Archer Miller Huntington (1870-1955) – Philanthropist & Author
Archer Huntington was the son of Arabella Huntington and the stepson of railroad magnate and industrialist Collis P. Huntington. He was educated by private tutors and later traveled and studied in Spain, where he collected a number of rare manuscripts, books, and some works of art. Huntington was also an accomplished author, focusing on poetry and the translation of Spanish texts. He was the recipient of the Order del Libertador of Venezuela, and, in 1927, he was made chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France. In 1939, he was awarded the Medal of Merit of the Saint Nicholas Society from the City of New York. Huntington devoted his life to philanthropic pursuits, donating land, money, and valuable collections to establish museums.
In 1904, Huntington founded the Hispanic Society of America, and, by 1908, a free museum, library, and educational institution opened in a new facility in New York City. The library included Huntington’s collection of over 40,000 volumes. In 1915, he donated property in New York City to establish the Museum of the American Indian and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1921, he donated a new home to the American Numismatic Society, New York City. Other cultural institutions Huntington established were Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina (1930), the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia, (1930), and the Archer and Anna Huntington Wild Life Forest Station in the Adirondacks for Syracuse University (1932). He donated a collection of Louis XV furniture to Yale University in 1926, and $100,000 to the National Sculpture Society for a sculpture exhibition in San Francisco in 1928.
We honor Archer Miller Huntington because his philanthropic work makes him a Legacy Champ. If you want to be a Legacy Champ in your own special way, then contact the Mendel Law Firm, L.P. for a free consultation on estate planning, trust planning, and/or probate issues.
Stephen A. Mendel, Estate Planning Attorney
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