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Early Vision of Sea Pines

By
Real Estate Agent with Charles Fraser Realty Group

Sea Pines Company in 1967 hired Callister and Payne Architects and Land Planners from Tiburn California to come up with a number of home designs that would make nice cottages on the ocean or along the tidal creeks of Hilton Head . Featured here are a couple of the designs that came from their firm in 1967. Although I am not positive but I don’t believe any of these designs were actually built by Sea Pines Home Builders. I am sure that these designs did influence some of our earlier architects like Pete McGinty, Doug Corkern, and Jackie Lee. My uncle Charles was trying to find that unique style for the island, and he was a ferious researcher into new and innovative ideas. Charles Warren Callister was a leading architect in the Bay area in the 40’s through the 60’s and his vision of designing a home to the property, and not designing a home and then clearing the property. This was the core to Charles Fraser’s vision of instilling Land Covenants and strict Architectural guidelines for any home that was to be built in Sea Pines. That is why a tree survey needed to be done, and a stake out of how the home would sit on the lot, and what colors the exterior were going to be. It all had to do with blending into the natural setting surrounding the home. It’s not a coincidence that Charles hired Mr. Callister. They were both searching for the same harmony. Charles Fraser was searching for a community to have the harmony and Mr. Callister was doing it on an individual basis. Mr. Callister is 84 today and is still designing.
I can see my uncle sitting in his living room in his 1st home in Sea Pines on Green Heron. He loved to have late meetings at his home to discuss matters about what he was planning and to get feedback from those who were with him. I can see him spending time with Mr. Callister discussing their perspective visions of land planning and architecture. These were the meetings and the research that went into developing Sea Pines and the many communities that Sea Pines Company was involved in and the employees who went on to work for others or start their own development companies. As Bluffton and the Town of Hilton Head search for their vision of what their perspective communities style is, it is always good to look back and think from which it came. Hilton Head Island has matured over fifty years into a community. Their were a lot of people who helped shape the way the island is today. It is a style that we have come to call the “Island Lifestyle” !! Property of Charlie B Fraser 2008
Click on Drawings to see a larger image
Architectural Drawings Copyright Callister and Payne 1967

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