Island Living: Life in Pawleys Island Part II

Huntington Beach and the Castle you can't miss!

Today I'm going to take you to my favorite beach, Huntington Beach State Park. Although the beach, wildlife, and scenery of the park are notable themself, I'm going to share the history of it and the Atalaya Castle that still stands there today.

If you've never been to Huntington Beach, you are in for a surprise. Directly next to the Beach Entrance stands Atalaya. Talk about a beach house!!! At first glance, you may think it's an old prison, but you soon learned that it is a Castle, created by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. In 1930 the Millionaire Philanthropist and his Sculptor wife came to the South Carolina Coast in search of a unique Winter Home. Their search ended when they purchased what is today Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens. While cruising down the Intercoastal Waterway, Archer discovered a pamphlet advertising a hunting club with 4 decrepit rice plantations; they immediately fell in love with the land and purchased it!

When deciding where to build this massive structure, Anna and Archer chose a spot nestled in the sand dunes with an Ocean View. Archer didn't have any written designs; they only existed in his mind. His inspiration was the Moorish Fortress found along the coast of Spain. One of the most prominent features added was the watchtower, which looks over the central courtyard. And this is how the home got it's namesake "Atalaya", translated to "Watchtower" in Spanish.

The rooms are more centered around the Huntington's Artistic endeavors; there are no ballrooms, billiard rooms, or any rooms for social gatherings. The Sanctuary was an escape for them from the social demands of their lives in NY and CT. Anna's greatest passion was sculpting. She gathered great inspiration from her many animals, including dogs, horses, and bears! You can see her famous "Fighting Stallions" statue (pictured here), as well as many of her other creations just down the street at Brookgreen Gardens.

Call me today for more info about amazing things to do and how to get your very own beach castle!