I spent two nights on Jekyll Island but I would gladly spend a week hopping from beach to beach and biking around the island. On October 27, 2014, Red Zone Pictures filmed here for Magic Mike XXL (2015), starring Channing Tatum. A large fishing pier extends northwest from the picnic area. There’s an explorer in each of us. [3], In 2008, the Jekyll Island History Museum, the Jekyll Island Authority, and the Friends of Historic Jekyll Island commemorated the survivors of the slave ship The Wanderer, the next to last ship documented to transport slaves to US territory in the prohibited Atlantic slave trade.[5]. Jekyll Island Museum Vertical File: Horton, William (Major).

The women were experts on the native vegetation, gathering nuts and fruit. Jekyll Island is located off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, in Glynn County. Just across the street from the entrance to the Clam Creek picnic area is the campground, an 18-acre (73,000 m2) facility in a cleared maritime forest. From the iconic Driftwood Beach to the island's historical homes, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, and more, Jekyll Island has something for everyone. This 5,500-acre island is home to 10 miles of shoreline and a variety of events, family-friendly activities and attractions.

General James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia in 1733, and along with it, Jekyll Island. [3], The north end of the island is the main area that has been affected by human development over the past few hundred years. A mixture of lime, crushed oyster shells, and water, this strong building material has withstood the test of time throughout the Sea Islands. Early settlers and the loggers who came afterwards developed plantations in this area. [16], Some of the later construction projects have included the Soccer Complex, the Jekyll Island Tennis Center, gaining Historic District status and designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1978, and opening the Jekyll Island 4-H Center in 1983.

1998. [20], Development of the Jekyll Island Authority. Nothing against Sea Island or Little St. Simons, but those are destinations all in to themselves. The campground has running water for restrooms, showers, and laundry, as well as a store and bike rentals. Find lodging on Jekyll Island and be sure to check the current specials and packages on Jekyll Island! The island was home to prosperous plantations until the end of the Civil War. Henri Charles divided the island among his four children. The hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The house was occupied by Major William Horton during the British colonial period. AuthorHouse. In 2018, Architectural Digest named Jekyll Island the eleventh most beautiful small town in America.[2]. From September 1951 to December 1954, the island was primarily closed to the public. It was evacuated during World War II by order of the US government. In addition, since the island is owned by the State of Georgia and managed by the Jekyll Island Authority, the island’s development is limited to just 1,609 acres to preserve the critical barrier island ecosystem. However, by 1950, as costs associated with getting the island ready for tourists began to mount, the island was taken out of the state park system. They armed the warriors, ordering them to raid the Spanish and Muskogean settlements on Jekyll in 1681–83. In the late 1730s, General Oglethorpe appointed William Horton to set up a military post in the area to protect Fort Frederica on St Simon's Island. McCash, William Barton and June Hall McCash. Thompson and the Purchase of Jekyll Island, "Titles with locations including Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA", Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Autrey Mill Nature Preserve & Heritage Center, Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center, Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum & Nature Center, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance Outdoor Activity Center, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jekyll_Island&oldid=978745162, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from February 2016, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2015, Articles containing potentially dated statements from August 2009, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Condominium Hotel & Conference Center, Jekyll Island, GA see, Jekyll Island Photo and Information Booklet Jekyll Island Museum & Jekyll Island Authority. Others have been adapted for use as museums, art galleries, or bookstores. The installation looked over St. Andrews Sound toward Little Cumberland. Their plan to market the island as a winter retreat for the wealthy came to fruition on February 17, 1886. The southernmost island of the Golden Isles, Jekyll Island is one of the most popular islands for those who visit coastal Georgia. Jekyll Island's history begins some 3,500 years ago. Jekyll Island offers an abundance of recreational activities that are sure to please visitors of all ages. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, self-governing body.[1]. Parts of this draft (the Aldrich plan) were incorporated into the 1913 Federal Reserve Act. When the United States entered World War II, it ordered the island evacuated for security purposes, ending the era of the Jekyll Island Club. [14][15] According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the 1910 Jekyll Island meeting resulted in draft legislation for the creation of a U.S. central bank. Tabby was an indigenous material developed along the coast that was formed from crushed oyster shells, lime and water to make a kind of cement. “From Millionaires to Commoners. He renamed the island in honor of his friend, Joseph Jekyll who had contributed £600 towards the founding of the colony. The climate is humid subtropical, with rainfall concentrated in the hottest months.

