Sawyer and Southern

HORACE SAWYER OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA AND LINCOLN SOUTHERN OF SUSSEX, ENGLAND JOINED FORCES IN ST AUGUSTINE, FL IN 1912. SAWYER, A BUILDER AND DESIGNER, AND SOUTHERN, AN ARCHITECT, WERE BOTH INFLUENCED BY THE LUXURY HOTELS AND RESORTS THAT BEGAN TO GRACE FLORIDA’S EASTERN COASTAL RESORTS IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, BEGINNING WITH FLAGLER’S PONCE DE LEON HOTEL IN ST AUGUSTINE. HOWEVER, BOTH GENTLEMEN ALSO DREW HEAVILY UPON THEIR OWN ORIGINS AND UNIQUE BACKGROUND TO BUILD THEIR SIGNATURE REPERTOIRE. SAWYER WAS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY HIS REGION’S TRADITIONAL USE OF WIDE PLANK FLOORING UTILIZING OLD GROWTH LONGLEAF PINE. SOUTHERN WAS MORE OF A CLASSICIST, AND DREW UPON HIS EXPERIENCE WITH ENGLISH OAK.