Belle Wilcox Baruch (August 16, 1899 – April 25, 1964) was an American equestrian, philanthropist, and the daughter of financier Bernard Mannes Baruch.

Biography

Belle Baruch was born on August 16, 1899, the daughter of Bernard Mannes Baruch and Annie Griffin. Her paternal grandfather was

Simon Baruch Simon Baruch (July 29, 1840 – June 3, 1921) was a physician, scholar, and the foremost advocate of the urban public bathhouse to benefit public health in the United States. Early life and education Simon Baruch, the son of Jewish parents Berna ...

, a physician. Her uncle was Herman B. Baruch, also a physician. Baruch was a noted athlete who excelled as an equestrian, sailor and hunter. In 1930 and 1931, she was awarded the President of the Republic's Cup for winning the classic competition in the Paris horse show and, in the 1931 competition, she was the only one of 119 contestants to post a perfect score. All told, she won more than 300 prizes in competitions in France and other countries. When the U.S. embassy in France would not issue her a license to ride in international shows because she was a woman, she obtained one from the French. She was, however, unable to achieve her ambition of competing in the Olympics as women could not join the equestrian team before 1956.

Legacy

Her legacy is preserved in the ''Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences'' ( University of South Carolina) and the ''Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology & Forest Science'' (

Clemson University Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...

) both established on

Hobcaw Barony Hobcaw Barony is a tract on a peninsula called Waccamaw Neck between the Winyah Bay and the Atlantic Ocean in Georgetown County, South Carolina. Much of Hobcaw Barony is south of US Highway 17. The land was purchased by the investor, philanthro ...

, a former rice plantation purchased by her father. Upon her death in 1964, the property was transferred to the Belle W. Baruch FoundationFoundation website
/ref> for the creation of a nature and research preserve.

is located on

Waccamaw Neck The Waccamaw Neck is a long narrow peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Waccamaw River in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The town of Pawleys Island is located on the Waccamaw Neck, as well as the unincorporated mainland area, which incl ...

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. Geor ...

References

External links

Belle W. Baruch Collection
at

Georgetown County 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. Georg ...

Digital Library 1899 births 1964 deaths American conservationists American female equestrians American Jews Businesspeople from South Carolina 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American women {{US-equestrian-bio-stub