Photo courtesy of discoversouthcarolina.com
At first glance, I can only wonder, “What were they thinking?”
Atalaya Castle—the former winter residence of New York philanthropist Archer Huntington and his wife, renowned sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington—doesn’t resemble a beachside mansion so much as a fort, or maybe a prison. But with each step of my guided tour inside the abandoned dwelling, located on the grounds of Huntington Beach State Park, the mystery of the curious structure begins to unwind.
The Huntingtons began building the castle in 1931, shortly after Anna was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Seeking an escape from Northern winters, they purchased thousands of acres of forest, rice fields and beachfront property near Murrells Inlet, land that would later be divided into the state park and neighboring Brookgreen Gardens.
Only Anna knew what her husband was up to when he decided to design their winter retreat himself. Influenced by his travels as a Spanish scholar, Archer Huntington envisioned a 30-room, Mediterranean Revival villa built around a central courtyard and tailored to his wife’s work.
“What he has in mind will be a hair-raiser to an architect,” Anna said in an interview shortly after construction began.
Here in the home of a sculptor known for her life-sized figures of animals, visitors won’t find showy foyers and grand parlors, but functional stables, dog kennels and bear pens adjacent to Anna’s spacious indoor and outdoor studios. She preferred working with live models, and the design of Atalaya allowed her subjects to roam freely around the courtyard while she sketched and chiseled.
The residence takes its name from a 40-foot brick tower (“atalaya” means watchtower in Spanish) built above the courtyard walkway.
“Archer was known as quite the innovator,” docent Sally Kelly says, noting that the tower also served as a 3,000-gallon cistern that supplied running water throughout the home, including to a seven-head shower built to accommodate Archer’s 6-foot, 5-inch frame.
As we pass through cool, tile-lined hallways to more traditional rooms—the library, kitchen, a dining room, servants’ quarters, a sunroom and even a room dedicated to oyster shucking—the method behind the couple’s vision becomes clear. They were building a comfortable home to suit their whims, not to impress others.
“This was a place for them to enjoy nature, and that allowed them an escape from their business and social obligations in New York,” Kelly says.
After spending the winter of 1947 in the castle, the Huntingtons packed up their belongings and abandoned the house. Today, Atalaya is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and carefully maintained as a state-park attraction, but it remains unfurnished and unrestored. It is this uncurated record of two remarkable lives that makes a visit here feel so personal.
_____
Get There
Atalaya Castle is located in Huntington Beach State Park near Murrells Inlet at 16148 Ocean Highway. Guided tours are offered daily between March 1 and Oct. 31.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with occasional closings for special events. In 2015, Atalaya will be closed Sept. 24 and from Oct. 24 to Oct. 27.
Admission: Huntington Beach State Park admission is $5 for adults, $3.25 for seniors, $3 for kids. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Additional admission to tour Atalaya is $2 per person for ages 6 and up.
Details: (843) 237-4440; southcarolinaparks.com and huntingtonbeachstatepark.com/Atalaya.htm