the Reynolda House and Biltmore Gardens and be joined for the other tours by local experts. Join us as we discover North Carolina’s artistic and architectural treasures!

Tour price:
$990 per person, double occupancy; additional $ 378 per person, single occupancy. Price includes motor coach, 2 overnight stays at Brookstown Inn incl. breakfast, 2 overnight stays at Biltmore Residence, guided group tours and admissions, three boxed lunches, one brunch, two dinners (not including alcoholic beverages). Please send your $200 non-refundable deposit promptly to reserve your seat. Final payment is due April 1, 2008.

Contact Information:
Mimi Greer at Huffman Travel Services, 1-800-783-2009, Email: mimi@huffmantravel.com
Sonja Ostendorf at The Westcott House, 937-327-9291, Email: sostendorf@westcotthouse.org

American Art and Architecture Trip Itinerary:
For a trip itinerary, see below or click here for a PDF Version.

Thursday, May 8
8:00 a.m. Leave the Springfield Museum of Art by Motor Coach
  Introduction to the Golden Age and Progressive Era (presentation, video)
Gourmet Boxed Lunch
5:30 p.m. Check In at Brookstown Inn
  The Brookstown Inn was built in 1837 as a textile mill and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Inn has the charm and ambiance of old-world architecture with all the conveniences of a modern conference facility. Its hallmarks of exposed brick walls and wooden beams enhance its Early American decor and help you escape to the charm of yesteryear. The cozy inn is within a short walk of the restored 1766 Moravian village of "Old Salem" and it exudes the essence of southern hospitality. Each evening enjoy a complimentary wine and cheese reception in the Parlor amidst high ceilings, unique Early American pieces, and countless antique furnishings.
7:00 p.m. Group Dinner at Meridian
Friday, May 9
8:00 a.m. Breakfast at Brookstown Inn
9:30 a.m. Guided tour of Reynolda House Collection and Gardens with former director Nicolas Bragg and Angus Randolph, director Springfield Museum of Art
  Named to the National Register of Historic Places, Reynolda House Museum of American Art is the former home of tobacco baron R.J. and Katharine Smith Reynolds. Built between 1912 and 1917, it exhibits one of the finest public collections of American art in the South. The pieces date from 1755 to present and include works by Jacob Lawrence, Jasper Johns, Frederic Church, Thomas Eakins and Georgia O'Keefe. Reynolda House showcases one of America's most authentic examples of a gracious country estate of its time. View period fashions within a display of the Reynolds' collection featuring vintage clothing, accessories and toys belonging to members of the Reynolds family from 1889 to the 1960s.
Lunch Break Individually. Nearby Reynolda Village, once the barn and cottages of the working estate, has been converted to specialty shops and restaurants.
Afternoon Bus tour of Winston-Salem with Nicolas Bragg including Performing Arts Hall, School of The Arts, Graylan Estate
Dinner Individually
Saturday, May 10
10:00 a.m. Tour Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts
  MESDA offers visitors a wide range of southern artistry and craftsmanship from the 1670s through the early nineteenth century. Then as now, a rich cultural diversity characterized southern lifestyles and material culture. From fine art to folk art and including furniture, paintings, ceramics, textiles, and metalwork, MESDA’s twenty four period rooms and six galleries exhibit decorative arts objects from the three regions of the early South: the Chesapeake, the Low Country and the Backcountry and include objects from North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia.
11:30 a.m. Old Salem Town Visit
  Salem was founded in 1766 by the Moravians – a Protestant faith that began in what is now known as the Czech Republic. The Moravians were missionaries who established an earlier settlement in Bethlehem, PA before moving south to North Carolina. In 1756 they established a 98,000-acre tract of land “Wachovia”, of which Salem was one of a handful of small settlements. The Moravian Church and Salem residents kept meticulous records and accounts of their lives, their interactions, their buildings and landscapes, and their evolution into the town of Winston-Salem. These records, diaries, and accounts provide accurate details to tell the stories of those living and working in Salem. Salem residents were also well respected for their architecture and eye for detail. The architecture and landscape of Salem are still quite accurate, as many of the Historic Town buildings are original structures. Salem was also known as a trades town because of the town’s production of essential goods like tools, ceramics, furniture, metals, and food. Today, costumed tradesmen and women re-create life in the 1700s and 1800s by producing these goods using traditional eighteenth and nineteenth century practices.
12:30 p.m. Board Motor Coach and Drive to Asheville (Boxed Lunch). Check In Biltmore Residence upon Arrival
5:00 p.m. Guided Tour of Biltmore House
  Be inspired by the relaxed elegance of George and Edith Vanderbilt's 250-room family home and country retreat in Asheville, NC. Discover original art from masters such as Renoir, magnificent 16th-century tapestries, Napoleon's chess set, a library with 10,000 volumes, a Banquet Hall with a 70-foot ceiling, 65 fireplaces, an indoor pool, bowling alley, and priceless antiques. Opened to friends on Christmas Eve 1895, this French Renaissance château remains America's largest privately owned home. We'll tour the house with a knowledgeable host, ready to share stories about the Vanderbilt's family history, unique artifacts, and more.
7:00 p.m. Boar Motor Coach to Hotel. Supper Individually in Asheville.
Sunday, May 11
9:30 a.m. Garden Tour with Sonja Ostendorf, Director Museum Operations at The Westcott House Foundation or Shop around Biltmore House
  Stroll acres of formal and informal gardens designed by America's foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. From the formal beauty of the Italian Garden to America's first managed forests, Biltmore's lush landscape is a living tribute to Olmsted's genius. Garden experts continually work to preserve the original vision for the gardens and grounds, including our All America Rose Garden featuring more than 250 varieties of roses.
10:30 a.m. Board coach to travel to Winery & River Bend Farm
11:00 a.m. Self-guided visit of Winery & River Bend Farm
  Discover what it was like to live and work on the estate in the 1890's. See craft demonstrations, farmyard animals, antique farm equipment, a kitchen garden, and more. Shop in an old-fashioned mercantile store and enjoy ice cream and treats at the Creamery.
12:30 p.m. Board coach to travel to Deerpark Restaurant
12:45 p.m. Brunch at Deerpark Restaurant
2:00 p.m. Board coach to travel to Biltmore area
2:30 p.m. Guided Behind-the-Scenes tour of Biltmore House
  Discover more about the lifestyles of the Vanderbilts, their guests, and servants. Visit Mrs. Vanderbilt's Bath and Dressing area, and other areas not opened to the public.
4:00 p.m. Depart and return to Hotel
6:00 p.m. Board Motor Coach to travel to Grove Park Inn
6:30 p.m. Dinner at Grove Park Inn
Monday, May 12
9:00 a.m. Leave at Biltmore Residencies for Springfield
5:00 p.m. Arrive at the Springfield Museum of Art

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