The Golden Isles of Georgia consist of

barrier islands Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a f ...

, and the mainland port cities of Brunswick and Darien, on the 100-mile-long coast of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

on the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. They include

St. Simons Island St. Simons Island (or simply St. Simons) is a barrier island and census-designated place (CDP) located on St. Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. The names of the community and the island are interchangeable, known simply as ...

, Sea Island,

Jekyll Island Jekyll Island is located off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, in Glynn County. It is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia barrier islands. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, s ...

, Little St. Simons Island, Sapelo Island, Blackbeard Island, Historic Darien and Historic Brunswick. Mild winters, together with natural beaches, vast stretches of marshland, maritime forests, historical sites, and abundant wildlife on both land and sea have made the Golden Isles a travel destination for families, nature-lovers, fishing and water sports enthusiasts, golfers, and history buffs. All the islands are located within McIntosh County and Glynn County, and make up the lower middle section of Georgia's eleven barrier islands. Annual mild temperatures average 68 °F, with July highs of 90 °F. St. Simons is the largest, with a permanent population of 12,743 residents as of the 2010 census. Curled around its north end and accessible only by boat is Little St. Simons Island—privately owned and maintained in its natural state with a small capacity guest lodge and cottages. Jekyll Island is owned by the state of Georgia and operated as a state park, with limited residential areas. Sea Island is owned by Sea Island Acquisitions, LLC, and is home to the world-famous Cloister resort and residential homes valued in the millions of dollars. Sapelo Island The City of Brunswick traces its history back to early Colonial times, and the founding of the Georgia colony by General

James Oglethorpe James Edward Oglethorpe (22 December 1696 – 30 June 1785) was a British soldier, Member of Parliament, and philanthropist, as well as the founder of the colony of Georgia in what was then British America. As a social reformer, he hoped to r ...

. From its earliest days, the port of Brunswick was important to the growth and economy of the new nation. In 1789,

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

named Brunswick one of the five original ports of entry for the thirteen colonies. During World War II, Brunswick hosted an important construction site for

Liberty ship Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Ma ...

s, and Naval Air Station Glynco, a major operational base for blimps. The City of Darien traces its history back to the construction of Ft. King George in 1722, and later becoming of the second oldest city in Georgia, chartered in 1736. James Oglethorpe laid out the city plan for Darien, noted for its squares and grid pattern much like Savannah, which he also planned. Fort Federica on St. Simons Island was later constructed to protect the City of Darien and its important commerce. Tourism is the most important economic driver in the Golden Isles, with an estimated 2.4 million visitors in 2014.Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau Other key components of the local economy include the Port of Brunswick, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, aviation support services, and manufacturing. Travelers to the area arrive primarily via

Brunswick Golden Isles Airport Brunswick Golden Isles Airport , previously known as Glynco Jetport, is a county-owned public-use airport located five nautical miles (9 km) north of the central business district of Brunswick, a city in Glynn County, Georgia, United States ...

and

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

. McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport serves general aviation.

Communities

St. Simons Island

is the largest of the Golden Isles, with a permanent population of 12,743 as of the 2010 census. Reachable via the F. J. Torras Causeway, the Island is a tourist destination for its beaches, water sports, boating and fishing, golf, nature trails, historical landmarks, shopping, restaurants and nightlife. The St. Simons Lighthouse, located on the south end of the Island, has been in operation since 1872 (an earlier lighthouse, completed in 1810, was destroyed during the Civil War). Today, the Lighthouse and Museum are open to the public on a daily basis. Adjacent to the Lighthouse is Neptune Park which has a public pool and playground. The nearby Pier is a draw for anglers, tourists, and sightseers. The Pier Village on Mallery Street is lined with boutiques and a variety of restaurants. Not far from the village, beaches include Massengale Park and the Coast Guard Station Beach, which also features the Maritime Center Museum. Near the Coast Guard beach is the Bloody Marsh battle site where in 1742, a small garrison of British troops defeated a much larger Spanish force and in the process, put an end to Spain's influence north of Florida. Farther to the north are the ruins of Fort Frederica, established by Gen. James Oglethorpe in 1736 as protection for the Georgia colony, and Cannon's Point, a 600-acre nature preserve that includes maritime forest, marshland, hiking trails and plantation ruins. Housing on St. Simons Island consists primarily of single-family homes and condominiums, many of which are rented during peak visitation periods. Due to the mild climate, outdoor activities are common year-round, including hiking, bicycling, canoe and kayaking, paddle-boarding, offshore and inshore fishing and beachcombing. Golf is among the Island's most popular attractions, highlighted by the PGA's

RSM Classic The RSM Classic is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in the autumn in Georgia. It debuted in October 2010 on St. Simons Island, Georgia at the Sea Island Golf Club. The tournament was known as the McGladrey Classic until 2015, when the ti ...

(formerly

McGladrey Classic The RSM Classic is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in the autumn in Georgia. It debuted in October 2010 on St. Simons Island, Georgia at the Sea Island Golf Club. The tournament was known as the McGladrey Classic until 2015, when the ti ...

) in November.

Sea Island

Sea Island is a privately owned resort and residential community, located to the east of

and reachable by causeway. The upscale resort operates properties on Sea Island: The Cloister, Beach Club, Cottages; and on St. Simons Island: The Lodge, and The Inn at Sea Island. With the exception of special events, access is restricted to guests of any Sea Island property, island home owners and their guests, and Sea Island Club members. The resort also includes three championship golf courses, one of which, the Seaside course on St. Simons Island, hosts the annual PGA tour event, The

(formerly The McGladrey Classic). In June, 2004, the 30th G8 Summit was hosted by President George W. Bush on Sea Island.

Little St. Simons Island

Little St. Simons Island lies to the north and east of St. Simons Island and is accessible only by boat. Privately owned, it is the only island in the group virtually untouched by development. Its include maritime forests, marshland, and seven miles of unspoiled, natural beach. The Lodge on Little St. Simons, a rustic retreat originally built as a hunting lodge offers the only available accommodations, with a limit of 32 guests per night. A staff of naturalists conduct guided tours along the beach and inland. Available activities include birding, kayaking, bicycling, hiking, fishing and nature photography. Guests depart on a private boat from the Hampton River Marina on St. Simons Island. The Lodge is one of only two properties in the U.S. to be awarded a Benchmarked Certificate by Green Globe 21, a global certification organization dedicated to

sustainable tourism Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Su ...

. Little St. Simons Island has been declared an "Important Bird Area" by the Audubon Society.

Jekyll Island

is wholly owned by the state of

and managed by the Jekyll Island Authority. Located south of

, it is reachable via the Downing Musgrove Causeway (GA 520) off US 17 in Glynn County. Purchase of a parking pass is required to drive onto the island (as of June, 2015, fees are $6.00 daily, $28.00 weekly, or $45.00 annually). The island includes 10 miles of beach, four golf courses, a Nature Center, boat tours, the Jekyll Island Convention Center, and a variety of lodging options. The Jekyll Island Museum operates tours of the Historic Landmark District which includes homes built during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by wealthy Northern businessmen, including

J. P. Morgan John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age. As the head of the banking firm that ultimately became known ...

, William Vanderbilt,

Joseph Pulitzer Joseph Pulitzer ( ; born Pulitzer József, ; April 10, 1847 – October 29, 1911) was a Hungarian-American politician and newspaper publisher of the '' St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' and the ''New York World''. He became a leading national figure in ...

