Becky and Lonnie's Permanent Vacation: Jekyll Island, Georgia

Wednesday, Nov. 19-20, 2014

Golden Isles Vacation Resort

Brunswick, GA

JEKYLL ISLAND

It was a short hop today with only 95 miles from Savannah to Brunswick. We arrived early afternoon and went straight to the Blue Beacon Truck Wash to give the RV a much needed bath before settling into the campground. Thursday morning we headed over to Jekyll Island on the Georgia coast to find Anne and Archie Chisholm.

There is a great campground where Anne & Archie are camped on the north end of the island with biking trails to all parts of the Island. We tried to get a spot but they were full. After visiting with Anne we went for a view of Driftwood Beach...

and the bridge to Brunswick.

The island is covered with Live Oak trees draping with spanish moss. It makes a very relaxing atmosphere along the roads and bike trails.

We stopped into the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to learn more about Sea Turtles.

They have a very informative center on the life of sea turtles from egg to adulthood. The odds of any of the five different species of sea turtles reaching adulthood are 1 in 4000.

The Center is also a Turtle hospital that takes in injured and sick turtles until they are ready to be released.

This one had a severely cracked shell and will be there for a year or so, as they work to heal the shell, or carapace, before releasing it back into the wild. Many are injured by boats and cars.

After lunch we headed the Jekyll Island Museum to book a tour of the historical area. In the beginning Jekyll Island was a plantation but in 1886 it was sold to the Jekyll Island Club as hunting and recreational club for $125,000. Jekyll Island Clubhouse was completed in 1888. The Club thrived through the early 20th century with limited membership consisting of many of the world's wealthiest families at the time, most notably JP Morgan, William Rockefeller, Chas. Crane and William Vanderbilt, who had their own "cottages" built to reside in fir the winter season.

San Souci, an early condominium complex, built in 1896, contains only 6 apartments.

Courtyard at the Clubhouse that is now a hotel. They were busy putting Christmas touches on everything.

duBignon Cottage

Moss Cottage, which we toured the inside. They have restored it to it's 1900's splendor.

Back of the Moss Cottage.

Cherokee built in 1904.

Indian Mound was the home of the Rockefeller's who liked to visit with 9 grandchildren.

Mr. & Mrs. William Rockefeller presided over this lovely cottage, located directly across from the Clubhouse. Purchasing the cottage in 1905, the Rockefellers began to make numerous alterations and renovations to their new winter home. It was completed for their stay for the 1917 season.

Indian Mound porch.

View from Indian Mound of the Clubhouse.

These little battery powered cars were a favorite of the residents for recreation. Even the women were encouraged to hunt, ride and camp. When the club started out, a gamekeeper was hired to keep the island well stocked with pheasants, turkey, quail and deer. All members were to report daily what they had killed and turn it over to the club. Wild game was a common sight on the menu of the clubhouse. A taxidermist shop was located within the club compound, specifically for mounting the prize game.

Crochet is still played on the lawn of the Clubhouse in the afternoons. Golf eventually took over in the 1920's, an ocean side course was built. A portion of this historical golf course is still intact, and can be played.

This was the first telephone installed on the island for the residents.

Goodyear built in 1906 in the early Mediterranean revival style. You can rent rooms here to stay on the Island.

Villa Ospo built in 1927

Crane Cottage built in 1918 had a beautiful fountain in the front.

Villa Marrianna built in 1929

Faith Chapel built in 1918...

has beautiful stain glass windows but we didn't get to tour inside the Chapel.

The gargoyle downspouts were cool.

Dormitory quarters for servants and employees that worked at the Club.

The Great Depression in 1929 caused great changes on Jekyll Island. Membership dropped slowly through the 1930's as the depression continued. 1942 was the last season as workers went into WWII. In 1946 the state of Georgia entered the picture and purchased the island through a condemnation order for $675,000 and turned it into a public resort. It was made a historical landmark in 1978 and is currently operates as the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Anne and Archie loved their week

stay and said they might come back for an entire winter in the future.

Friday, Nov. 21, 2014

HERITAGE OAKS GOLF COURSE