Eothen (Warhol estate)

Eothen
Map
Former namesThe Church Estate
Alternative namesWarhol Estate
General information
Address16 Cliff Dr, Montauk, New York, U.S.
Coordinates41°02′46″N 71°53′37″W / 41.0461°N 71.8936°W / 41.0461; -71.8936
Year(s) built1931
OwnerAdam Lindemann
Design and construction
Architect(s)Stanford White

Eothen is an oceanfront property in Montauk, New York, on the easternmost tip of Long Island. The was compound was originally made up of five white clapboard houses built on 20 acres (8 ha) of land in the 1930s. It was known locally as The Church Estate after the owners before pop artist Andy Warhol and his film collaborator Paul Morrissey purchased the property in 1971. Warhol entertained many famous guests including Jackie Kennedy, The Rolling Stones, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, and Halston.

In 1992, 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land was donated to the Nature Conservancy, which is now called the Andy Warhol Preserve. In 2007, businessman Mickey Drexler purchased the 5.7-acre (2.3 ha) property and merged it with a neighboring 24-acre (9.7 ha) horse farm.[1] In 2015, gallerist Adam Lindemann purchased the property without the horse farm.[1]

Background

Eothen was constructed by American architect Stanford White in 1931[dubious – discuss] as a fishing camp for the Church family, the makers of Arm & Hammer baking soda.[2] The Church family used the compound for a few weeks in September when the striped bass fishing was at its peak.[2]

Residence of Andy Warhol

Pop artist Andy Warhol and his film collaborator Paul Morrissey purchased the property for $225,000 in 1971.[3][4] The property would become known as Eothen, which is Greek for "dawn" or "eastward."[4]

In addition to the residence of Mr. Winters, the caretaker, the property had one main lodge-style 5-bedroom house, three cottages, a stable, and a three-car garage situated at the end of a long, winding private drive.[5][3] There was a massive guest ranch nearby where horses could be rented to ride to the white sand beaches over the dunes.[6] About half a mile to the west, in the direction of Montauk Village, lived talk-show host Dick Cavett and his actress wife, Carrie Nye.[6] Near the Coast Guard facility at Montauk Point, a half mile to the east, was a bungalow owned by photographer Peter Beard.[6] As Bob Colacello, former editor of Warhol's Interview magazine, noted, Eothen was the Factory answer to the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.[6]

A portion of the compound's operating expenses were covered by renting the main house.[7] The other two cottages were usually occupied by people in Warhol's inner circle. "We, people like Andy’s boyfriend Jed Johnson, and Bob Colacello, stayed in the other two cottages.[7] So did Tom Cashin and Jed's brother Jay," said Vincent Fremont, who oversaw Warhol's studio, the Factory.[7] When they weren't renting the main house, Fremont would go to the farmers' market in the neighboring town of Amagansett, New York to buy food for their weekend visitors.[7]

Socialite Lee Radziwill was the first to rent the main house during the summer of 1972.[5][6] She was accompanied by her sister Jackie Kennedy Onassis and their children, Tina Radziwill, Anthony Radziwill, Caroline Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy Jr.[5] When Radziwill rented the house, she had a maid and someone to cook. For Warhol's 44th birthday in August 1972, she gifted him a flagpole that sill stands today.[7] Filmmaker Jonas Mekas captured Radziwill's vacation with her family at Eothen.[8] He was hired by Jackie Kennedy Onassis to teach her children filmmaking and photography.[8] Radziwill also rented the house during the summer in 1973.[7]

During The Rolling Stones American Tour 1972, rock musician Mick Jagger and his wife Bianca Jagger stayed with Radziwill in the main home to unwind.[5] Writer Truman Capote, another frequent visitor, and Peter Beard, whom Mick Jagger had hired to accompany the Rolling Stones on tour, became good friends.[5] In 1975, the Rollings Stones rented the main house as a rehearsal space.[5] Jagger also rented the main house in 1976 and 1977.[3]

