THE MAIN HOUSE AND POOL AT AULDBRASS PLANTATION ARE LOCATED NEAR A BEAUTIFUL LAKE AND SIT AMONG MAJESTIC MOSS DRAPED OAK TREES. THE OWNER PLANS TO CONSTRUCT A LARGE GUEST HOUSE AS PER THE ORIGINAL FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT PLANS. THE GUEST HOUSE WILL TIE INTO THE MAIN HOUSE BY MEANS OF THE COVERED WALKWAY AREA ADJACENT TO THE POOL.

Admiring Auldbrass With The Millers

Prologue…

Quite some time ago, while perusing a Frank Lloyd Wright Facebook group post, I first became aware of Auldbrass.  A little research revealed that Auldbrass was a plantation in South Carolina that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  I quickly decided that I would love to visit Auldbrass some day.  Further research revealed that the general public was allowed to visit one weekend every other year, during a fundraiser hosted by the owner, Hollywood Producer Joel Silver.  The fundraiser benefits South Carolina’s Open Land Trust, and that organization handles tickets and event logistics for the once-every-other-year Auldbrass tours.  When our good friends Brady and Patti Miller suggested that it was time to get together again, I floated the idea of an Auldbrass visit.  The last time we had seen Brady and Patti in person was January of 2019, when we met in Las Vegas and spent a few days catching up.  Brady and Patti were open to the idea of a visit to Auldbrass, so we set about planning a little trip.  This blog post is my attempt to tell you about our trip and our visit to Auldbrass.  

Getting There…

Brady and Patti suggested that we spend a couple of days at their home in Marietta, Georgia, then drive to Hilton Head Island and spend several days there around the time of the Auldbrass Tours.  That is exactly what we did.  Dorothy and I left the mudhole (now with goats grazing in the lakebed), formerly known as Lake McQueeney, on the morning of Sunday, October 29, 2023.  We spent the night in Brandon, Mississippi (just east of Jackson) and continued our drive the next morning.  We arrived at the Miller’s home in Marietta, Georgia, Monday afternoon, October 30, 2023.  Brady and Patti had done an incredible amount of work on their home since our last visit, including a kitchen remodel, adding a covered patio to the rear of their home, and monumental landscaping and drainage work.  Their home was so inviting and beautiful!  Dorothy and I finally made good on our promise to bring them a concrete statue of St. Francis that had once stood in my sister Molly’s garden.  That evening, they hosted a cook-out, and all of their children and grandchildren were there.  It was so good to see everyone and catch up.  The highlight of the evening was the announcement by Rebecca (Brady and Patti’s youngest daughter) that she was expecting — what a joyful occasion we were blessed to be part of!

THE MILLER CLAN: BRADY AND PATTI; OLDEST DAUGHTER JENNY AND HUSBAND RYAN, WITH SONS ETHAN (AGE 15) AND MILES (AGE 11); SON AARON WITH WIFE REBECCA AND SON LANDON (AGE 13) AND DAUGHTER JORDAN (AGE 9); YOUNGEST DAUGHTER (AND EXPECTANT MOTHER!) REBECCA AND HER HUSBAND BRIAN, WITH DAUGHTER MADISON (AGE 8) AND SON COLMORE (AGE 6).
A BEAUTIFUL EVENING FOR A COOK-OUT AND DINNER ON THE MILLER'S COVERED PATIO.
BRADY, THE PROUD GRANDFATHER OF MADISON AND JORDAN. THE GIRLS WERE VERY EXCITED TO LEARN THAT THEIR MOTHER/AUNT WAS EXPECTING! JORDAN IS QUITE THE GYMNIST AND PROVIDED US WITH A LITTLE TUMBLING EXHIBITION IN THE BACK YARD.

I was up early Tuesday morning, October 31, 2023, for a walk along the Chattahoochee River boardwalk at nearby Azalea Park.  We met Brady’s sister Patricia and her husband Jerry for lunch, and it was so good to visit with them.  We had a laid-back day, filled with lots of laughter (some of which was prompted by Brady hiding from Halloween trick or treaters) and reminiscing about good times from the past.  

