More Georgia History
15 April 2012 | Jekyll Island, Florida
After a pleasant evening with other boaters on Fernandina’s dock, we headed out this morning bound for Jekyll Island, GA. We crossed into the GA ICW and motored along Cumberland Island, which we toured earlier in the month. It’s amazing how many miles of beautiful, deserted beaches there are in the four hours we traveled. Early in the afternoon, we arrived at Jekyll Island and docked at the Jekyll Harbor Marina. We got settled and the dockmaster offered us a ride into town to take a guided tour of the “Millionaires’ Club.” We have taken a trolley tour anytime we could find one and today was no exception. We learned that in the late 1800s, a group of millionaires joined together and bought Jekyll Island. They started the Jekyll Island Club, sitting on the river, surrounded by live oaks on a huge tract of land. Each owner bought a share in the clubhouse and had a suite and servants. Everyone dined in the dining room and it was said that 1/6 of the world’s wealth sat in that dining room. In fact it was mandatory that you come to dinner and to church on Sunday. Those who found the clubhouse too small for them built other houses more suitable to their liking. These winter cottages, used for three months a year, were 8500 to 12,000 sq. ft. in size. Most needed twelve servants to run the house. 13 cottages were built, though there was room for 70. Millionaires travelled to the club by private yacht or the club’s boat. There was no other way onto the island. The owners paid $1,200 membership a year in the 1800s. Their names were Pulitzer, Rockefeller, Post, MacKay, Crane, Gould, Goodyear, and Moss to name a few. Ordinary people could not afford the Millionaires Club. The Club flourished until the income tax became law, the stock market crashed, and WWII began. All of these took somewhat of a toll on the millionaires but fuel rationing caused it not to open in 1942. They couldn’t fuel the yachts or run the power plant. Eventually, the state of GA bought the island for something over $600,000 and today it is a state park. The tract of land with the houses and clubhouse is still beautiful and pristine and a large resort hotel stands at the center. Some of the houses have been restored and are used for guests; others are part of the museum and are toured by the public or used as art galleries. Now, what was closed to public is open to everyone. We saw people touring, walking, biking or just enjoying this beautiful expanse of unspoiled land. We hear that Christmas is the time to be here to see all the holiday displays. The dockmaster said it’s magical. But right now, you can stay in the presidential suite or the Crane House and surround yourself with the quiet beauty of nature for $479.00 a night. I don’t think it comes with servants, though! To quote a dock neighbor, we had another wonderful day in paradise. The Admiral
Tomorrow, we are going up Jekyll Creek at daybreak and out St. Simons Sound to motor north offshore up to Tybee Roads Inlet’s branch north into to Calibogue Sound which is behind Hilton Head Island. We should be there no later than 7pm. The Captain