Collecting Hispania: Archer Huntington's Quest to Develop Hispanic Collections in the United States

Archer Milton Huntington (1870-1955) spent his life promoting Hispanic studies in the United States, yet his deeds are rarely acknowledged by scholars. Among other accomplishments, he founded the Hispanic Society of America in New York City, funded the Hispanic Reading Room and Hispanic Foundation at the Library of Congress, and promoted numerous opportunities for Spanish and Latin American artists, writers, and scholars. This study examines Huntington's efforts to develop Hispanic-related collections in the United States. First and foremost, it chronicles his life and how he spent not only time but large sums of money building museums and supporting Hispanic culture. Huntington, the son of a millionaire railroad builder, had access to a sizable fortune that allowed him to breathe life into these projects. This study also details Huntington's boyhood fascination with collecting items such as coins and photographs that eventually led him to take up museum building. At the same time, it traces his career as traveler, scholar, poet, and philanthropist. Huntington's contributions to Hispanic studies are as important as those of traditional scholars. He worked tirelessly to ensure that future generations had the proper tools with which to construct the story of the Hispanic world. Although there is some scholarship on Huntington and the founding of the Hispanic Society, which opened in 1908, there is little published work on his achievements after this event. This dissertation makes use of primary sources, particularly Huntington's personal correspondence, to detail his continued involvement in promoting Hispanic culture. Finally, this study concludes that Huntington is not better known today primarily because of his quest for anonymity. In life he refused to place his name on museums he founded, and in death Huntington's desire to remain in the shadows has obfuscated his legacy.