Archer M. Huntington
Encyclopedia
Archer Milton Huntington (March 10, 1870 – December 11, 1955) was the son of Arabella (née Duval) Huntington
and the stepson of railroad magnate
and industrialist Collis P. Huntington
. A lifelong friend of the arts, he is known for his scholarly works in the field of Hispanic Studies and for founding The Hispanic Society of America
in New York City
.
He was also a major benefactor of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Numismatic Society
which he convinced to relocate next to the Hispanic Society at the Beaux Arts Audubon Terrace
complex in New York's Washington Heights
. In 1932, he founded the Brookgreen Gardens sculpture center in South Carolina; and the Mariners' Museum
which is one of the largest maritime museum
s in the world, in Newport News, Virginia
, a new independent city
that was established in the late 19th century largely though the efforts of his stepfather Collis P. Huntington.
Archer later married sculptor
Anna Hyatt
, and they founded Brookgreen Gardens
sculpture center and nature reserve near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
in 1931. Her large scale sculptures adorn the Audubon Terrace
at the Hispanic Society of America in New York City
on March 10, 1923. March 10 was both his and his bride's birthday. They then called March 10 "3 in 1 day" and it is still celebrated at Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens
in South Carolina. Archer and Anna had no children.
in New York City
. The society, founded in 1904, is a museum and rare books library whose collections of Hispanic
materials are unrivaled outside of Spain
.
In 1932 he donated land and helped to create Brookgreen Gardens
in South Carolina
, a public sculpture garden
in which to display the figurative sculpture works of American sculptors, including many pieces by Anna Hyatt Huntington
. A portion of Brookgreen Gardens are a nature reserve, and another section is leased to the state for Huntington Beach State Park
. The gardens, historic plantation sites, and their adjacent residence 'Atalaya Castle' are a National Historic Landmark
, and on the National Register of Historic Places
.
In that same year, working with Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company president Homer L. Ferguson
, Huntington founded the Mariners' Museum
in Newport News, Virginia
, one of the largest maritime museum
s in the world.
In 1936, Huntington created an endowment which established an annual stipend for a Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
, now officially the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
. In 2006, this stipend amounted to $40,000 per year, including a $35,000 salary and $5,000 in travel expenses.
founded the renowned The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
in California
.
Arabella Huntington
Arabella Yarrington "Belle" Huntington was the second wife of American railway tycoon and industrialist Collis P. Huntington, and then the second wife of Henry E. Huntington...
and the stepson of railroad magnate
Robber baron
A robber baron or robber knight was an unscrupulous and despotic nobility of the medieval period in Europe, for example, Berlichingen. It has slightly different meanings in different countries. In modern US parlance, the term is also used to describe unscrupulous industrialists...
and industrialist Collis P. Huntington
Collis P. Huntington
Collis Potter Huntington was one of the Big Four of western railroading who built the Central Pacific Railroad as part of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad...
. A lifelong friend of the arts, he is known for his scholarly works in the field of Hispanic Studies and for founding The Hispanic Society of America
The Hispanic Society of America
The Hispanic Society of America is a museum of Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American art and artifacts, as well as a rare books and manuscripts research library. Founded in 1904 by Archer M...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
He was also a major benefactor of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Numismatic Society
American Numismatic Society
The American Numismatic Society is a New York City-based organization dedicated to the study of coins and medals.-Introduction:...
which he convinced to relocate next to the Hispanic Society at the Beaux Arts Audubon Terrace
Audubon Terrace
Audubon Terrace, also known as Audubon Terrace Historic District, is a landmark complex of approximately eight early 20th century Beaux Arts buildings in New York City...
complex in New York's Washington Heights
Washington Heights
Washington Heights may refer to some places in the United States:*Washington Heights, Manhattan **Washington Heights , a 2003 film set in Washington Heights, Manhattan*Washington Heights, New York...
. In 1932, he founded the Brookgreen Gardens sculpture center in South Carolina; and the Mariners' Museum
Mariners' Museum
The Mariners' Museum is located in Newport News, Virginia. It is one of the largest maritime museums in the world as well as being the largest in North America.- History :The museum was founded in 1932 by Archer Milton Huntington, son of Collis P...
which is one of the largest maritime museum
Maritime museum
A maritime museum is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on large bodies of water...
s in the world, in Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, a new independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
that was established in the late 19th century largely though the efforts of his stepfather Collis P. Huntington.
