The George Wilson Howe House
Biltmore Forest NC
Unbuilt. Records in the Buncombe County Special Collections include five drawings labeled “Residence for George Howe Wilson,” attributed to architect Henry Irven Gaines. Closer study shows these are fragments from two separate sets: one drawing (“Residence No. 3”) depicts the front elevation of a spec house Wilson built at 28 Hilltop Road, while four drawings (“Residence No. 4”) correspond to a second spec house at 30 Hilltop Road, next door. This suggests that Gaines also prepared designs for “Residence No. 1” and “Residence No. 2,” which evidence indicates were the houses Wilson built at 8 and 11 Hilltop Road. In total, Gaines is believed to have designed four houses for Wilson in Biltmore Forest—two in a Colonial/Federal style and two in the English Arts & Crafts style.