BRADY AND ONE OF HIS ARTIFACTS-- THE BASEBALL CAP HE WORE AS A YOUTH ADORNED WITH PINS FROM HIS MANY CHAMPIONSHIPS. I ENJOY REGALING HIS GRANDCHILDREN WITH STORIES ABOUT HIS ATHLETIC PROWNESS!

On to Hilton Head…


On Wednesday morning, November 1, 2023, we drove to Hilton Head and checked into our condo at the Sea Pines Resort, where we would spend the next three nights.  Our condo was spacious and comfortable, just steps away from the iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse and Harbour Town Golf Links.  We are grateful for, and most appreciative of,  Brady and Patti’s generosity in finding and paying for our accomodations.  Thank you Brady and Patti!  (Brady said I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Dorothy and I paid for the Auldbrass tickets and several of the meals we enjoyed together.  But I am most confident that the trip balance sheet was heavily weighted in favor of Brady and Patti —  a testament to their generosity!)  After we got settled in, Brady and I took a walk around the harbor and on the seventeenth and eighteenth holes of the Harbour Town Golf Links.  What a beautiful place and a beautiful evening stroll!  We capped off the day’s activities by enjoying the sunset and a wonderful dinner at the Quarterdeck restuarant.

THE DISTINCTIVE AND ICONIC HARBOUR TOWN LIGHTHOUSE, AS SEEN ON OUR EVENING WALK ON OUR FIRST DAY AT HILTON HEAD.
BRADY ON OUR EVENING WALK. WE HAD TO WALK AROUND THE YACHT BASIN TO GET TO THE GOLF COURSE.
OUR VIEW OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND THE EIGHTEENTH GREEN FROM THE FAIRWAY AT HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS.
THE PAR THREE SEVENTEENTH HOLE AT HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS WAS BEAUTIFUL IN THE LATE AFTERNOON LIGHT.

Our Visit to Auldbrass Plantation…


We left Hilton Head a little after seven a.m. on Thursday, November 2, 2023, and made the scenic drive to the Auldbrass Plantation.  We arrived at the property a little after eight a.m., and easily found a parking space and checked in at a tent set up just inside the front gate of Auldbrass.  When I purchased our tickets for the tour, I elected for the earliest tour time on the first day of the event, thinking it might be a little less crowded.  Turns out I was right, as we were members of the first group to tour the main house.  I was a little disappointed that we only got to see the inside of the living room of the main house and that no photos were allowed inside or allowed to be taken from the outside through windows or open doors.  While we were free to roam the grounds around the main house after the guided tour, we could only see the bedrooms of the main house and the many ancillary structures (i.e., guest rooms, Joel Sliver’s Office, Archives, and other assorted goodies) from the outside, often having to look through windows.  There was much we did not see, such as the caretakers house, the guest cottages, the river house and dock, and the staff house. There were docents stationed throughout the property to make sure the no-inside-photos policy was strictly enforced.   Our docent for the tour was working off of cue cards, and did not appear to have any independent or special knowledge of Frank Lloyd Wright, Auldbrass, or Joel Silver’s efforts to restore and complete Wright’s vision for the property.  Of course, I was well aware of the restrictions and shortcomings ahead of time, so I have little reason to complain.  Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent at Auldbrass.  After the guided tour of the living area of the main house, we spent several hours walking around the property as well as listening to some of the lectures that were held near the main house.  Some of the docents stationed around the property also had additional information about the area or structure at which they were stationed.  Below are a few of the photos I took during our visit.  For a more comprehensive gallery of my photos, look here.  Also, please note that the two interior photos below were taken by Anthony Peres and posted on the South Carolina Lowcountry website.  While my photos do not do this beautiful place justice, I hope you find them enjoyable! 


What Is “Auldbrass”?  The Origin Of A Name

What in the world is “Auldbrass”?  It is a plantation in South Carolina designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  How did it get that name?  The term “Brass” was often used in southern plantation inventories to reflect slaves who had a distinctive color by virtue of being part American Indian.  The term “Old Brass” would indicate a slave over 60 years of age who was no longer able to work.  One such person built a shack and lived at a landing on the Combahee River (on what would become Aulbrass Plantation propery) and that location became known as “Old Brass Landing”.  Thus the preliminary drawings prepared by Wright in July of 1939 identified the project as “Oldbrass”.  At some point Wright penciled in “Auld” for “Old”, thereby inventing the name Auldbrass.

