Jekyll Island, GA

Jekyll Island is known as the one time playground for the rich and famous. Today, it has the usual tourists looking for good beaches and a great vacation place.

We found some locals doing some 'shrimping'.

An individual can use their own nets and take 40 lbs a day in shrimp.

They walk with the net between them, dragging it along the bottom. I really wasn't interesting in shrimping myself, I just wanted the shrimp that was in their cooler.

Until 1954, when the causeway was completed, the island was only accessible by boat. Today, the dock still remains for private boat, but also has a restaurant and snack bar.

The Jekyll Island Clubhouse and Hotel operated from 1888-1942 as a private club with a maximum of 100 members. Initially 53 members bought into the club for $600 each. It truly was a getaway for the rich and famous of the times. Some of the more esteemed members built their own homes on the island.

The Crane Cottage was the largest and most extravagent home on the island when it was built.

Faith Chapel, built in 1904, has stained glass from Tiffany.

The Chicota Cottage, owned by Edwin Gould. The members of the club would bring their families to the island for hunting and recreation. Mr. Gould built another building, called the 'casino', which housed a bowling alley, an indoor tennis court and indoor shooting range among other items.

But prior to the island becoming a getaway for the rich and famous, it was settled by William Horton as a military post in the 1730s when Oglethorpe was settling Georgia. This home was built from Tabby, the building material made from limestone and shells. 

St. Simon's Island is another barrier island off the coast of Georgia.

At one time the town of Frederika and Fort Frederika existed on the island. The town was surrounded by a moat and a palisaided wall. Not much is left today except for the outline of where the buildings and roads existed.

Some parts of the fort are still standing.

The St. Simon Island Lighthouse.