Auldbrass Plantation

Auldbrass Plantation
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Auldbrass Plantation

Site overview

Located outside Yemassee in the backwoods of the South Carolina Lowcountry, Auldbrass Plantation is the only Southern Plantation designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1939, builder C. Leigh Stevens called on Wright to design a self-sufficient, modern plantation for farming, hunting and entertaining. In keeping with his theories of organic architecture, Wright designed Auldbrass to exist in harmony with the Lowcountry landscape of which it is a part. Native cypress boards laid diagonally at 80 degree angles, were used on the exterior of the buildings and on the fence that marks the property’s border. Wright is said to have calculated the average angle that a live oak tree leans and concluded that 80 degrees was the ideal natural form for Auldbrass Plantation. Stevens owned Auldbrass until his death in 1962, when it passed on to his daughter, Jessica Steven Loring. After several subsequent owners, in 1987 the plantation was purchased by major Hollywood producer and Frank Lloyd Wright aficionado Joel Silver. Working from Wright’s original plans and enlisting the help of Wright’s grandson, Eric Lloyd Wright, Silver completed the architectural vision for Auldbrass Plantation, thus fulfilling Wright’s and Stevens’ dream and making Auld brass a true architectural treasure. (Adapted from official website of the city of Beaufort, SC)

Auldbrass Plantation

Site overview

Located outside Yemassee in the backwoods of the South Carolina Lowcountry, Auldbrass Plantation is the only Southern Plantation designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1939, builder C. Leigh Stevens called on Wright to design a self-sufficient, modern plantation for farming, hunting and entertaining. In keeping with his theories of organic architecture, Wright designed Auldbrass to exist in harmony with the Lowcountry landscape of which it is a part. Native cypress boards laid diagonally at 80 degree angles, were used on the exterior of the buildings and on the fence that marks the property’s border. Wright is said to have calculated the average angle that a live oak tree leans and concluded that 80 degrees was the ideal natural form for Auldbrass Plantation. Stevens owned Auldbrass until his death in 1962, when it passed on to his daughter, Jessica Steven Loring. After several subsequent owners, in 1987 the plantation was purchased by major Hollywood producer and Frank Lloyd Wright aficionado Joel Silver. Working from Wright’s original plans and enlisting the help of Wright’s grandson, Eric Lloyd Wright, Silver completed the architectural vision for Auldbrass Plantation, thus fulfilling Wright’s and Stevens’ dream and making Auld brass a true architectural treasure. (Adapted from official website of the city of Beaufort, SC)

Primary classification

Residential (RES)

Secondary classification

Residential (RES)

Terms of protection

Beaufort County Open Land Trust - Easement

Designations

U.S. National Register of Historic Places, listed on June 3, 1976

How to Visit

Open to the public occasionally as part of the Beaufort County Open Land Trust Plantation Tour; call (843) 521-2175 for more information.

Location

7 River Rd
Yemassee, SC, 29945

Country

US
More visitation information

Designer(s)

Other designers

Aulbrass Plantation was designed and built by architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Commission

1938

Completion

1951

Commission / Completion details

Auldbrass Plantation was commissioned by owner, C. Leigh Stevens in 1938 after combining Old Brass, Mount Alexander, Richfield, Old Combahee, and Charlton Plantations to form one large piece of property. Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to build a plantation complex that represented a working farm. In 1940 the initial drawings and plans were complete. 1941 The farm buildings were nearly completed and the main house was in the beginning stages, in 1942 construction stopped due to World War II and resumed in 1946. The house was completed in 1951 with Wright's original designs modified several times along the way.

Significant Alteration(s) with Date(s)

Stevens' third wife, Nina Lunn altered much of the original Wright design which was based on a bachelor's lifestyle. In March 1952, a fire destroyed portions of the farm buildings. The fire began in a large detached barn and spred to the hay barn and machine shed, the fire fighters were able to detach the roof connecting the barns to the caretaker's house, stables, saddle room, cook shed, and kennels. the main house and staff cabins were not affected. The buildings were not rebuilt until 1986 when movie producer, Joel Silver, purchased the property. Silver restored all of Wright's original buildings as he had originally designed and all Wright-designed buildings which were destroyed or altered beyond recognition were rebuilt, and Wright's unbuilt projects for the complex were built as designed.

References

http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/beaufort/S10817707025/S10817707025.pdf