They intended to use the island as a "members only" private preserve and hunting club during the winter months, and erected a clubhouse and apartments where members could stay while on the island. If something more private and permanent was desired, members could build their individual cottages. And they did, creating a whimsical landscape of styles from Victorians with ornate trim to austere stone castles. Each of these cottages has its own personality and style. No zoning regulations reined in these incredibly wealthy families. Whatever took their fancy, they built.

Time passed. The fortunes of the island waxed and then waned. Two world wars, a depression. The roaring 20s and the 1929 market crash. The good times had come and gone. The new income tax laws had crimped disposable income. Other destinations beckoned. The island fell out of favor with the members, and was sold in 1947 to the State of Georgia for $650,000.

The incredibly rich who had owned the island deliberately kept it undeveloped, and they insisted on keeping it that way. To this day, only 35% of the island can be developed. The island is administered by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority (JIA). It was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1978. These are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they illustrate or interpret the heritage of the United States. Fewer than 2500 historic places qualify for this distinction.

The Cottages of Jekyll Island
Simplicity was the word for these buildings, at least by the standards of the members. They didn't want any of the buildings to overshadow the club house, and besides, they probably thought it best to avoid the kind of one-upsmanship that could easily result in hard feelings and edifices of questionable taste.

When the members stopped visiting and stopped maintaining the houses, vines slowly climbed up the walls and buried their tendrils into the mortar. Roofs collapsed. Plumbing failed. Stucco on wood frame construction developed stress cracks. Water seeped in. Not all the cottages have survived, but several have been restored and others are in the process of being renovated. In a way, the area is experiencing a well-deserved renaissance. There is little to compare to the colony of cottages that once graced Jekyll Island.

Narrow roads and paths wander along the back of these lovely houses which line Riverview Drive. Cars are strongly discouraged, and few make an appearance in the area. It's almost possible to imagine one is back walking the roads as perhaps did the original inhabitants. Of course, with much more comfortable clothes and sans the servants.

Gradually the JIA is turning back the clock even further. The next phase of their plan to recreate the island involves narrowing the old roads, and replacing the asphalt with oyster concrete, far more similar to the original surface material. These restored roads will only accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, trams and horse carriages, further adding to the original spirit.

Some of the cottages are now open as art galleries and exhibit centers. The Goodyear Cottage houses the Jekyll Island Arts Association with a free monthly art exhibit.

And one more thing
Tiffany windows. The incredibly wealthy families needed a place to worship, so they had the Faith Chapel built. And, because they were incredibly rich and powerful, the chapel has a stained glass window signed and installed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. On the other side of the chapel is a window by one of Tiffany's students, Maitland Armstrong, and his daughter Helen. It's difficult to convey the impact of these two magnificent pieces of art gracing the walls of a rather simply wooden chapel. It's a moment of unexpected beauty.

Jekyll Island Club Hotel
This building remains the centerpiece of the historical district, and a member of Historic Hotels of America. Inside, the public rooms are reminiscent of the best of the old. Elegant stuffed couches and chairs. Fireplaces. Beautifully polished wood floors. Ornate doors and carvings.

Two of the cottages, Crane and Cherokee, have been completely and beautifully renovated under the direction of Smith Dalia Architects, LLC at a cost of $5.5 Million. The exteriors have been returned to their former beauty. The public rooms have been lovingly restored while the rooms upstairs have become overnight accommodations. All this makes for one beautiful hotel complex, right in the middle of the Historic District.

Frankly, we usually prefer to stay on the beach. Give us an ocean and we're happy. But there is something indescribably peaceful about "living" in a place in which the clock has been turned back. Where narrow roads are lined with ancient live oaks dripping moss. Where the original service buildings now house tiny shops. Where you can walk everywhere. And you want to. Where you close your eyes and all you hear are water and birds.

Joys of Jekyll Island
Okay, it's lovely, but what's to do there? A tour of the historic district is a must. Not only will you see the interiors of these gracious buildings but you will learn their unusual histories. Since cars are discouraged, the tour is done by a tram, although you can also arrange for a carriage tour of the district. The 240-acre site is one of the largest restoration projects in the southeastern United States, and offers plenty to see.

One sight that most visitors will miss is the whimsical garden created by Joseph Ferrari near the loading dock of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Originally the first food and beverage manager, he fell in love with Jekyll Island and stayed on. Seeing the possibilities in what had been an ignored and unlovely piece of land, Ferrari set about creating his own unique garden filled with flowers, plants and quirky sculptures, and he's been working on it ever since.

The island is also criss-crossed by bike trails. They ring the island passing by the DuBignon cemetery and the ruins of Georgia's first brewery and the Horton House circa 1742, to the picnic areas on beaches of St. Simons Sound on one end and St. Andrew Sound on the other. You can ride (or walk) from the River to the Ocean along these paths through forests of Georgia pine trees. If walking and biking aren't quite your thing, you can go on a horseback ride. The island also has golf courses, tennis courts and a water park. Sea kayaks and fishing are available.

Because there are so few buildings and people (less than 1000 inhabitants) wildlife continues to thrive. The island is a loggerhead turtle nesting area. Nightly turtle walks are offered from June through mid-August when the females swim ashore and nest. We have to admit that we didn't see any turtles during our walk, but the next day when we went back along the beach we saw the tracks left by these ancient reptiles on their nightly treks. We had better luck the next day when we went on a dolphin watch. These sleek mammals leapt out of the water in synchronized displays. Birds? The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has recognized Jekyll Island's status as a bird watching destination.

Dining on Jekyll Island
Each of the major hotels offers a restaurant but there isn't a thriving dining scene. Latitudes 31 on the dock across the road from Jekyll Island Club Hotel offers seafood in a casual atmosphere. There's also Bluebeard's, a restaurant on the ocean side of the island near the other hotels. We've also heard from a reader MW of Maine who says the best place for al fresco ambiance and friendliness on the island is SeaJay's, at the marina, which has been there for 12 years. The food is good, too.

Jekyll Island is a place where you make your own evening entertainment. And that can be a good thing.

Learn More About:
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island Club Hotel
Jekyll Island as a National Historic Landmark

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