North Carolina’s Most Famous House is a Tourist Must-See

Every state in the United States has at least one famous and celebrated house that stands above the others. Touring homes can be a fun experience, and many cities offer a parade of homes-type activity where people venture to different houses, usually brand new or special in some nature, and look at what awesome home designs are trending. But, some of the most beautiful homes are classics and have been around for decades and generations. Now, a new report highlights the best homes in the country, including one in this state.

The most famous house in the U.S., of course, has to be the White House. For more than 200 years, the White House has been a symbol of the United States government and the American people. "Its history, and the history of the nation's capital, began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district 'not exceeding ten miles square…on the river Potomac,'" notes the White House archives.

"President Washington, together with city planner Pierre L'Enfant, chose the site for the new residence, which is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," they added, noting that "as preparations began for the new federal city, a competition was held to find a builder of the 'President's House.'" The winner was Irish-born architect James Hoban, who won a gold medal for his design.

The crew at Reader's Digest has a feature out about the best houses in America. These aren't just the best homes, they're the most famous, and Reader's Digest points one out for each state. Looking through the tally, it's incredible how much history each state's chosen home possesses.

So, what's the most famous house in North Carolina? It's the famed Biltmore Estate in Asheville, a French Renaissance castle, which the outlet also says is America's biggest residential home. "Built by George Vanderbilt in 1895 as a grand Blue Ridge Mountain retreat for his family, it stands on 8,000 acres and has at least 250 rooms," they add. "Its grounds were designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead (of New York City’s Central Park-fame)." It's certainly a special spot in the state.