, and

Marshall Field Marshall Field (August 18, 1834January 16, 1906) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. His business was renowned for its then-exceptional level of quality and customer ...

. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll is a rehabilitation hospital, research center and education facility devoted to conservation and protection of sea turtles. Open to the public year-round, the Center offers exhibits, viewing of turtle patients, and a variety of educational programs and field trips. The

Jekyll Island Club The Jekyll Island Club was a private club on Jekyll Island, on Georgia's Atlantic coast. It was founded in 1886 when members of an incorporated hunting and recreational club purchased the island for $125,000 (about $3.1 million in 2017) from John ...

opened in 1888, and quickly became one of the most exclusive private social clubs in the United States. Among its members was AT&T president

Theodore Vail Theodore Newton Vail (July 16, 1845 – April 16, 1920) was president of American Telephone & Telegraph between 1885 and 1889, and again from 1907 to 1919. Vail saw telephone service as a public utility and moved to consolidate telephone networks u ...

, who participated from there in the first transcontinental telephone call on January 25, 1915. After the

Panic of 1907 The Panic of 1907, also known as the 1907 Bankers' Panic or Knickerbocker Crisis, was a financial crisis that took place in the United States over a three-week period starting in mid-October, when the New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% fro ...

, Senator

Nelson Aldrich Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich (/ ˈɑldɹɪt͡ʃ/; November 6, 1841 – April 16, 1915) was a prominent American politician and a leader of the Republican Party in the United States Senate, where he represented Rhode Island from 1881 to 1911. By the ...

convened secret meetings of prominent bankers at the Club, under the guise of a duck hunting trip, to formulate plans for a central banking structure, which ultimately became the basis for the

Federal Reserve System The Federal Reserve System (often shortened to the Federal Reserve, or simply the Fed) is the central banking system of the United States of America. It was created on December 23, 1913, with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, after ...

. By statute, commercial development on Jekyll Island is tightly restricted. Homeowners on the Island rent their land from the state on long-term leases.

Historic Brunswick

Brunswick's first English settler was Capt. Mark Carr, who established a plantation on the site in 1738, while serving under Gen. James Oglethorpe. Four years later, Capt. Carr would participate in the Battle of Bloody Marsh on St. Simons Island. In 1771, Carr's property was acquired by the Royal Province of Georgia, and the city was laid out in the "Oglethorpe grid" pattern, similar to Savannah. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Brunswick Old Town Historic District contains several landmarks and 19th century homes. Mary Ross Park on the East River hosts a variety of events including concerts, weddings, a farmer's market, and the annual Brunswick Stewbilee. Passenger cruise ships dock at the park and nearby, local shrimp boats await their next trip to the area's prolific offshore shrimping grounds. Festivities at the park and the town's "overall historic vibe" were cited by Travel + Leisure readers who, in June, 2014 voted Brunswick one of America's Best Small Towns for July 4. Located on the east side of the Brunswick peninsula, are the " Marshes of Glynn", immortalized by Georgia poet,

Sidney Lanier Sidney Clopton Lanier (February 3, 1842 – September 7, 1881) was an American musician, poet and author. He served in the Confederate States Army as a private, worked on a blockade-running ship for which he was imprisoned (resulting in his catch ...

. Just down US 17 is the Sidney Lanier Bridge, site of an annual 5K run that draws participants from throughout the Southeast.

Glynn County

Glynn County, Georgia, where the Golden Isles are located is one of the state's original eight counties, established in 1777 from 423 square miles of land formerly held by

Creek Indians The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands Glynn County is named for John Glynn, a member of the

British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprem ...

and a friend of the colonies who once held the position of Sergeant of London. Notable features include the Sidney Lanier Bridge which spans the entrance to the Port of Brunswick, and is one of the gateways to the Golden Isles. It is currently the longest spanning bridge in Georgia. The

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) serves as an interagency law enforcement training body for 105 United States government federal law enforcement agencies. The stated mission of FLETC is to "...train those who protect our hom ...

(FLETC) is headquartered in Glynn County, and provides training for several federal law enforcement agencies. The

serves residents and tourists alike, and is home to a growing aviation services industry. The 2010 Census reported Glynn County's population at 79,626.

History

Today's Golden Isles were first settled about 4,500 years ago by tribes of the

Creek nation The Muscogee Nation, or Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is a federally recognized Native American tribe based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The nation descends from the historic Muscogee Confederacy, a large group of indigenous peoples of the South ...

. When the Spaniards arrived in the early 1500s, they encountered the

Guale Guale was a historic Native American chiefdom of Mississippian culture peoples located along the coast of present-day Georgia and the Sea Islands. Spanish Florida established its Roman Catholic missionary system in the chiefdom in the late 1 ...

and Mocame tribes of the

Timucua The Timucua were a Native American people who lived in Northeast and North Central Florida and southeast Georgia. They were the largest indigenous group in that area and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms, many leading thousands of people. The v ...

n people. Relations between the Native Americans and the European newcomers alternated between friendly and hostile, as their allegiance was sought by competing Old World powers. By the late 1600s most of present-day Georgia became known as the "Debatable Land," while the French, Spanish and English all fought to establish dominance. During this time, a Scottish nobleman, Sir Robert Montgomery, who envisioned a utopian colony between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers, published "A Description of the Golden Islands" in London (1720). The colony was never established, but the name persists to this day. By the 1730s, the Native American population had declined, and Great Britain had prevailed to the extent of founding the colony of Georgia under the leadership of Gen.

, who established the city of

Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

. (Some three decades later, the town of Brunswick would be laid out in a similar grid pattern, consisting of streets and squares.) In 1736, Oglethorpe built

Fort Frederica A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

on the western shore of

to defend the Georgia colony from the Spaniards to the south. Title to the "Debatable Land" was finally established in 1742, after the

Battle of Bloody Marsh The Battle of Bloody Marsh took place on 7 July 1742 between Spanish and British forces on St. Simons Island, part of the Province of Georgia, resulting in a victory for the British. Part of the War of Jenkins' Ear, the battle was for the Brit ...

on St. Simons Island. By way of strategic brilliance and trickery, Gen. Oglethorpe and his badly outnumbered force defeated the Spaniards, who then retreated to

St. Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afr ...

, never to return. When the General's force was disbanded in 1749, Fort Frederica fell into disuse, and was destroyed by fire in 1758. Today the fort's remains, along with the Bloody Marsh site, is a national monument operated by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

. Military action on the south Georgia coast during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

was very limited compared to events in the north. In April, 1778 there was a brief naval skirmish off St. Simons Island in which the Americans prevailed. However the British capture of Savannah later that year effectively ended further hostilities. As agriculture took hold after the Revolution, the Golden Isles region become known for rice and cotton. On St. Simons Island, a fine, long-fiber variety, known as

Sea Island cotton ''Gossypium barbadense'' (''gos-SIP-pee-um bar-ba-DEN-see'') is one of several species of cotton. It is in the mallow family. It has been cultivated since antiquity, but has been especially prized since a form with particularly long fibers was ...

became the preferred option in England, and came to be grown throughout the Georgia low country. Several plantations thrived on St. Simons, among them were Hamilton, Retreat, Hampton, and Cannon's Point. The only surviving ruins are at Cannon's Point and the tabby slave cabins at Hamilton. Both are open to the public. One former slave cabin from Retreat Plantation has been restored, and today houses a local gift shop. Even before the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

, Island plantations had begun their decline due to a dramatic slackening of English demand, lack of crop rotation for

soil management Soil management is the application of operations, practices, and treatments to protect soil and enhance its performance (such as soil fertility or soil mechanics). It includes soil conservation, soil amendment, and optimal soil health. In agricu ...

