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He also built the largest private home in the United States, which continues to hold that record to this day.  It is located in Western North Carolina and is called the Biltmore Estate.  Nearly a hundred times bigger than the homes of average Americans, this home symbolizes the excesses of the "Gilded Age" criticized by Mark Twain.  The intent was to replicate the design of European mansions and estates.

He also built the largest private home in the United States, which continues to hold that record to this day.  It is located in Western North Carolina and is called the Biltmore Estate.  Nearly a hundred times bigger than the homes of average Americans, this home symbolizes the excesses of the "Gilded Age" criticized by Mark Twain.  The intent was to replicate the design of European mansions and estates.

[[File:Biltmore Estate.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilt family in North Carolina, still the largest home in the United States having nearly 179,000 square feet]]

[[File:Biltmore Estate.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilt family in North Carolina, still the largest private home in the United States having nearly 179,000 square feet]]

Vanderbilt himself was a crude man who was never accepted by higher society, and may have built his mansion in the remote area both to make a statement and to get away from all his critics.  He donated relatively little to charity and instead left almost his entire fortune to his eldest son, giving little to rest of his many children.

Vanderbilt himself was a crude man who was never accepted by higher society, and may have built his mansion in the remote area both to make a statement and to get away from all his critics.  He donated relatively little to charity and instead left almost his entire fortune to his eldest son, giving little to rest of his many children.