Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens
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Brookgreen Gardens
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Murrells Inlet, South Carolina |
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| Area | 551 acres (223 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Archer Milton Huntington; William Thompson; Anna Hyatt Huntington |
| Architectural style | Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002045 |
| Designated NHLD | October 5, 1992 |
Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens are two special places in South Carolina. They are so important that they are called a National Historic Landmark District. These places were once part of a big estate. It belonged to the famous sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876-1973) and her husband, Archer M. Huntington.
The area includes Atalaya Castle. This castle is now part of Huntington Beach State Park. It also has the beautiful sculpture garden at Brookgreen Gardens. The Huntingtons built these places in the 1930s.
Brookgreen Gardens was the first public sculpture garden in the United States. Anna Huntington also had a studio here. She created many of her amazing sculptures in this studio. This whole area became a National Historic Landmark in 1992.
Atalaya Castle: A Winter Home
Atalaya is a big, unique building. It looks like a Spanish castle. It was built between 1931 and 1933. Archer Huntington, who loved Spanish art, had clear ideas for its design. The building reminds people of old Moorish buildings in coastal Spain.
Atalaya is shaped like a rough square. It has about thirty rooms. One important room is a large studio. This was one of Anna Huntington's workspaces. The Huntingtons used Atalaya as their winter home until about 1947. Later, in 1960, Anna leased it to the state. It then became part of a state park.
Brookgreen Gardens: A Sculpture Wonderland
Brookgreen Gardens is a very large nature preserve. It covers more than 9,000 acres (3,600 ha). The Huntingtons started it in 1931. They wanted a place to show Anna's art. They also wanted to display art by other sculptors of their time.
The sculpture garden itself is about 550 acres (220 ha). This is the only part of Brookgreen Gardens included in the landmark designation. It was the first public sculpture garden in the United States. It is probably the largest one too.
The garden has many sculptures. These include pieces by Anna Huntington. It also features works by other artists from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The garden also has a studio where Anna Huntington worked.
Why These Places Are Special
Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens show us all about Anna Hyatt Huntington's work. They also show her generous spirit. She had other studios where she worked. But the ones at Brookgreen and Atalaya are the only ones that still exist today.
Anna Hyatt Huntington started selling sculptures in 1895. She worked with her sister. By the time she married Archer Huntington in 1923, she had won many awards. Her sculptures often showed realistic animals. This was different from other female sculptors then. They usually made sculptures of people.
Anna got sick in the 1920s. The South Carolina estate became a peaceful place for her to recover. Anna helped build Atalaya and Brookgreen. She made the beautiful wrought iron gates for Brookgreen. She also planned and directed the landscaping of the sculpture garden.
