Eothen (Warhol estate)
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 The was compound was originally made up of five white clapboard houses built on over 20 acres of land in the 1930s.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, John Lennon, Elizabeth Taylor, and Halston.[1]
In 1992, 15-acres of land was donated to the Nature Conservancy, which is now called the Warhol Preserve. In 2007, businessman Mickey Drexler purchased the 5.7-acre property and merged it with a neighboring 24-acre horse farm.[2] In 2015, gallerist Adam Lindemann purchased the property without the horse farm.[2]
Background
[edit]American architect Stanford White constructed Eothen in 1931 as a fishing camp for the Church family, the makers of Arm & Hammer baking soda.[3] The Church family used the compound for a few weeks in September when the striped bass fishing was at its peak.[3]
Residence of Andy Warhol
[edit]Pop artist Andy Warhol and his film collaborator Paul Morrissey purchased the property for $235,000 in 1971.[4][5] In addition to the residence of Mr. Winters, the caretaker, the property had one main lodge-style 5-bedroom house, three cottages, and a three-car garage situated at the end of a long, winding private drive.[6][4] There was a massive guest ranch nearby where you could rent horses to ride to the white sand beaches over the dunes.[5] 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.[5] Near the Coast Guard facility at Montauk Point, a half mile to the east, was a bungalow owned by photographer Peter Beard.[5]
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.[5]
A portion of the compound's operating expenses were covered by renting the main residence.[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. When they weren't renting the main house, Fremont would go to the Amagansett farmers market in town to buy food for their weekend visitors.[7]
Socialite Lee Radziwill was the first to rent the main house during the summer of 1972.[6] She was accompanied by her sister Jackie Kennedy Onassis and their children, Tina Radziwill, Anthony Radziwill, Caroline Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy Jr.[6] 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. 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.[6] Writer Truman Capote, another frequent visitor, and Peter Beard, whom Mick Jagger had hired to accompany the Rolling Stones on tour, became good friends.[6]
In 1975, the Rollings Stones rented the main house as a rehearsal space.[6]
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.[8]
Fashion designer Halston first rented the main house at Eothen in 1978. 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]
Later history
[edit]In 1992, 15-acres of the land was donated to The Nature Conservancy.[9] 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 Nature Preserve and established an educational nature trail for visitors.[10]
In 2007, Mickey Drexler, the CEO of J. Crew, purchased the 5.7-acre property for $27 million from Paul Morrissey.[11][12] Drexler merged it with a neighboring 24-acre horse farm.[2] In 2015, he listed the entire compound for $85 million.[2]
In 2015, gallerist Adam Lindemann purchased the 5.7-acre property without the horse farm for a reported $50 million.[13]
Bibliography
[edit]- Warhol, Andy; Hackett, Pat (1989). The Andy Warhol Diaries. New York: Warner Books. ISBN 9780446514262.
References
[edit]- ^ "Go Inside Andy Warhol's Montauk Retreat". The Study. August 4, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Munro, Cait (2015-10-16). "Adam Lindemann To Purchase Warhol Estate". Artnet News. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ a b AnotherMan (2018-02-27). "The Humble Fishing Town that Became a Hideaway for Warhol's Gang". AnotherMan. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ a b Warhol & Hackett, p. 8.
- ^ a b c d e Colacello, Bob (1990). Holy Terror: Andy Warhol Close Up. New York, NY: HarperCollins. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-06-016419-5.
- ^ a b c d e f Fremont, Vincent. "Andy Warhol's Montauk House Drew Stars of All Stripes". Air Mail. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ a b c d e 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.
- ^ Warhol & Hackett, p. 48.
- ^ Pryke, Louise M. (2020-11-12). Turtle. Reaktion Books. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-78914-337-9.
- ^ "The Nature Conservancy Announces 2023 Andy Warhol Visual Arts Program Artists". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Cotsalas, Valerie (January 28, 2007). "Higher Price Tags in Montauk". The New York Times.
- ^ Gould, Jennifer (2015-10-16). "Adam Lindemann in contract to buy Andy Warhol's Montauk estate". Page Six. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