, and absentee ownership. Postwar, the area languished until the advent of the lumber mills in the latter third of the 19th century. During this period, a new lighthouse was constructed to replace the 1810 lighthouse that was destroyed during the Civil War. The current Lovely Lane Chapel was built, and Christ Church was rebuilt. One of the Island mills supplied timbers for New York's

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/ suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East Rive ...

. With the turn of the 20th century and the arrival of the automobile, a new industry began to arise—vacation travel. In 1924, the F. J. Torras Causeway opened St. Simons Island to everyone. Sea Island, Little St. Simons, and Jekyll Island all remained in private hands, with the latter becoming the site of winter homes for wealthy Northern industrialists and bankers. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, blimps from Glynco Naval Air Station in Brunswick patrolled the Atlantic, protecting convoys and looking for German

U-boats U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare rol ...

that frequented the area. The Brunswick harbor served as one of the nation's most important production centers for

Liberty Ships Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. M ...

Geography and climate

The City of Brunswick and its four barrier islands are located on the south Georgia coast, about midway between

and

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

. The islands lie between the

Altamaha River The Altamaha River is a major river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles (220 km) from its origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it empties ...

delta to the north and the

Satilla River The Satilla River rises in Ben Hill County, Georgia, United States, near the town of Fitzgerald, and flows in a mostly easterly direction to the Atlantic Ocean. Along its approximately U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset hig ...

to the south. This location is the center point of the Georgia Bight, the inward curve of the east coast that stretches from

Cape Fear, North Carolina Cape Fear is a prominent headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean from Bald Head Island on the coast of North Carolina in the southeastern United States. It is largely formed of barrier beaches and the silty outwash of the Cape Fear River as i ...

Cape Canaveral, Florida Cape Canaveral ( es, Cabo Cañaveral, link=) is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 9,912 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne– Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area. History After t ...

. The resulting funnel effect on incoming tides in this region creates a more extreme tidal swing than elsewhere on the U.S. coast, ranging from six to ten feet. According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, the Golden Isles climate is humid subtropical, with hot summers and mild winters. The average low temperature in January is 42.6 °F. The average high in July is 90.4 °F. Rainfall is greatest in August and September. Accumulation of snow/ice is extremely rare. In 1968 when famed Chicago TV weatherman P. J. Hoff was about to retire, he conducted an extensive analysis, based on his personal preferences, to find the best climate in the U.S. Based on several factors, he chose the Golden Isles, and moved to St. Simons Island, where he lived until his death in 1981.

Wildlife and vegetation

One of the primary attractions that brings visitors to the Golden Isles is its vast and diverse array of wildlife and marine vegetation. The area's most distinctive characteristic, its extensive

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found ...

es and

estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environme ...

, provide an abundance of food plus breeding grounds for a multitude of land, sea, and air creatures. Most of the area between the islands and the mainland consists of marshland, dominated by smooth cordgrass ( Spartina), which is the key provider of life-sustaining nutrients for the wildlife. Every fall, the marsh grass turns a rich amber, giving evidence for the name, Golden Isles. The results of this rich source of nutrients are visible everywhere. Commonly seen along the beaches and the adjacent maritime forests are several species of shorebirds, including

egret Egrets ( ) are herons, generally long-legged wading birds, that have white or buff plumage, developing fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Egrets are not a biologically distinct group from herons and have the same buil ...

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychu ...

s, white ibis,

gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century ...

tern Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands. Terns are treated as a subgroup of the family Laridae which includes gulls and skimmers and consists of e ...

plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subf ...

sandpiper Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil ...

pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...

s, and

osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...

s. Local birds of prey include

vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. This subfa ...

s, and the southern bald eagle. Five of the eighteen sites alon
Georgia's Colonial Coast Birding Trail
are located within the Golden Isles/Glynn County. Among the sights along the beaches, inshore waterways and piers are

horseshoe crab Horseshoe crabs are marine and brackish water arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only living members of the order Xiphosura. Despite their name, they are not true crabs or crustaceans: they are chelicerates, most closely related to ar ...

ghost crab Ghost crabs are semiterrestrial crabs of the subfamily Ocypodinae. They are common shore crabs in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, inhabiting deep burrows in the intertidal zone. They are generalist scavengers and predators ...

s slipping in and out of their holes in the sand,

dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the b ...

manatee Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus ''Trichechus'') are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living speci ...

s (in summer), jumping mullet,

jellyfish Jellyfish and sea jellies are the informal common names given to the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbre ...

sand dollar Sand dollars (also known as a sea cookie or snapper biscuit in New Zealand, or pansy shell in South Africa) are species of flat, burrowing sea urchins belonging to the order Clypeasteroida. Some species within the order, not quite as flat, are k ...

stingray Stingrays are a group of sea rays, which are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray), Plesiobatidae ...

s, and

conch Conch () is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point at both ends). In North Am ...

shells inhabited by

hermit crab Hermit crabs are anomuran decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea that have adapted to occupy empty scavenged mollusc shells to protect their fragile exoskeletons. There are over 800 species of hermit crab, most of which possess an as ...

Sand dunes A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

along the rear of the beach protect the inland vegetation and serve as an essential buffer during storm tides. The picturesque

sea oats ''Uniola paniculata'', also known as sea oats, seaside oats, araña, and arroz de costa, is a tall subtropical grass that is an important component of coastal sand dune and beach plant communities in the southeastern United States, eastern Mexi ...

along the dunes, with their complex root systems help keep the sand in place; and Georgia law prohibits picking them. Beach morning glories and their vines serve a similar purpose. During certain times of year, dead cordgrass (known as wrack) washes up on the beach and gathers at the high tide line. Insects and microorganisms in the wrack offer nutrients and the wrack itself traps sand to help nourish the dunes. Behind the dunes sits a variety of vegetation, culminating in the maritime forests that provide the tree canopy so characteristic to Georgia's barrier islands.

Live oak Live oak or evergreen oak is any of a number of oaks in several different sections of the genus ''Quercus'' that share the characteristic of evergreen foliage. These oaks are not more closely related to each other than they are to other oaks. ...

s, southern

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...

s, cabbage palms,

magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...

s, and others create the canopy. Below is a vast complex of shrubs including palmettos,

yaupon ''Ilex vomitoria'', commonly known as yaupon () or yaupon holly, is a species of holly that is native to southeastern North America. The word ''yaupon'' was derived from the Catawban ''yą́pą'', from ''yą-'' tree + ''pą'' leaf. Another commo ...

yucca ''Yucca'' is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitis ...

, prickly-pear cactus, resurrection fern, and many others including the iconic Spanish Moss. The forest is also home to different species of

amphibian Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbo ...

s and land animals, including

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more ...

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additional ...

wild turkey The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

s, and many others. One of the area's most beloved, and endangered, creatures is the

loggerhead sea turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around in carapace length when fully ...