In June 5, 1977 diary entry, Warhol stated: "We're trying to rent the main house for $4,000 a month during July and August — $26,000 for six months. Two thousand a month for the small cottages, but we'll deal.[9]

Warhol made a cameo in the Ulli Lommel-directed film Cocaine Cowboy (1979), which was shot at Eothen in 1978.[10]

In 1978, Fashion designer Halston began renting the main house at the suggestion of his boyfriend Victor Hugo. He had a mosquito-net cover put over the bed in his bedroom and he requested that a Vulcan professional stove be installed in the kitchen.[7] He continued to rent the main house into the 1980s. In July 15, 1986 diary entry, Warhol said they were "not making any money off renting it to Halston, it just pays the mortgage."[11]

The Andy Warhol Preserve

In 1992, Andy Warhol's estate donated 15 acres (6.1 ha) of the land to The Nature Conservancy.[12] The bequest was made to support the visual arts and conserve a portion of the Montauk Moorlands. As part of the gift, the Conservancy created the Andy Warhol Preserve and established an educational nature trail for visitors.[13]

Later history

In 2001, Paul Morrissey listed the remaining 5.7 acres (2.3 ha) of the property for $50 million, but it remained unsold for years.[14][15] The price was later lowered to $45 million and by 2006 it was down to $40 million.[16]

In 2007, Mickey Drexler, the CEO of J. Crew, purchased the property for $27 million.[17][18] Drexler merged it with a neighboring 24-acre (9.7 ha) horse farm.[1] In 2015, he listed the entire compound for $85 million.[1]

In 2015, gallerist Adam Lindemann purchased the 5.7-acre (2.3 ha) property without the horse farm for a reported $50 million.[19]

Bibliography

  • Warhol, Andy; Hackett, Pat (1989). The Andy Warhol Diaries. New York: Warner Books. ISBN 9780446514262.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Munro, Cait (2015-10-16). "Adam Lindemann To Purchase Warhol Estate". Artnet News. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  2. ^ a b AnotherMan (2018-02-27). "The Humble Fishing Town that Became a Hideaway for Warhol's Gang". AnotherMan. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  3. ^ a b c Warhol & Hackett 1989, p. 8.
  4. ^ a b Gopnik, Blake (2020). Warhol. New York, NY: ECCO. p. 733. ISBN 978-0-06-229839-3.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Fremont, Vincent (July 8, 2023). "Andy Warhol's Montauk House Drew Stars of All Stripes". Air Mail. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  6. ^ a b c d e Colacello 1990, p. 124.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Fremont, Casey (July 10, 2023). "Inside the Compound Where Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, and Mick Jagger Spent Their Summers". Cultured Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  8. ^ a b Earle-Levine, Julie (June 26, 2017). "A '70s Summer With Warhol and the Kennedys". T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
  9. ^ Warhol & Hackett 1989, p. 48.
  10. ^ Warhol & Hackett 1989, p. 162.
  11. ^ Warhol & Hackett 1989, p. 743.
  12. ^ Pryke, Louise M. (2020-11-12). Turtle. Reaktion Books. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-78914-337-9.
  13. ^ "The Nature Conservancy Announces 2023 Andy Warhol Visual Arts Program Artists". The Nature Conservancy. July 27, 2023. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  14. ^ Baker, Al (July 7, 2001). "Andy Warhol's Montauk Estate Is on the Market for $50 Million". The New York Times.
  15. ^ Givens, Ann (July 8, 2001). "Eyes Pop Over Asking Price". Newsday. Nassau Edition. p. 8.
  16. ^ Cotsalas, Valerie (September 8, 2006). "The Unsold Warhol". The New York Times.
  17. ^ Robledo, S. Jhoanna (2007-02-23). "Former Warhol Partner Paul Morrissey Sells Andy's Estate and Hunts for Trailers". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  18. ^ Cotsalas, Valerie (January 28, 2007). "Higher Price Tags in Montauk". The New York Times.
  19. ^ Gould, Jennifer (2015-10-16). "Adam Lindemann in contract to buy Andy Warhol's Montauk estate". Page Six. Retrieved 2024-11-28.