 

FIRST IN LINE! DOROTHY, PATTI, AND BRADY WAITING FOR THE FIRST GUIDED TOUR OF THE MAIN HOUSE AT AULDBRASS TO BEGIN.
OUR GUIDE, CUE CARDS IN HAND, JUST BEFORE TAKING US INTO THE MAIN HOUSE AT AULDBRASS.
THE LIVINGROOM OF THE MAIN HOUSE AT AULBRASS. NOTE THE MASSIVE FIREPLACE, THE MANY BUILT-INS, AND THE EXTERIOR WALLS AT 80 DEGREE ANGLES. PHOTO BY ANTHONY PERES.
ANOTHER INTERIOR PHOTO BY ANTHONY PERES. THIS IS THE LIVING ROOM OF THE CARETAKERS HOUSE. STUNNING!
THE UNIQUE SWIMMING POOL HAS A DIVING BOARD, A HOT TUB, AND WALLS AT AN 80 DEGREE ANGLE, JUST LIKE THE HOUSE AND OTHER FEATURES.
THE AREA OF THE POOL CLOSEST TO THE MAIN HOUSE.
VIEW OF THE HOT TUB AND DIVING BOARD AREA OF THE SWIMMING POOL, LOOKING TOWARD THE MAIN HOUSE AND THE COVERED PROMENADE WITH LOUNGE CHAIRS AT THE FAR END OF THE POOL.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE COVERED PROMENADE AND LOUNGE CHAIRS.
DETAILS OF THE WOODWORK ON THE POSTS AND CEILING OF THE PROMENADE. THE POSTS SIT AT 80 DEGREES, OF COURSE.
BRADY AND PATTI BY THE AULDBRASS SWIMMING POOL.
DOROTHY AND I BY THE POOL AT AULBRASS.
GARDEN AREA ON THE LAKE SIDE OF THE PROMENADE NEXT TO THE SWIMMING POOL. NOTE THE SPRITE STATUE.
THE TERRACE ON THE LAKE SIDE OF THE MAIN HOUSE. THE FIRST SET OF DOORS ON THE LEFT OPEN TO THE LIVING ROOM WHILE THE DOORS ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE TERRACE OPEN TO THE SMALL BEDROOM (WHICH IS MARKED "MRS. STEVENS" ON WRIGHTS ORIGINAL PLANS).
TERRACE OUTSIDE OF THE LARGE BEDROOM, WHICH LOOKS OUT ON THE LAKE. NOTE THE DESIGN ON THE DOORS/FIXED WINDOWS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE SET AT THE 80 DEGREE ANGLE TO MATCH THE EXTERIOR WALLS OF THE MAIN HOUSE.


A Tale of Two Cars

(From an information placard at Auldbrass)

According to lore, Frank Lloyd Wright was approached by the Ford Motor Company in the late 1930s with a revolutionary idea in product placement.  Ford was interested in creating an advertising campaign stating that the twenty most prestigious Americans all drove Ford Motor Cars.  Frank Lloyd Wright was on that list.  The only way Ford could guarantee that all these twenty Americans were driving a Ford Motor Car was to provide each and every one of them with a brand new car, all manufactured by Ford.  Mr. Wright’s response was understandable —  of course he would accept the offer.  But, since he had two residences, he would require two automobiles.  When Ford was contronted with this proposal, their reaction was simple:  “That’s not the deal”.  Wright’s response was also equally simple:  “Then I’m not interested.”  When Ford finally agreed to the two-car option, Wright responded by saying “Okay, here’s the color I want you to paint the cars.”