. From late May through mid-August, female turtles clamber up the beach after dark to dig nests in the dunes above the high water line and lay their eggs. Turtle eggs face many threats of both the natural and man-made variety; and all species of sea turtles are currently protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources coordinates the efforts of several local agencies and volunteers under the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative. These groups monitor, protect and manage nests found on Golden Isles beaches, in addition to conducting research and public awareness and education programs. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, a member of the Cooperative, provides rehabilitation services for injured turtles as well as research and education through a variety of programs and field trips. Another endangered species found just offshore is the

North Atlantic Right Whale The North Atlantic right whale (''Eubalaena glacialis'') is a baleen whale, one of three right whale species belonging to the genus '' Eubalaena'', all of which were formerly classified as a single species. Because of their docile nature, their s ...

. These migratory animals got their name from whalers because they were easy to hunt and yielded large amounts of oil and

baleen Baleen is a filter-feeding system inside the mouths of baleen whales. To use baleen, the whale first opens its mouth underwater to take in water. The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and ...

. As a result, they were hunted almost to extinction. Right whales are currently protected by both Federal and State law. Because the waters off South Georgia and Florida are their only known calving grounds, the NOAA has designated a critical habitat area extending from the Altamaha River delta to Melbourne, Florida. Federal law prohibits vessels from approaching or remaining within 500 yards of a right whale. In December, 2014, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources estimated that there were fewer than 100 breeding females in existence.

Culture

Because of its long and varied history and mixture of disparate peoples, the Golden Isles enjoys a rich cultural heritage that locals work to preserve in a variety of ways. There is also a vibrant contemporary culture that manifests itself in a broad mixture of creative arts. Local theater productions, art exhibits, music festivals, culinary events, environmental expositions, art and photography shows are scheduled throughout the year. Venues include the Historic Ritz Theatre, Brunswick Actors Theatre, Mary Ross Park, Neptune Park, and the St. Simons Island Casino, home of the Island Players.

Arts and music

The Golden Isles are home to a growing number of art galleries, and other venues where creative artists share their works. Golden Isles Arts & Humanities in Brunswick and Glynn Visual Arts on St. Simons Island have each been instrumental in promoting and supporting both established and beginning artists. Among the more unusual local art forms are the Tree Spirits of St. Simons Island. Created by a local sculptor, they memorialize sailors lost at sea on ships made of island lumber, along with some Native Americans. Their mournful expressions create an emotional and unforgettable experience for viewers. The centuries-old art of

stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

is on display at several locations throughout the Golden Isles. At Christ Church Frederica, "The Confession of St. Peter" dates to 1899. Faith Chapel on Jekyll Island includes a window signed by Louis Tiffany. Lovely Lane Chapel at Epworth by the Sea features Old English Art Glass windows. Another Tiffany window is located at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Brunswick. Other notable examples can be seen at the King & Prince Resort, the Cloister Hotel, and the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, as well as many other churches throughout the area. In late spring and summer, music lovers enjoy outdoor concerts at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick and Neptune Park on St. Simons Island. Jekyll Island hosts annual festivals that feature both local and out-of-town performers.

African-American heritage

The Golden Isles are located near the southern end of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, a coastal area that stretches from Wilmington, NC to Jacksonville, FL, extending 30 miles inland along its length.

Gullah Geechee The Gullah () are an African American ethnic group who predominantly live in the Lowcountry region of the U.S. states of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, within the coastal plain and the Sea Islands. Their language and cultu ...

refers to a people, a language and a culture. The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of slaves primarily from west and central Africa who were brought to work on cotton and rice plantations along the coast of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and north Florida. The Gullah language is a creole tongue that combines English with a number of African dialects. Coastal, primarily rice-growing plantations came to be isolated from their mainland counterparts due to the prevalence of tropical diseases such as malaria, which tended to keep the plantation owners inland. Consequently, the West African slaves were able to form tight-knit communities that retained more of their homeland culture and languages. This Gullah Geechee way of life continued more or less intact until the advent of 20th-century coastal development. The Heritage Corridor is one result of efforts to protect and preserve this unique and little-known culture. The St. Simons African American Heritage Coalition works to preserve and educate people about Gullah Geechee culture through the annual Sea Island Festival each June on St. Simons Island. Performers at the Festival have included the

Georgia Sea Island Singers The Georgia Sea Island Singers are an American folk music ensemble from Georgia, United States. Formed in the early 1900s,

, a world-renowned folk group that specializes in Gullah music and dance. The Coalition also conducts tours of Gullah Geechee sites on the island. Recently they played a leading role in fundraising for restoration of the histori
Harrington School House
which dates to the 1920s and served the island's African-American communities.

Ghost stories

Given its long history, it is not surprising that ghost stories are plentiful in the Golden Isles. Some of the tales often heard from locals and tour guides alike include: * Mary the Wanderer, who lost her lover in a storm at sea, is sometimes seen with a lantern or riding a white horse, continuing her search * The flickering light in Christ Church cemetery…a candle, said to have been put there by the husband of a deceased woman who always kept a lighted candle by her bedside to allay her fear of the dark * The ghost of Frederick Osborne at the St. Simons Lighthouse…a former lighthouse keeper killed in a duel * The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is said to be frequented by several long deceased guests who have yet to check out.

Annual festivals and events

Southeast Georgia Health System Bridge Run February – Brunswick. A challenging 5K race over the Sidney Lanier Bridge, and allied events. Scheduled on Saturday of Presidents Day weekend. Blessing of the Fleet May – Brunswick. A two-day celebration of the Golden Isles shrimp fishing industry in Brunswick, scheduled on Mother's Day weekend. Turtle Crawl Triathlon & Nest Fest May – Jekyll Island. A USA Triathlon-sanctioned event that includes an International Distance Triathlon, a Sprint Distance Triathlon, and a traditional 5K Run. Georgia Sea Island Festival June – St. Simons Island. A celebration of the African-American Gullah Geechee culture, musical traditions, crafts and food, featuring the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Southern Grown Festival June – St. Simons Island. All about food and music of the South: chef demonstrations, fish fry, classes & lectures, dinner and a concert, local Southern food market, and Sunday brunch. Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival September – Jekyll Island. Shrimp boat tours, vendors, live music, kids' fun zone, chefs' demonstrations, plus a variety of shrimp and grits dishes. Brunswick Rockin' Stewbilee October – Brunswick. A Brunswick Stew cooking contest coupled with a 5K run, live entertainment, kids fun zone, antique car show plus arts and crafts. CoastFest October – Brunswick. A day of environmental fun and education. Interactive exhibits and displays offer the latest information about coastal weather, native plants, recycling, sea turtles, water conservation, archeology, herpetology, and geology. Golden Isles SUP Classic October – St. Simons Island. Stand-up paddleboarding races with cash prizes and trophies for the winners. Saint Simons Food & Spirits Festival October – St. Simons Island. A weekend to celebrate food and spirits of the Golden Isles. Food tastings at the Pier Village, several concurrent events at area restaurants, artisan market, cooking classes and demonstrations, children's activities, Sunday brunch. The RSM Classic (formerly McGladrey Classic) November – St. Simons Island. An official PGA Tour event, hosted by Island resident, Davis Love, III, held on the Seaside Course at the Sea Island Golf Club on St. Simons Island. The event, which began in 2010, has added a second course for 2015 and expanded its field to 156. Jekyll Tree Lighting Festival & Holidays in History November and December – Jekyll Island. Beginning with a Tree Lighting Festival on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the celebration features lights and Christmas decorations in the Historic District, themed tours, storytelling, caroling and crafts.