The two countries engaged in competition and armed confrontations along the Georgia and Florida coasts. The Jekyll Island Authority was created in February 1950 under the direction of Governor Herman Talmadge. General James Oglethorpe established Georgia as a colony in 1733. In 2007 it selected Linger Longer Communities LLC (through a competitive process) as its private partner to redevelop a portion of the Island. By 1862 when Union Army troops arrived, the Du Bignon plantation was completely deserted. By 1702, the English had driven the Spanish from the entire area.[9]. You can also take a tram through Jekyll Island’s National Historic Landmark District and visit the historic Jekyll Island Club Resort. Visit Driftwood Beach and St. Andrews Beach for the best shot at scoring some shells. The island's beaches are also ideal for shelling.
Bike trails, walks along the beaches and sandbars, and Summer Waves, a water park, are among the active attractions. It is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia barrier islands. We are going to hit on just two-St. Simons and Jekyll. [5] After a six-week voyage in which more than 100 slaves died, on November 28, 1858, The Wanderer anchored near the southern portion of Jekyll Island. The Jekyll Island Museum and archives, Jekyll Island, Georgia, Doms, Nick (2019). In the 1970s the Authority began renovating the historic cottages and club hotel in the historic district. Some of the wealthiest members built their own "cottages", mansion-sized residences that are mostly still standing in the 21st century.

University of Georgia Press. This was the next-to-last successful shipment of slaves to American soil from Africa. St. Andrews is a picnic area on the intercoastal side of the island, facing the marsh and mainland. The two-story house built from tabby in 1742 stands along N. Riverview Rd. All the family-friendly activities on Jekyll Island are enough to keep any visitor busy! It was built in the mid-1980s by the producers of the film Glory, which was partially filmed here, and has been named for the film. To the west is a vast marsh hammock and a view of the Sidney Lanier Bridge, a 480-foot (150 m)-tall cable-stay bridge on Hwy 17. After the war in 1947, the State of Georgia bought the island. From the iconic Driftwood Beach to the island's historical homes, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and more, Jekyll Island has something for everyone. The Wanderer was built in Setauket, New York as a pleasure boat, but it was acquired by Southerners who opposed the prohibition on the Atlantic slave trade. They decided to construct a clubhouse which was completed in January 1888. Whether you're looking to get a taste of the local culture, enjoy the beautiful Jekyll Island beaches and landscape or celebrate the holidays with loved ones, there are plenty of Jekyll Island events to enjoy. The historic district features numerous impressive and ambitious buildings from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 2019, This page was last edited on 16 September 2020, at 18:21. He developed Georgia's first brewery (the ruins of which are a few hundred yards down the road). The Golden Isles consists of several barrier islands, St. Simons, Little St. Simons, Sea Island and Jekyll Island. After a year of planning and hosting public forums throughout the state of Georgia, the Authority and Linger Longer developed a revitalization plan. Across the street from the Horton House ruin is the du Bignon cemetery, established by the next family to own the house and much of the island for generations. [10] In 1562 French explorer Jean Ribault claimed the island for France and renamed it as Ille de la Somme. They have been carefully preserved. [8], Tram tours originate from the Jekyll Island Museum located on Stable Road directly across from the historic district. [3], In the mid-2nd millennium, the island now known as Jekyll was part of a coastal Georgia Native American chiefdom called Guale. The presidential suite contains the three-story turret on the front of the building. Planning a trip? It has 5,700 acres (23 km2) of land, including 4,400 acres (18 km2) of solid earth and a 200-acre (0.81 km2) Jekyll Island Club Historic District. Jekyll Island and Coastal Georgia Golf Courses In 1898, members of the Jekyll Island Club created the Island's first golf course, Great Dunes. This board consisted of nine gubernatorial appointed members and was charged with the operation and care of the island. [17], Due to an increasing number of competitive sites, the island had suffered declining numbers of visitors since the late 20th century. Jekyll Island is one of only four Georgia barrier islands that has a paved causeway to allow access from the mainland by car. In the next decade, the Authority directed development of motels, houses, the convention center, and a shopping center, as well as the towers at the entrance to the causeway. Since that time, Jekyll Island has welcomed golfers to a natural landscape and challenging play. Read on below for more information about Jekyll Island's rich history and the variety of things to do and see. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, self-governing body.

The multiple parallel dunes on the southernmost tip are a result of sand from the eroding north beaches traveling southward and being deposited in a recurved spit.[4]. Prior to British colonization, the island's first inhabitants were Native Americans. The legislature reorganized the board membership in the 1970s and 1980s.