Atalaya Castle, is correctly and historically known simply as Atalaya, and was the winter home of industrialist and philanthropist

Archer M. Huntington Archer Milton Huntington (March 10, 1870 – December 11, 1955) was a philanthropist and scholar, primarily known for his contributions to the field of Hispanic Studies. He founded The Hispanic Society of America in New York City, and made n ...

and his wife, the sculptor

Anna Hyatt Huntington Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington (March 10, 1876 – October 4, 1973) was an American sculptor who was among New York City's most prominent sculptors in the early 20th century. At a time when very few women were successful artists, she had a thrivi ...

, located in

Huntington Beach State Park Huntington Beach State Park is a 2500 acre coastal preserve and state park near Murrells Inlet, in Georgetown County, South Carolina. It has a large sandy beach, few beach-goers, and numerous wild birds to watch over the seasons. History The pa ...

near the Atlantic coast in Murrells Inlet,

Georgetown County, South Carolina Georgetown County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 63,404. Its county seat is Georgetown. The county was founded in 1769. It is named for George III of the United Kingdom. Geo ...

. Archer Huntington was a noted scholar of Spanish culture and art, and designed the residence in the

Moorish Revival Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of Romanticist Orientalism. It reached the height of its popularity after the mid-19th centur ...

and

Mediterranean Revival architecture Mediterranean Revival is an architectural style introduced in the United States, Canada, and certain other countries in the 19th century. It incorporated references from Spanish Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Italian Renaissance, French Colonial ...

styles from Spanish Andalusian coast models.

Residence

Atalaya was built near the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

in northeastern South Carolina, within present day

. 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 apparently 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 Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

Description

Atalaya (ah-tuh-LIE-yuh) means "watchtower" in Spanish, as in the real Atalaya Castle in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. 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

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 to 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 is a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. The property includes several themed gardens featuring American figurative sculptures, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails thro ...

just across

U.S. Route 17 U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 (US 17), also known as the Coastal Highway, is a north–south United States Highway that spans in the southeastern United States. It runs close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length, wit ...

, 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 Castle was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1984, and was included in the designation of

Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark District encompassing two formerly-united properties associated with sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876-1973) on the coast of Georgetown County, South Carolina. The district include ...

(along with the sculpture garden at

) as a

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

in 1992. . The Friends of

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.

Photos

Image:Atalaya1.jpg, Atalaya, ocean front Image:Atalaya north side.jpg, Atalaya, north side Image:Atalaya tower.JPG, The tower Image:Atalaya2.jpg, Covered Walkway Image:Atalaya4.jpg, Wrought iron grill on window Image:Atalaya6.jpg, Courtyard Image:Atalaya inside courtyard.jpg, Inside Courtyard Walk Image:Atalaya7.jpg, Entrance Image:Atalaya back.jpg, Back

References

* Brochure on Huntington Beach State Park by the SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (4/06)

Footnotes

External links

Friends of Huntington Beach State Park
- ''tour information''
Friends of Atalaya Castle
- ''tourism & fan website'' {{National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Historic house museums in South Carolina Museums in Georgetown County, South Carolina Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Houses completed in 1933 Moorish Revival architecture in South Carolina Mediterranean Revival architecture in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Georgetown County, South Carolina Houses in Georgetown County, South Carolina Historic district contributing properties in South Carolina Huntington family