Outdoor sports and activities

As a result of the Golden Isles' moderate climate, a variety of outdoor activities are popular year-round. Golf in the area dates back to the early 1900s, when courses were built on Jekyll Island for the wealthy industrialists who owned vacation homes there. Today there are sixteen public and private courses in Glynn County, including the historic Great Dunes Course on Jekyll Island that was designed by Walter Travis and opened in 1928, and the Seaside Course on St. Simons Island, host of the annual PGA tour event, The

(formerly

). The nutrient-rich waters of the Golden Isles marshes, tidal creeks, rivers, sounds and the Atlantic Ocean are home to an extensive variety of fish and sea creatures, which in turn draws anglers from near and far. In-shore and river fishing can yield trout, redfish, flounder, sheepshead, whiting and more. Offshore anglers can land king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, cobia, grouper, snapper, amberjack, tarpon, and several shark species. Surf casting is also popular on the islands, as is fishing from the many piers and bridges throughout the area. Fishing licenses are required for anyone over 16 years of age. Size and catch limits are also enforced. The area's natural scenery and nature preserves attract photographers, birders and kayakers. Popular water sports include sailing and offshore scuba diving. The tidal creeks, sandbars and relatively gentle surf have made paddle boarding an increasingly popular sport locally. Onshore activities include biking, hiking, tennis, and horseback riding. Fans of the relatively new sport of disc golf will find a course on St. Simons Island. Parks and playgrounds cater to families. In addition to swimming and sunbathing, Golden Isles beaches are visited throughout the year for walking, bird-watching, and shell-hunting.

Tourism

Because it was one of the few barrier islands not privately owned, St. Simons Island was the first of the Golden Isles to develop facilities for tourism, primarily on and around the south end where visitors arrived at the pier beginning in the 1870s. Also during this time, the luxurious Oglethorpe Hotel opened in Brunswick. With the advent of the automobile and the opening of the F. J. Torras Causeway in 1924, more facilities were built (most notably by auto magnate turned developer, Howard Coffin) and it was not long before St. Simons Island became a preferred vacation destination. In 1928, Mr. Coffin, who had earlier purchased Sea Island, opened the Cloister to great critical acclaim. While St. Simons Island was entering its tourism phase, Jekyll Island remained a private retreat for the rich and famous. After the Great Depression and World War II, however, the Jekyll Island Club and the winter "cottages" fell into disuse. In 1947, the State of Georgia purchased the island for the purpose of creating a state park. Shortly thereafter, the Jekyll Island Authority was created by the state legislature to manage the island and develop a tourism business. Today's tourism in the Golden Isles takes a variety of forms: day trippers from nearby counties, weekend getaways, family vacations, business travelers, active sports participants, eco-tourists, winter residents, history and culture enthusiasts, weddings & family gatherings. Accommodations include hotels and resorts in all price ranges, rental houses and condominiums, and bed & breakfast inns. The newly refurbished and enlarged oceanfront convention center on Jekyll Island reopened in May, 2012, followed by new hotels, restaurants, and retail space.

Economy

Within the Golden Isles, tourism is the key driver of economic activity, with an estimated impact of $1.1 billion in 2014. The resort operator, Sea Island Company is the area's largest employer. Of less economic significance, but still important to the area's appeal, is the shrimping industry. Once known as the "shrimp capital of the world", local shrimpers continue to supply fresh catch to restaurants and retailers throughout the Golden Isles and beyond. The Port of Brunswick is the centerpiece of the area's thriving logistics industry, while Brunswick Airport is home to a growing aerospace presence. Healthcare and manufacturing are the other primary economic drivers, along with the

Chamber of Commerce

The Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, membership-driven organization of business enterprises, professional firms, educational institutions and individuals who are committed to the continued economic growth and prosperity of Brunswick and the Golden Isles. The Chamber does not operate as a department of the city, county or state, as it is a membership organization. Membership investments and expenses are tax deductible as a business expense rather than a charitable contribution, and businesses of every size and description are part of the Chamber. It is more than 1,300 businesses, 80 percent of which are small businesses with 10 employees or less, working together to enhance the economic climate and reduce the impediments to the flow of commerce in our community. The Chamber of Commerce is a unified voice for Glynn County businesses.

Economic development

Ongoing economic development of the community is managed by the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority. The purpose of the Development Authority is to promote new industry and existing industry expansion. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the Development Authority engages in various economic development activities that include but are not limited to: * Conducting an aggressive marketing campaign for industrial and commercial prospects * Developing industrial parks and freestanding industrial sites for use by expanding and new businesses * Maintaining legislative liaison with local, state, and national legislative delegations The Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority works to package appropriate incentives to recruit new industry including the following: * Issuing bonds to finance loans for industrial development. * Offering tax exemptions for unfinished goods that move through the Port of Brunswick. Working with the State Department of Economic Development to package local and state incentives together – with the state providing tax incentives for new or existing industries that generate job growth.

Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Golden Isles Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the official destination marketing organization dedicated to promoting tourism in Glynn County, Georgia. The Golden Isles CVB oversees the operation and maintenance of two Welcome Centers in Glynn County. The Welcome Centers can be found in Brunswick, on I-95 southbound, between exits 42 and 38, and on St. Simons Island in the Pier Village area at 529 Beachview Drive. The mission of the CVB is twofold: To promote the Golden Isles to become a nationally recognized resort destination. To advocate for the best quality visitor experience to protect the economic sustainability of the community.

Historical landmarks and attractions

Brunswick

Old Glynn County Courthouse

The Old Glynn County Courthouse is situated in a grove of live oaks within Magnolia Square—one of the historic parks and squares used to house livestock as a community pasture. The parcel was purchased in 1905 from the City for $1.00. Today it is still surrounded by moss-hung live oaks in addition to trees of foreign origin including Tung and

Chinese pistachio Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of v ...

. The courthouse was designed by

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

architect Charles Alling Gifford of the New York firm Gifford & Bates. Gifford's work is notable within the

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

on Jekyll Island, principally Sans Souci Apartments (1896), Mistletoe Cottage (1900), and Jekyll Island Clubhouse Annex (1901). The cornerstone was laid on December 27, 1906 and construction was completed on December 18, 1907 at a total cost of $97,613. Restoration work began in the early 1990s. It is noted as an example of Neoclassical Revival style or Beaux Arts (fine arts) architecture that flourished between 1885 and 1920. Beaux Arts combines ancient

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

and

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

forms with

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

ideas and is an eclectic Neoclassical style. Design suggests interlinking philosophy of justice: four identical entrances complement interior columns leading to justice; an intricate iron stair rail suggests delicate balance and the frailties of man. The new Glynn County Courthouse is located immediately north of the structure. Opposite the Courthouse at 1709 Reynolds Street, the Mahoney-McGarvey House is known as one of the finest examples of

Carpenter Gothic Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic or Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures ...

architecture in Georgia.

Historic Ritz Theatre

Originally, the Grand Opera House, a three-story Victorian building featuring ornate brick and stone work, was built for the

legitimate stage Legitimate theatre is live performance that relies almost entirely on diegetic elements, with actors performing through speech and natural movement.Joyce M. Hawkins and Robert Allen, eds. "Legitimate" entry. ''The Oxford Encyclopedic English Dict ...

