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Dale & Debbie Part 18 - Jekyll Island, Georgia

Dale & Debbie Part 18 - Jekyll Island, Georgia

2nd Dec 2021

One place we’ve visited several times during our travels is Jekyll Island. It captivates us with its gorgeous scenery, expansive beaches, history, and tranquility. And Jekyll goes all out for the holiday season!


Here is a brief history of the Island: The island has been inhabited for more than 3500 years. The earliest inhabitants were Native Americans, but the first permanent settlers were British Colonists. They gave it the name Jekyll in honor of Sir Joseph Jekyll, a financial backer of the young colony. It was then purchased by a Frenchman, and one of his descendants later turned the island into a private hunting club for some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals. Six years later it was purchased by the Jekyll Island Club and was called the richest and most inaccessible club in the world. It became an exclusive retreat for families with names like Rockefeller, Morgan and Vanderbilt. They built the elegant clubhouse and Victorian cottages known as Millionaire's Village. Many important things occurred on the island over the years, but we think the following events are especially interesting. A ten day secret meeting was held on Jekyll in 1910 to create a central banking system which became the Federal Reserve System. And in 1915 the first transcontinental telephone call was made in the U.S. The following sentence is from Jekyll Island History written by Jekyll Island Authority. “Presiding over the ceremonies by telephone were President Woodrow Wilson in Washington, DC, Alexander Graham Bell in New York, Thomas Watson in San Francisco, Henry Higginson in Boston, and AT&T President Theodore Newton Vail on Jekyll Island, GA.”
When the Great Depression and WWII changed people’s priorities the island sat empty. In the late 40’s the state purchased it from the Jekyll Island Club for $675,000. It was made part of the GA State Park System and open to the public for free. Soon they learned how expensive it was to maintain the island and asked the governor to develop it into a resort to pay for itself. Jekyll is still owned by the state, but it’s run by a self-sustaining, self-governing body. Although there is an $8 fee to visit, we feel it’s worth every penny!
No more than 35% of the island can be developed! But there are plenty of attractions such as the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, a museum, a waterpark, a convention center, and four golf courses. There is also a state park campground!




With more than 20 miles of bike trails and pathways, we truly enjoy riding bikes on Jekyll. There is so much to see ~ the ocean, sand dunes, Driftwood Beach,
the river, inland marshes, wildlife, live oaks draped in Spanish moss, the historic district, and more. One can also walk or drive to see many of these sights.




In 1735 William Horton (one of General Oglethorpe’s top military aides) built his house on Jekyll. After being destroyed in a Spanish attack in 1743, Horton rebuilt the home that still stands today. It’s the oldest tabby building in the state.
Now for some Christmas on Jekyll Island! The Holly Jolly Jekyll celebration consists of many events including trolley and horse-drawn carriage tours to view more than 500,000 lights. Or you can see them from the comfort of your own vehicle by following the self-guided light tour map. Just be sure not to miss the road that displays the Twelve Days of Christmas ~ it’s larger than life and so colorful! And don’t forget the animated scenes along the beach or Peppermint Land!


Whether seen by day or night the historic district displays a beautiful tree! The Great Tree (as it’s called) has more than 35,000 lights which is more per square foot than the NYC Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. It’s a sight to behold!
May this holiday season bring you peace, joy and hope! As always, happy camping!

Until next time - Dale & Debbie