Atalaya Castle
Encyclopedia
Atalaya Castle, also known as Atalaya, was the winter home of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington
and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington
, located near the Atlantic coast in Murrells Inlet
, Georgetown County, South Carolina.
Archer Huntington was a noted scholar of Spanish culture and art, and designed the residence in the Moorish Revival and Mediterranean Revival architecture styles from Spanish Andalusian coast models.
in northeatern South Carolina, within present day Huntington Beach State Park
. The location was chosen as a milder winter retreat for the health of Anna Huntington, who suffered from tuberculosis from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties.
The 200 by 200 foot (60 by 60 m) masonry structure was built from 1931 to 1933 without drawn plans, Archer Huntington had already designed the residence for them with his detailed imagination 'in his head.' Local labor was used at Archer Huntington's insistence to provide work for a community hard hit by the Great Depression
.
The living quarters consist of 30 rooms around three sides of the perimeter, while the studio, with its 25 foot (8 m) skylight, opens onto a small, enclosed courtyard where Anna Hyatt Huntington
worked on her sculptures. Pens for animal models, including horses, dogs and bears, are situated adjacent to the open studio. The building also features hand-wrought iron grills designed by Mrs. Huntington, which cover the exteriors of windows. These and shutters were installed for protection against hurricane winds.
Transition
During World War II the Huntingtons vacated Atalaya and provided it to the Army Air Corps for use from 1942-1946.
The Huntingtons last used Atalaya as their winter home in 1947. Most of the furnishings were sent to New York City after Mr. Huntington's death in 1955. The studio equipment was moved to a new studio at Brookgreen Gardens
just across U.S. Route 17, which cut through the Huntingtons' former contiguous property.
Atalaya was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1984, and was included in the designation of Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens
as a National Historic Landmark
in 1984.
The Friends of Huntington Beach State Park
offer guided tours of Atalaya and operate the Atalaya Visitor Center with exhibits about the house and the Huntingtons.
The annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival is held each year in late September.
Archer M. Huntington
Archer Milton Huntington was the son of Arabella Huntington and the stepson of railroad magnate and industrialist Collis P. Huntington...
and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington was an American sculptor.-Life and career:Huntington was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her father, Alpheus Hyatt, was a professor of paleontology and zoology at Harvard University and MIT, and served as a contributing factor to her early interest in animals and...
, located near the Atlantic coast in Murrells Inlet
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Murrells Inlet is a small fishing village in Horry County, South Carolina, United States that is considered to be the "Seafood Capital of South Carolina". The population was 5,519 at the 2000 census. It was once primarily a fishing village, but has grown substantially in modern time, along with the...
, Georgetown County, South Carolina.
Archer Huntington was a noted scholar of Spanish culture and art, and designed the residence in the Moorish Revival and Mediterranean Revival architecture styles from Spanish Andalusian coast models.
Residence
Atalaya was built near the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in northeatern South Carolina, within present day Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park is a small coastal preserve and state park near Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, with a large sandy beach and few beachgoers. The park, originally property of Archer M. Huntington, was donated after his death and takes its name from him. His winter home, Atalaya Castle,...
. The location was chosen as a milder winter retreat for the health of Anna Huntington, who suffered from tuberculosis from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties.
The 200 by 200 foot (60 by 60 m) masonry structure was built from 1931 to 1933 without drawn plans, Archer Huntington had already designed the residence for them with his detailed imagination 'in his head.' Local labor was used at Archer Huntington's insistence to provide work for a community hard hit by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Description
Atalaya (AH-tuh-lie-yuh) means "watchtower" in Spanish. The house is dominated by a square tower, which housed a 3,000 gallon water tank. Rising nearly 40 feet (12 m) from a covered walkway, it bisects Atalaya's inner court. The inner walls of the main courtyard were covered with creeping fig vines, Sabal palmettos, the South Carolina state tree, and other palms.The living quarters consist of 30 rooms around three sides of the perimeter, while the studio, with its 25 foot (8 m) skylight, opens onto a small, enclosed courtyard where Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington was an American sculptor.-Life and career:Huntington was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her father, Alpheus Hyatt, was a professor of paleontology and zoology at Harvard University and MIT, and served as a contributing factor to her early interest in animals and...
worked on her sculptures. Pens for animal models, including horses, dogs and bears, are situated adjacent to the open studio. The building also features hand-wrought iron grills designed by Mrs. Huntington, which cover the exteriors of windows. These and shutters were installed for protection against hurricane winds.
Transition
During World War II the Huntingtons vacated Atalaya and provided it to the Army Air Corps for use from 1942-1946.
The Huntingtons last used Atalaya as their winter home in 1947. Most of the furnishings were sent to New York City after Mr. Huntington's death in 1955. The studio equipment was moved to a new studio at Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens is a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. The property includes several themed gardens with American figurative sculptures placed in them, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails through several ecosystems in nature reserves on...
just across U.S. Route 17, which cut through the Huntingtons' former contiguous property.
Public era
The 2,500 acre (10 km²) tract was leased to the state in 1960 for use as a state park. Mrs. Huntington died in 1973.Atalaya was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1984, and was included in the designation of Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens
Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens
Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens is a historical site including the Atalaya Castle and a portion of Brookgreen Gardens, in South Carolina, United States...
as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1984.
The Friends of Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park is a small coastal preserve and state park near Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, with a large sandy beach and few beachgoers. The park, originally property of Archer M. Huntington, was donated after his death and takes its name from him. His winter home, Atalaya Castle,...
offer guided tours of Atalaya and operate the Atalaya Visitor Center with exhibits about the house and the Huntingtons.
The annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival is held each year in late September.
See also
- Atalaya and Brookgreen GardensAtalaya and Brookgreen GardensAtalaya and Brookgreen Gardens is a historical site including the Atalaya Castle and a portion of Brookgreen Gardens, in South Carolina, United States...
- National Historic Landmark - Brookgreen GardensBrookgreen GardensBrookgreen Gardens is a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. The property includes several themed gardens with American figurative sculptures placed in them, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails through several ecosystems in nature reserves on...
- adjacent Huntington sculpture garden and wildlife preserve
External links
- Details of Atalaya Castle
- Friends of Huntington Beach State Park - tour information