Wright was enamored with the Lincoln Continental.  He reportedly stated that it was the most beautiful American car ever built, but that was probably a by-product of this advertising campaign.  The 1940 Cabriolet (that Ford gave to FLW) was only the 16th one built and completed in December 1939.  It was the first Continental to be delivered through the Milwaukee Wholesale branch.  It was damaged early in its life by one of Mr. Wrights’s associates when it rolled over on a foggyWisconsin night.  When he realized the cost of replacing the convertible top and the damaged windshield, Wright decided he could better redesign the car anyway.  The car was customized at Kayser Motors in Madison, Wisconsin, and Wright did all those things he was known for, even eliminating the rear window completely (“I’m only interested in where I’m going, not where I’ve been”), while adding two silly half-round opera windows on the sides and taking out the roof over the driver completely.  The  second car — the 1941 Coupe — was pretty much stock, with a couple of Wright adjustments.  Both cars were painted the same Cherokee Red color, and have been restored to the way they were when Wright owned them.

 

THE CHEROKEE RED 1941 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL COUPE THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY GAVE TO FLLW AS PART OF AN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN.
THE 1940 LINCOLN CABRIOLET THAT FLLW REDESIGNED AFTER IT WAS DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT.
WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT OF CARS, HERE IS A PHOTO OF ANOTHER SPRITE, PERCHED ON THE LOW WALL THAT SURROUNDS THE AUTO COURT AT AULDBRASS.
ONE OF THE LECTURES IN PROGRESS UNDER "THE BELL TREE", LOCATED NEAR THE MAIN HOUSE AT AULDBRASS.

Are you bored yet?!  Don’t worry, I only have a few more photos of Auldbrass that I want you to see.  The photos I have posted above were all taken in the immediate vicinity of the main house, while the photos below were taken while we roamed the grounds and the out-buildings after our guided tour.  And don’t forget, a more complete gallery of my Auldbrass photos can be found here.  

THE AVIARY AT AULDBRASS, TOPPED WITH A COPPER ROOF AND VENTILATION SPIRE. THE EXPERIOR SCREENED WALLS WERE ANGLED AT 80 DEGREES-- OF COURSE!
THE ARCHED ENTRY OVER THE ROAD LEADING TO THE MAIN HOUSE AT AULDBRASS. TO THE LEFT ARE THE DOG KENNELS, TO THE RIGHT IS JOEL SILVER'S OFFICE.
THE SPORTSMAN CLOSET (ON LEFT) IS CONNECTED TO THE CARETAKER'S HOUSE (ON THE RIGHT) BY A COVERED WALKWAY OVER A LOW GATE.
THIS IMPRESSIVE AREA CONNECTS THE STABLES/BARN WING WITH THE GUEST ROOMS/TACK ROOM WING. NOTE THE LARGE WOODEN LIGHT FIXTURE. WHILE THE 80 DEGREE ANGLES ARE PRESENT, THE GRID ON THE FLOOR IS RECTANGULAR, UNLIKE THE HEXAGONAL GRID AT THE MAIN HOUSE.
AN IMPRESSIVE ROW OF WRIGHT DESIGNED CHAIRS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE GUEST ROOM WING.
AT AULDBRASS YOU SEE MANY, MANY ITEMS, LIKE THIS LIGHT FIXTURE, THAT EVIDENCE WRIGHT'S OBSESSIVE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
THE LAND TRUST TENTS NEAR THE MAIN GATE AND ENTRY TO AULDBRASS.
SIGNAGE AT THE MAIN GATE/ENTRY TO AULDBRASS. NOTE THE INTRICATE DETAIL AND ANGLES OF THE FENCE...AMAZING.

I hated to leave Auldbrass.  If I had unfettered access to that beautiful place, I could explore Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius for days.  But I am supremely grateful I got to spend time there at all.  I am also most grateful to my wife Dorothy and our friends Brady and Patti Miller for indulging my passion for all things Frank Lloyd Wright.  I hope to return to Auldbrass some day.   I plan to keep track of Joel Silver’s efforts to build more of the structures (like the large guest house that will be attached to the main house by the promenade along  the swimming pool) that were designed by Wright but never built.  I also plan to stay in touch with the South Carolina Land Trust folks, and do my best to find out about other Auldbrass opportunities may arise in the future.