Marriages
Archer Huntington was married twice. On August 6, 1895, he married, Helen Manchester Gates, the daughter of Rev. Isaac E. Gates and Ellen M.H. Gates (his stepfather's sister). Like her mother, Helen was a writer. Archer and Helen were temporarily detained and effectively under arrest by German authorities in Nuremberg, Bavaria at the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 due to suspicions that Archer, a representative of the American Geographic Society, was a spy. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan appealed for their release through diplomatic channels. Archer and Helen had no children and divorced in 1918.Archer later married sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
Anna Hyatt
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...
, and they founded 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...
sculpture center and nature reserve near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
in 1931. Her large scale sculptures adorn the Audubon Terrace
Audubon Terrace
Audubon Terrace, also known as Audubon Terrace Historic District, is a landmark complex of approximately eight early 20th century Beaux Arts buildings in New York City...
at the Hispanic Society of America in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on March 10, 1923. March 10 was both his and his bride's birthday. They then called March 10 "3 in 1 day" and it is still celebrated at 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...
in South Carolina. Archer and Anna had no children.
Hispanic studies
Huntington is primarily known for his scholarly works in the field of Hispanic Studies and for founding The Hispanic Society of AmericaThe Hispanic Society of America
The Hispanic Society of America is a museum of Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American art and artifacts, as well as a rare books and manuscripts research library. Founded in 1904 by Archer M...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The society, founded in 1904, is a museum and rare books library whose collections of Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
materials are unrivaled outside of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Philanthropy
In 1915, Huntington donated land on which the American Academy of Arts and Letters could construct a permanent New York City home. The land was adjacent to the Hispanic Society. He also donated land and funds to relocate the Numismatic Society and the Museum of the American Indian to the same complex, Audubon Terrace.In 1932 he donated land and helped to create 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...
in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, a public sculpture garden
Sculpture garden
A sculpture garden is an outdoor garden dedicated to the presentation of sculpture, usually several permanently sited works in durable materials in landscaped surroundings....
in which to display the figurative sculpture works of American sculptors, including many pieces by 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...
. A portion of Brookgreen Gardens are a nature reserve, and another section is leased to the state for 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 gardens, historic plantation sites, and their adjacent residence 'Atalaya Castle' are 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...
, and 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 that same year, working with Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company president Homer L. Ferguson
Homer L. Ferguson
Homer Lenoir Ferguson was an author and businessman. He was President of Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia from July 22, 1915 through July 31, 1946.- Biography :...
, Huntington founded the Mariners' Museum
Mariners' Museum
The Mariners' Museum is located in Newport News, Virginia. It is one of the largest maritime museums in the world as well as being the largest in North America.- History :The museum was founded in 1932 by Archer Milton Huntington, son of Collis P...
in Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, one of the largest maritime museum
Maritime museum
A maritime museum is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on large bodies of water...
s in the world.
In 1936, Huntington created an endowment which established an annual stipend for a Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, now officially the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the nation's official poet. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of...
. In 2006, this stipend amounted to $40,000 per year, including a $35,000 salary and $5,000 in travel expenses.
Family
Huntington family members included several prominent cousins. The New York City architect Charles P. Huntington was one. His cousin Henry E. HuntingtonHenry E. Huntington
Henry Edwards Huntington was a railroad magnate and collector of art and rare books. Born in Oneonta, New York, Huntington settled in Los Angeles, where he owned the Pacific Electric Railway as well as substantial real estate interests...
founded the renowned The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
The Huntington Library
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is an educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington in San Marino, in the San Rafael Hills near Pasadena, California in the United States...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
External links
- Archer Milton Huntington papers - at Syracuse University Special Collections Research Center
- Hispanic Society: Huntington biography notes
- American Numismatic Society: Biography
- Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington Sculpture Garden - "Biography, The Huntingtons"
- Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery exhibition files, 1948-1981 from the Smithsonian Archives of American ArtArchives of American ArtThe Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary resources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. More than 16 million items of original material are housed in the Archives' research centers in Washington, D.C...