May 14, 2010 | By Yvonne Lim Wilson
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Back in 2007, Austinite Whit Hanks heard that the Catholic Church in Vietnam was selling old churches to make room for newer ones.
Three years later, Hanks owns two of these antique churches, which form the centerpiece of Camp Lucy, a new wedding and event destination spot in Dripping Springs, Texas.
Camp Lucy, which officially opened in May, is a place where different cultures, histories and aesthetics intersect and co-mingle, creating a unique experience.
The story begins several years ago with Hanks’ oldest son Ian, who had been living, and currently lives, in China. During one visit, father and son decided to take a trip to Vietnam and see the sights.
“I didn’t do any research,” he said. “We went to Cambodia. It was a fantastic experience. Then we went to Hanoi. I thought this place was strange because it looks kind of French.”
When Hanks later researched Vietnam’s history and connection to France, he was amazed at the rich treasures of antiques he found in Vietnam at lower prices, yet delivered to his home perfectly packed.
Collecting antiques has been a lifelong passion for Hanks that started when he inherited several special pieces from his grandparents. That passion led him to open Whit Hanks Antiques in downtown Austin in the 1980s.
Collecting architectural antiques—large doorways, flooring, stairways—was a particular specialty of Hanks.
“There wasn’t even a word architectural antiques when I started; it was really just building salvage,” he said. “If it’s an old banged up building, I can visualize how it would look all fixed up. It’s way easier for me than interpreting at an architect’s drawing.”
After that first visit to Vietnam, one crate of antiques turned into to many more. Then Hanks heard about the churches. At first, Hanks was suspicious of the offer, saying it reminded him of the email scam from a “Nairobi prince.”
But then he went out to see the actual churches. He purchased his first church and each piece was carefully packaged and sent piece by piece to be reassembled.
“For me, it was about making the thing and to see if I can pull it off,” he said.
Hanks ended up purchasing his first church, built in the 1880s, which is now the main chapel at Camp Lucy. The church, which can hold about 120 people, features a striking bell tower ready to ring the announcement of a new marriage or express the simple pleasure of a new day.
“The neighbors say it reminds them of the bells in Tuscany,” Hanks said.
Inside, the church is furnished with antique statues of saints, rows of chairs, and wooden benches purchased separately from Vietnam.
As Hanks was wrapping up the deal for the first church, he got word of another old church in need of a home. This church, which originated in the 1930s, is larger than the first.
Hanks envisioned the structure as an open-air pavilion without walls. And he added old green tiles that had formerly topped the old Bexar County Courthouse. The result is a stunning marriage of an ancient Vietnamese building, mixed with bright Texas accent, resembling vibrant dragon scales.
Both churches are made of ironwood, a very dense and sturdy wood of a rich brown color.
“It was all made by hand. How did people do this? The complexity was interesting to me,” Hanks said.
One surprise detail is the heart symbol found on the tiles throughout the churches, all original to the structures. Hanks said he was told that these are the Vietnamese Catholic symbol for love, which is a fitting for the wedding venue.
As an added touch of enchantment to Camp Lucy, Hanks constructed a bridal cottage in a “Hansel and Gretel” or storybook style, incorporating a sense of whimsical British charm.
In developing the landscaping, Hanks brought on Paul Smith, director of landscape architecture at RVi, who created an Asian aesthetic using native and drought-resistant plants.
“We chose striking plants with bold textures, plants with an Asian influence such as dwarf palmettos, horsetail, roses and agave,” Smith said.
Even the native ash juniper trees were pruned to have an elegant Asian look, something Smith compared to a “giant bonsai.”
It’s amazing to have all these diverse styles and histories – Vietnamese, Catholic, Texas Hill Country and British – all come together in one setting and create its own magical sense of time and place.
And to think, it all started with a little trip to Vietnam.
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