We left Auldbrass and stopped at a local cafe for lunch on the way back to Hilton Head and Sea Pines Resort.  While the girls rested that afternoon, Brady and I made an excursion to find a t-shirt for little J.D. and some ice cream for us grown-up boys.  That night, we had another wonderful seafood dinner at the Quarterdeck.  I could eat at that place every night!

The next day, Friday, November 3, 2023, was spent exploring around Sea Pines Resort.  We paid a visit to the historical exhibits at the very impressive Harbour Town Golf links clubhouse, took a short stroll by the beach, had lunch at the Salty Dog, and explored for several hours at the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.  Our day concluded with pizza at our condo.  Here are some photos post-Audbrass.

DOROTHY IS ALL SMILES AS BRADY AND PATTI CHECK US IN FOR DINNER AT THE QUARTERDECK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW BRADY DID IT, BUT WE HAD A PRIMO POWER TABLE AT THE QUARTERDECK. CHECK OUT THAT VIEW!
DOROTHY AND BLUEY ABOUT TO DIG IN AT THE QUARTERDECK.
OUR CONDO WAS PERFECT. THANK YOU BRADY AND PATTI FOR ARRANGING FOR US TO STAY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
BRADY AND PATTI ON THE BEACH AT SEA PINES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
PATTI AND DOROTHY ON THE DUNES. ON A PREVIOUS VISIT THE MILLERS AND THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY STAYED AT THE HOUSE IN THE BACKGROUND.
BRADY AND ME AT THE BEACH.
BRADY AND PATTI ON THE BACK PORCH OF THE HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS CLUBHOUSE.
DOROTHY WITH HER FAVORITE PGA PRO, JORDAN SPIETH. JORDAN IS A FORMER CHAMPION AT HARBOUR TOWN.

The Sea Pines Forest Preserve was beautiful.  During our time there, we saw a fair number of birds.  Our best looks involved a female/immature male Anhinga.  Brady snuck up on it and got an amazing video —  as Brady got closer and closer, the bird began to exhibit threat displays.  It was quite entertaining as you can see in Brady’s video below.  

SIGNAGE AT THE SEA PINES FOREST PRESERVE. THE PRESERVE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST UNSPOILED AND UNDEVELOPED PARCELS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
ONE OF THE ANHINGAS WE WATCHED AT THE SEA ISLAND FOREST PRESERVE ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2023.
BRADY SLOWLY APPROACHING AN ANHINGA PERCHED ON A LIMB HANGING OVER THE WATER. CAN YOU SPOT THE BIRD? BRADY TOOK AN AMAZING VIDEO FROM VERY CLOSE TO THE BIRD.
TOM MCCOPPIN, AWARD WINNING WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, ON LOCATION AT SEA PINES FOREST PRESERVE.

Brady’s Anhinga Video….

Going Home…

We said our goodbyes to Brady and Patti on Saturday morning, November 4, 2023, and headed for home.  That day, we drove from Hilton Head to Mandeville, Louisiana (north of New Orleans) where we spent the night.  We got up Sunday morning and drove to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, where we stopped for a visit with Dorothy’s cousin, Dale McCleary.  We had lunch and a very nice visit with Dale — it was great to see him and to catch up on what was going on in his life.  We were sorry that his wife, Cindi was out of town.

DOROTHY WITH HER COUSIN DALE MCCLEARY, STANDING OUTSIDE HIS MAN CAVE IN BREAUX BRIDGE, LOUISIANA.

After our visit with Dale McCleary, we drove the short distance to Lafayette and dropped in on Dorothy’s sweet cousin, Belle McKinney.  Despite her ongoing health issues, Belle is always upbeat, with a smile on her face.  After a nice visit with her, we headed west toward home, arriving back at the lake a little before 10 p.m. that Sunday evening.  It was good to be home!

DOROTHY WITH HER COUSIN BELLE, SUNDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 5, 2023.

Epilogue…

Dorothy and I are most grateful that we have the financial resources and good health to make trips like this.  And for the supreme blessing of our friendship with Brady and Patti Miller.  Thank you Brady and Patti for making this trip possible and for your friendship and love over these many years.  We love you!   Tom and Dorothy McCoppin, November 16, 2023.