. Later, it served as a theatre for

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

. In the 1920s, as

motion pictures A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

became the rage, the Opera House was converted into a movie palace. To give the building a more modern art deco look, the first-story brickwork was covered with carrara glass and an elaborate marquee and cascading sign were added. Thus, the Grand Opera House became the Ritz Theatre. In 1956, the world premiere of "A View From Pompey's Head," filmed primarily at the Oglethorpe Hotel (the grand hotel that used to sit across from the Ritz), was introduced by the film's star, Richard Egan, at the Ritz Theatre. The Ritz Theatre (and single movie houses in general) fell into decline in the 60's and 70's. In 1981, the City of Brunswick purchased the Ritz, and again, the theatre was modernized and substantially altered; however, the Ritz sign was left intact. The extensive reconstruction was due in part to the collapse of the roof over the auditorium. This phase was completed in 1983. In 2008, the Ritz became part of the Fox Theatre Institute (FTI), the only comprehensive theatre preservation organization in the U.S. and the premiere resource for historic theatre restoration and revitalization in Georgia, offering mentoring programs, preservation expertise, operational counseling, and educational opportunities. In 2010 Golden Isles Arts and Humanities applied for and received a restoration assistance grant, matched by the City of Brunswick, to restore the building's 58 original windows, which were loose and in danger of falling. Under FTI's guidance, local craftsmen James Taylor and Taylor Davis, partnering with the Association for Preservation Technology and the Jekyll Island Restoration Team, restored the windows using the original glass and much of the original wood. FTI and the city then supported the repainting of the building. In 1899, the Grand Opera House was built of unpainted brick, then painted white by the movie company in the 1920s for a more modern feel. Because it would have been damaging to remove decades of paint from the surface, the theatre was painted a brick red when the city restored it in the 1980s. Local contractors Peninsula Painting were hired to refurbish the exterior using the same basic color scheme. When the work was completed in the summer of 2010, new curtains were made for the windows by Brunswick resident Jennifer George. The original Ritz sign was the final exterior element needing restoration. The sign had not been fully operational for years, so FTI once again stepped in to provide assistance. In May 2011, local company Fendig Signs undertook extensive restoration work, including painting, rewiring, and the crafting of new neon letters by Ray Tanner. The restored sign was returned in the fall and on November 4, 2011, during Downtown Brunswick's First Friday event, Golden Isles Arts and Humanities held a grand re-lighting celebration. The Ritz Theatre, located within the "Old Town Brunswick" National Register District was built in 1899 to house the Grand Opera House, retail establishments, and the general offices of the Brunswick & Birmingham Railroad. Today, downtown Brunswick's historic theatre and arts center features year-round live performances, films, exhibits, educational programs and more. Programming and management by Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association, coordinating arts council for the City of Brunswick and Glynn County. 1530 Newcastle Street, Brunswick, GA 31520

Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation

In the early 1800s, William Brailsford of Charleston carved a rice plantation from marshes along the

. The plantation and its inhabitants were part of the genteel low country society that developed during the antebellum period. While many factors made rice cultivation increasingly difficult in the years after the

, the family continued to grow rice until 1913. The enterprising siblings of the fifth generation at Hofwyl-Broadfield resolved to start a dairy rather than sell their family home. The efforts of Gratz, Miriam and Ophelia Dent led to the preservation of their family legacy. Ophelia was the last heir, and she left the plantation to the state of Georgia in 1973. A museum features silver from the family collection and a model of Hofwyl-Broadfield during its heyday. A brief film on the plantation's history is shown before visitors walk a short trail to the antebellum home. A guided tour allows visitors to see the home as Ophelia kept it with family heirlooms, 18th and 19th century furniture and Cantonese china. A stop on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, this is an excellent spot to look for herons, egrets, ibis and painted buntings. A nature trail leads back to the Visitors Center along the edge of the marsh where rice once flourished. 5556 U.S. Highway 17 North, Brunswick, GA 31525

Old City Hall

This part-time city

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...

doubles as Brunswick's new venue of choice for everything from class reunions to

wedding reception A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...

s. Built at a cost of $33,000, Old City Hall was fully restored with special purpose local option sales tax dollars and reopened in 2004. Its gleaming heart-pine and marble floors, original vintage fireplaces and newly refitted gaslight fixtures lend an air of old fashioned elegance to any gathering. Construction on Old

Brunswick City Hall Brunswick is the historical English name for the German city of Braunschweig ( Low German: ''Brunswiek'', Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek''). Brunswick may also refer to: Places and other topographs Australia * Brunswick, Victoria, a suburb o ...

began in 1886 from an architectural design by Alfred Eichberg, and was completed in 1889, with the installation of the clock/bell tower in 1893. The architectural style is

Richardsonian Romanesque Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century southern French, Spanish, and Italian Romanes ...

, with Queen Anne parallels. Massive in stature, with the unusual addition of

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian ...

brackets,

Romanesque Revival architecture Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended to ...

was the style of choice for the majority of public buildings built in the United States during this period. Elaborate

terracotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terra ...

friezes decorate our Old City Hall clock tower and side entries, while the corner columns are adorned with

gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry wa ...

s. 1229 Newcastle Street, Brunswick, GA 31520

St. Simons Island

A.W. Jones Heritage Center

April 2008 marked the opening of the 10,000-square-foot A.W. Jones Heritage Center. The center includes an entrance gallery, a museum shop and a 1,400 square foot event hall which is available for rent. The second floor includes the Society's administrative offices, a research library and the Society's vast collection of objects, artifacts and archival materials from hundreds of years of coastal Georgia history. The Heritage Center offers a large selection of collectibles and keepsakes. Local artists and writers are featured in the gift shop. 610 Beachview Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Arthur J. Moore Methodist Museum and Library

When the property was purchased in 1949, it was Bishop Moore's vision that it would one day become a retreat center and a place of inspiration for people of all ages. Moore was Bishop of both North and South Georgia conferences of the Methodist church as well as a leader in worldwide missions for over 20 years. The Arthur J. Moore Methodist Museum was dedicated in June 1966 began as a small library containing many volumes from the Bishop's personal collection. The museum in the beginning had a distinctly southern

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

focus, containing principally oriental porcelains and other artifacts gathered by Moore during his travels. Dr. Charles Layman, noted

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

, writer, and professor of

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus ...

at the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

, graciously offered to the museum items from his extensive Wesleyan collection. The Wesleyan grew rapidly. Later,

North Georgia North Georgia is the northern hilly/mountainous region in the U.S. state of Georgia. At the time of the arrival of settlers from Europe, it was inhabited largely by the Cherokee. The counties of north Georgia were often scenes of important eve ...

