Woven cloth was dyed in large vats, which can be seen during guided history tours that launched this spring.
Vestiges of the Past: At the Homespun Museum, a refurbished loom.
Fabric swatches are among the memorabilia.
“If Mr. Seely was going to do something, he was going all in. He demanded a high-quality product.” —Museums Manager Tom Anders
Quality Control: Once it was dyed and woven, the fabric was washed for hours in large washing machines using Ivory soap and hot water to pre-shrink and soften it before being hung to dry.
Built to Last: Six pebbledash cottages comprise Grovewood Village, housing a gallery and studios, two museums, a restaurant, and the original production facility.
At its height, 40 looms were in operation.
Tour the facility today, and everything is just as it was when the last employee clocked out in 1980.
Son-in-law of E.W. Grove and architect of the Grove Park Inn, Fred Seely purchased Biltmore Industries in 1917 and set up shop adjacent to the inn.
On site are nine artist studios.
An antique car museum houses Harry Blomberg’s classic auto collection.
