George Vanderbilt

George Washington Vanderbilt III was born in 1862 into a family of riches and privilege that came close to being royalty in America. Vanderbilt used his reputation, income, and social connections to build one of the world's greatest art collections and private libraries. His industrialist family created a fortune in the steamboat and rail industries. All of that stuff requires a home large enough to accommodate it. In 1888, he began purchasing land in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina, for the Biltmore estate, which would become America's greatest private mansion.

The French Renaissance château required an army of craftsmen, with almost 1,000 workers working six days a week over six years. The house took up 4 acres when it was done, while the surrounding land covered more than 100,000 acres. It is one of the most historically and architecturally significant structures in the United States, with 250 rooms in total, including 35 bedrooms and 43 baths. The Biltmore cost Vanderbilt a total of $6 million, or $184 million in today's money.

Location: Asheville, North Carolina

Worth: $184 Million