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

man, Rev. David Ogletree, began making generous gifts from his substantial collection of Wesley historical artifacts. The research library consisting of over 6,000 volumes has also expanded greatly through the years. In the spring of each year, thousands of youth from churches across the Southeastern jurisdiction gather on weekends at Epworth by the Sea as part of their

confirmation In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an affirmation of belief. It involves laying on ...

class training. This modern building holds within it a wide array of treasures that range from the history of St. Simons Island to the Wesley family including the Wesley brothers landing here with General Oglethorpe in 1736. The museum also illustrates the start of the Methodist church and the changes it underwent to get where it is today. The museum has a new interactive kiosk where people of all ages can learn more about the history of the circuit rider and early Methodism in Georgia. There is also a fun game where you can ride along with a circuit rider to share the experience of bringing faith to the frontier. The museum houses a wonderful collection of nativities. 100 Arthur J. Moore Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Avenue of the Oaks

From 1760 until the outbreak of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, cotton and rice plantations flourished in this area. The Sea Island cotton grown here became famous the world over for its quality. Retreat Plantation was one of the most prosperous plantations and was located on the southern tip of St. Simons Island. Anna Page King, who inherited the land in 1826, planted the famous Avenue of the Oaks. It is said that Anna grew such an abundance of flowers at Retreat Plantation that sailors nearing St. Simons Island could smell the flowers' fragrance before they saw the Island shores. Once the entrance to Retreat Plantation, the Avenue of the Oaks is now the entrance to the Sea Island Golf Club. There is a drive around the double row of

live oak Live oak or evergreen oak is any of a number of oaks in several different sections of the genus ''Quercus'' that share the characteristic of evergreen foliage. These oaks are not more closely related to each other than they are to other oaks. ...

trees which create the Avenue of the Oaks, most dating to around 1830.

Bloody Marsh Battle Site

At the Bloody Marsh Battle Site on July 7, 1742, an outnumbered force of British troops ambushed and defeated Spanish troops, halting a planned attack on Fort Frederica. Markers and information panels at this outdoor observation site explain the battle, which once and for all ended Spain's claims to the Georgia territory. The Bloody Marsh Unit is located at 1810 Demere Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522. This site is managed by the

as part of

Fort Frederica National Monument Fort Frederica National Monument, on St. Simons Island, Georgia, preserves the archaeological remnants of a fort and town built by James Oglethorpe between 1736 and 1748 to protect the southern boundary of the British colony of Georgia from Spanis ...

Cannon's Point Preserve

A 600-acre wilderness tract on the Northeast corner of St. Simons Island, Cannon's Point is the last remaining undisturbed maritime forest on the island. Owned by the St. Simons Land Trust, the Preserve includes salt marsh, tidal creek, and river shoreline, as well as 4,000-year-old shell middens and ruins of a 17th-century plantation home and slave quarters. The Nature Conservancy holds a conservation easement on the property to ensure its preservation for future generations. The Preserve is open to the public during specified days and hours. Visitors are advised to wear clothing appropriate for a wilderness outing, and bring bug spray.

Cassina Garden Club Slave Cabins

Hamilton Plantation, owned by James Hamilton, a native of Scotland, was located on Gascoigne Bluff near Fort Frederica. The Bluff was named for Capt. James Gascoigne, commander of the British sloop ''Hawk''. The Bluff became a storehouse for marine supplies, ship repair facilities and in effect, was Georgia's first naval base. Hamilton Plantation was a working plantation, producing long staple Sea Island cotton along with oak and pine timbers. Of the several

tabby A tabby is any domestic cat (''Felis catus'') with a distinctive 'M'-shaped marking on its forehead; stripes by its eyes and across its cheeks, along its back, and around its legs and tail; and (differing by tabby type), characteristic striped, d ...

slave Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

cabins built on the plantation, two remain today. They were constructed of tabby, which is a concrete-like mixture of lime, sand, water and oyster shells. The mixture is poured into wooden frames to harden. The cabins were divided in the center by a fireplace, thus creating two rooms that housed two families. Glass windows and wooden outside doors indicate that these cabins were probably living quarters of slaves that were high in the privilege hierarchy. Cassina Garden Club began meeting in these cabins in 1932 and was deeded the property in 1950. As owner of this historic site, the Cassina Garden Club has carefully restored and preserved the integrity of the cabins and displays many artifact and graphical histories. The cabins are located adjacent to Epworth by the Sea, a Methodist Conference Center. General Oglethorpe's secretary,

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include "And Can It Be", "Christ the Lord Is Risen T ...

and his Anglican clergyman brother, John, considered by many the founder of the

Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

, trod these grounds. All of this property was formerly part of Hamilton Plantation. Not surprisingly, this historic property was placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

by the

United States Department of Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the ma ...

in 1988.

Christ Church, Frederica

Christ Church, Frederica is located in a serene setting formed by native

holly ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen o ...

and cedar trees. On the site of Christ Church, nestled among huge oak trees on the scenic north end of St. Simons Island, John and Charles Wesley preached before returning to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

to help found the Methodist Church. In addition to being credited with founding the Methodist Church in England, the Wesley brothers also played a major role in the development of the Episcopal Church. The first church structure was built in 1820 but was partially destroyed by Union troops during the

. In 1884, the Reverend Anson Phelps Dodge Jr. built the present structure in memory of his wife, Ellen. Christ Church is constructed of wood in the cruciform design with a trussed Gothic roof and steeple. The grounds contain a cemetery with graves of early settlers and many famous Georgians. One Georgia author, Eugenia Price, who wrote many novels including a series on St. Simons is buried here along with Lucien Knight, the first state historian of Georgia. Another Georgian, a plantation owner who owned the point on St. Simons where the lighthouse was built, is buried at Christ Church cemetery. The cemetery's oldest tombstone is from 1803. Today, the church and its stained glass windows are home to the Episcopal congregation on St. Simons. Christ Church is one of St. Simons Island's most treasured landmarks.

Epworth By The Sea

Epworth by the Sea is a world renown, comprehensive conference and retreat center owned by the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Accommodating up to 900 persons, Epworth offers a range of motel rooms, family apartments and youth cabins. Auditoriums seat from 300 to 900. Meeting rooms and classrooms have audiovisual equipment. An in-season swimming pool, athletic field, covered basketball courts, tennis courts, bicycle rentals and fishing piers provide sports activities for all ages. A hospitality ministry serving guests from around the world, Epworth is open to all denominations, state and local agencies, groups and individuals whose goals are consistent with Epworth's purpose, "To provide a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

place for worship, study and fellowship." The 100 acre campus is located on Gascoigne Bluff, the one-mile riverbank tract stretching from the causeway bridge to the bend in the Frederica River. More than 200 years after the Revs. John and Charles Wesley labored on St. Simons, South Georgia Methodists agreed that this was the perfect location for a conference and retreat center. Assisted by influential businessman Alfred W. Jones Sr., president of the Sea Island Company, the Methodists purchased part of the Hamilton Plantation in 1949 and named it Epworth in honor of the Wesley's boyhood home in Epworth, England. Lovely Lane Chapel, the oldest standing church building on St. Simons hosts Sunday services and is available for weddings. Constructed in 1880, it is named after the site of the 1784 founding conference of American Methodism in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore wa ...

