Tuesday, December 22, 2020
What better way to start the day than a cup of coffee on the beach at sunrise. This morning it was back to Driftwood Beach simply due the numerous foreground opportunities.
After a shower and another coffee back at the room, it was time to go off and explore some of what Jekyll Island has to offer. On the western side of the island sits the last remnants of Horton House, named after Major William Horton, the first European to settle here.
General James Oglethorpe was the first governor of the Georgia colony and named the island after Sir Joseph Jekyll, a financial backer and supporter. It was founded in 1733.
Two years later, Horton was given five hundred acres under the agreement that it would be up and producing within ten years. As part of the deal, Horton would supply Fort Fredrica(More on that tomorrow) on neighboring St. Simons Island. The fort’s purpose was twofold. It would protect the southern border region from the local Indian tribes. Second, it would strengthen Britain’s position in regards to the disputed border with Spain’s Florida colony. This dispute would eventually come to armed conflict between the two nations. Once again, more on this tomorrow after a revisit to Fort Frederica.
After Horton’s death, the island passed through numerous different owners until 1886. That’s when a group of the nation’s wealthiest banded together in what they called Jekyll Island Club. I was headed that way to check it out.
But first, a stop the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Once you’ve paid your $9 fee, and passed through the gift shop you enter a room full of information about sea turtles, and turtles I general. Most of it seems geared towards kids, but it was still interesting. There’s also a window where you can watch sea turtles being worked on. While I was there, they were treating young turtles for..... basically hypothermia. Most of them were hatched in colder, northern waters. Occasionally they just don’t make it far enough south to the warmer water. When they’re found, they’re shipped to places like this where their body temperature can be raised in a safe, controlled environment.
In the next room, there are larger tanks with some of the more difficult cases. Here you’ll find turtles who have had their shells badly damages by boats, as well as those who have been attacked by predators. Placards describe exactly what they were brought in for, what was done for them, and their status in recovery.
On the western side of the Jekyll Island is where you'll find The Jekyll Island Club Resort.
It started with an idea. John DuBignon and and Newton Finney owned much of the island and turned it into an exclusive hunting club for the richest of the rich. It was a big success. In 1886 a group of investors bought the land and the club. They called themselves the Jekyll Island Club. The new resort was described as "the richest, the most exclusive and the most inaccessible club in the world." It's members would control one sixth of the world's wealth.
When you get so much money and power in one place, secret things are bound to be discussed. In 1910. a group of politicians and the wealthy met here under cover of the night. For secrecy, they used first names only. The topic, the formation of what would become the Federal Reserve.
The Great Depression took it's tole on membership. Due to threats from of enemy submarines off the coast, the island was ordered evacuated during World War II. The club never recovered and was purchased by the state of Georgia in 1946.
Some members even built their own family cottages on the property. Of course, "cottage" is relative. This one was owned by the Goodrich family.
And this little place called the Crane Cottage:
It was about time for a late lunch, so I walked over to a place simply called The Wharf. The Shrimp and Grits was delicious, as was the local lager. Business was light, so Samantha, my server, stopped to chat. She didn't see the Jupiter/Saturn confluence, either.
This is where the club members would disembark their yachts. Well, all but J.P. Morgan. His yacht was so big, he needed a smaller boat to bring him to land. He was once asked how much the yacht cost. He replied, "If you have to consider the cost, yo have no business owning a yacht."
After lunch it was simply back to the room to chill for a while, and walk on the beach.
As the afternoon waned, I drove back out to St. Andrews Beach, ditched the car and settled in for sunset.
Just like Driftwood Beach on the other end of the island, erosion had left quite a few trees to die and bleach in the sun. The late afternoon sun was bringing out the grains in the wood.
A dolphin from her far away...
All in all, a good way to end my stay here on Jekyll Island.
On the way back to the hotel, I stopped into a place called The Wee Pub. Ace was my bartender and never stopped moving and chatting up the customers, Dude’s a natural. On the craft beer list, a pinapple, habanero IPA. So many things wrong with that.
A pint of Guinness and I was good to go.
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