Rice Fields to Sculpture Gardens: The History of Brookgreen Gardens
Key Points
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Three Plantations
The property of Brookgreen Gardens is made up of three former plantations: Laurel Hill, Brookgreen, and The Oaks.
At the northwestern corner of the property, along the Waccamaw River, are the ruins of Laurel Hill Plantation, probably built by Plowden Weston in the mid-nineteenth century. In this vicinity there are many brick ruins, a two-gun emplacement overlooking a bend in the river, and a 50-foot high freestanding chimney.
The portion of the property that is now a sculpture garden was formerly Brookgreen Plantation, built by William Allston in the mid-eighteenth century. The central avenue of the gardens, Live Oak Avenue, was probably the same avenue that led to the plantation house. It is lined with old oak trees planted in rows, most likely in the eighteenth century. None of the original plantation buildings remain, but the Brookgreen Plantation house site is south of the loggia in the sculpture gardens.
The Oaks was the plantation built by the branch of the Allston family spelling the name Alston, with only one "1". Nothing above ground remains of the house, but the cemetery remains, containing a memorial marker indicating the grave of Governor Joseph Alston and his son Aaron Burr Alston, and also commemorating his wife, Theodosia Burr Alston who was lost at sea.
The Alston cemetery, located on the edge of the woods, is enclosed by a brick wall and has raised tombstones. The cemetery and plantation sites of the Oaks are at the extreme southwestern end of the developed area of the gardens, along the Oaks Creek. (Information taken from the nomination form for the National Registry of Historic Places)
Brookgreen and the Arts
Brookgreen Gardens founders, Archer Milton Huntington and Anna Hyatt Huntington, were important figures in the development of American arts.
Brookgreen was sold in January 1930 to Archer Milton Huntington, who with his wife, Anna Hyatt Huntington, developed Brookgreen Gardens as a garden and sculpture museum. Incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1931, Brookgreen Gardens has been called "the largest and most representative collection of American sculpture on exhibit anywhere in the world and the largest showing of sculpture in an outdoor setting in the United States." Although the Gardens were originally envisioned as a showplace for Mrs. Huntington's sculpture, the Huntingtons quickly broadened their plans to include representative pieces of American sculpture from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The name most intimately associated with Brookgreen Gardens continues to be that of Anna Hyatt Huntington, its co-founder. Mrs. Huntington, a premier American sculptress, was born Anna Vaughn Hyatt in 1876. Her first one-man show was held when she was 24 years old. A prolific artist, she was especially noted for her powerfully classic animal and equestrian sculpture.
In designing the gardens, Mrs. Huntington used the existing environment to a great extent. The avenue of oaks from the 18th century forms the central axis of the gardens, and the center of the gardens contains remnants of an 18th century garden in the form of some remaining boxwood trees.
As the first step in the development of the gardens, Archer Huntington constructed a serpentine open-work brick wall to define the limits of the garden area. She then designed a series of pathways in the form of a butterfly with outspread wings. All of these pathways wind around the central space that was the site of the Brookgreen plantation house.
Brookgreen Gardens lies between the Waccamaw River and U.S. Highway 17, in a forest of mixed hardwoods, pines, and semitropical plants. Designed to preserve the indigenous flora and fauna of the southeast, the Gardens contain close to 1,000 different species and variations of plants. (Information taken from the nomination form for the National Registry of Historic Places)
Book an Excursion to Explore the History of Brookgreen
Visitors can choose from several excursions to more fully understand the history of Brookgreen Garden. These include exploring local creeks, visiting the site of the Oaks Plantation, and visiting the cemeteries located on the property. For more details, click here.
Further Reading
"Theodosia Burr Alston: Portrait of a Prodigy "
by Richard N. Cote
"Dreaming with Animals: Anna Hyatt Huntington and Brookgreen Gardens"
by L. Kerr Dunn
"Heaven is a Beautiful Place: A Memoir of the South Carolina Coast"
by Genevieve C. Peterkin
"Images of America: Brookgreen Gardens: Atalaya"
by Robin R. Salmon
Come Stay at Grand Palms Resort and Explore Local History
Calling all history buffs! Come stay at Grand Palms Resort and relax after a day of learning all about the history of Brookgreen Gardens. Check out our amenities here! We'd love to help you have the best Myrtle Beach vacation possible. To make a reservation, click here. We're looking forward to seeing you!
Kristen Meeker
(She/her)
Kristen spent her childhood on the Grand Strand. She studied English and editing in college, spent time in Appalachia and currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. Kristen enjoys quilting, reading, and traveling with her family. She makes her way back to the beach as often as she can!