. 100 Arthur J. Moore Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Fort Frederica National Monument

In the early 1700s, Georgia was the epicenter of a centuries-old conflict between

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

and

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

. In 1736, three years after the founding of

established Fort Frederica to protect his southern boundary. 44 men and 72 women and children arrived to build the fort and town, and by the 1740s Frederica was a thriving village of about 500 citizens. Colonists from

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, and the Germanic states came to Frederica to support the endeavor. Georgia's fate was decided in 1742 when Spanish and British forces clashed on St. Simons Island. Fort Frederica's troops defeated the Spanish in the

, ensuring Georgia's future as a British colony. However, the declining

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

threat to the Georgia coast saw the Fort's regiment disbanded in 1749. Today, the archeological remnants of Frederica are protected by the

. 6515 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Gascoigne Bluff

Historically, Gascoigne Bluff was the first possible landing area for a ship entering the harbor. The site of an

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

settlement long before the Wesleys landed here with James Oglethorpe, Gascoigne Bluff has been headquarters for a military invasion, a Sea Island cotton plantation, the site of a lumber mill and a shipping point for timber. Live oak timbers milled here in 1794 were used in building "Old Ironsides," the U.S.S. ''Constitution''. In 1874, timbers were cut here for the

. At Gascoigne Bluff, you can visit the Cassina Garden Club Slave Cabins from the Plantation Era, a Southern Red Cedar tree that is the second largest of its kind in Georgia, a fishing pier, and a stand of live oak trees. Across the Frederica River, you will see three "ballast hammocks", small islands formed from ballast dumped by European ships before taking on

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, w ...

Lovely Lane Chapel

The oldest standing Church building on

, Georgia is Lovely Lane Chapel. Formally named St. James Union Chapel, it was built by Norman W. Dodge in 1880. Repaired following a hurricane in 1897, the chapel was deconsecrated in 1911 to be used as a recreation center, and was re-consecrated in 1949 after the Methodist purchased the property. Lovely Lane is named after the site of the 1784 Founding Conference of American Methodism in Baltimore, Maryland. The chapel is currently open to the public for Sunday Worship Service as well as wedding ceremonies. 100 Arthur J. Moore Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Maritime Center

The Maritime Center makes its home in the Historic Coast Guard Station. Filled with interactive exhibits and galleries, this interesting museum offers an exciting look at coastal Georgia's natural assets,

maritime Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Pri ...

and

military history Military history is the study of War, armed conflict in the Human history, history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, cultures and economies thereof, as well as the resulting changes to Politics, local and international relationships. ...

. Explore seven galleries featuring a variety of hands-on exhibits and activities. The historic U.S. Coast Guard Station at East Beach on

was one of 45 U.S. Coast Guard Stations built around the country by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Work on the East Beach Station began in Fall 1935. It is believed to be one of only three surviving stations from that era. The station and boathouse had its "First Watch" on April 1, 1937. When the station first opened, the original beachfront was just a few feet from the front door. Today the station is separated from the beach by a large parking lot. On April 8, 1942, sank two

merchant ships A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...

, the SS ''Oklahoma'' and ''Esso Baton Rouge'', off the coast of St. Simons Island. Joined by local residents, the coast guardsmen mounted the rescue. In 1995, the East Beach Station was decommissioned and all local Coast Guard operations were moved to mainland Brunswick. A brand new Coast Guard Station was completed in 2005, just to the east of the

Sidney Lanier Bridge The Sidney Lanier Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Brunswick River in Brunswick, Georgia, carrying four lanes of U.S. Route 17. The current bridge was built as a replacement to the original vertical-lift bridge, which was twice ...

. 4201 1st Street, St. Simons Island, GA 31522 Lighthouse and museum, St

St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum

In 1965, a strong group of 10 citizens formed the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and began to successfully gather support from the community of Glynn County to preserve the early coastal heritage. When the Keeper's Dwelling was threatened with commercial development in 1975, the Society undertook the restoration of this 1872 building. As a result of this work, the dwelling was opened in 1975 as the St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum and has been administered by the Society since that time. In 1984, the St. Simons Lighthouse was leased by the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...

and became part of the museum complex. Today, the St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum is a recognized and viable part of the rich cultural history of the area. The lighthouse, which still lights the entrance to St. Simons Sound, adds the historical significance of the evolving pre- and post-

navigation. In 2004, the deed to the St. Simons Island Lighthouse was transferred to the Coastal Georgia Historical Society under the

National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 (NHLPA; Public Law 106-355; 16 U.S.C. 470w-7) is American legislation creating a process for the transfer of federally owned lighthouses into private hands. It was created as an extension ...

of 2000. In April 2006, the Maritime Center at the Historic Coast Guard Station opened. 610 Beachview Drive, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Jekyll Island

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Through

sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhe ...

rehabilitation, research and education programs, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will increase awareness of

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

and

wildlife conservation Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habita ...

challenges, promote responsibility for

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...

health and empower individuals to act locally, regionally, and globally to protect the environment. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a hospital for ill and injured sea turtles. It is the only hospital of its kind in the state of Georgia. The Center is open to the general public and offers an interactive Exhibit Gallery and Rehabilitation Pavilion with a number of viewable sea turtle patients. 214 Stable Road (Corner of Hopkins and Stable Road), Jekyll Island, GA 31527

Horton House

Major William Horton was granted

by the Trustees of the colony of Georgia in 1738, and he constructed this home in 1743. The

Horton House Horton House (also known as Horton-duBignon House, Brewery Ruins, duBignon Cemetery) is a historic site on Riverview Drive in Jekyll Island, Georgia. The tabby house was originally constructed in 1743 by Major William Horton, a top military ai ...

is one of the oldest standing

tabby concrete Tabby is a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to create lime, then mixing it with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells. Tabby was used by early Spanish settlers in present-day Florida, then by British colonists primarily in coa ...

structure exteriors in the state. Horton House outside

Horton was one of General

's top military aids and was in charge of troops garrisoned at Fort Frederica on nearby St. Simons Island. Horton farmed the island, producing crops to aid with supplying Ft. Frederica. This included hops and barley to produce Georgia's first beer. Eventually, Horton added a warehouse to the site, of which remains still exist. His brewery, whose remains lie just down the road, supplied ale to troops and settlers at Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island. Today, the tabby ruins of Georgia's first brewery have mostly fallen into DuBignon Creek. The site also includes the cemetery of the DuBignon Family, which owned Jekyll from 1790 to 1886 and occupied the house as their home from 1790 until sometime in the mid-1800s. There you can see the grave of John Eugene DuBignon, who sold Jekyll Island to the Jekyll Island Club in the late 1800s. The Horton House is one of the oldest buildings in Georgia, and the site is listed on the

. Preservation work on the site was made possible by a Save America's Treasures grant from the

, and received an Excellence in Preservation award from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. The Horton House historic site is open to the public. North Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527

Jekyll Island National Historic District

The Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District is one of the largest ongoing restoration projects in the southeastern United States. The work to preserve the site has resulted in numerous awards and recognitions including Jekyll Island named to the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...

's 12 Distinctive Destinations and receiving the 2008 Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's Marguerite William Award for Preservation. The Jekyll Island Museum is your port of entry to the extraordinary stories of the Jekyll Island National Historic District and the entirety of Jekyll Island's rich history. At the Jekyll Island Museum you can embark on a journey of discovery, through exhibits, tours and programs that are adventures into a bygone era.

Infrastructure

Transportation

* The Port of Brunswick is an

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

seaport located in

Brunswick, Georgia Brunswick () is a city in and the county seat of Glynn County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As the primary urban and economic center of the lower southeast portion of Georgia, it is the second-largest urban area on the Georgia coastline after S ...

, United States, in the southeast corner of the state. It is one of four ports operated by the Georgia Ports Authority. The Port of Brunswick is one of the nation's most productive ports on the Atlantic coast. Imported products include wood pulp, paper products,

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

soybeans The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu ...

, and heavy machinery. Brunswick is the primary U.S. port of automobile imports for manufacturers

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

Land Rover Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rove ...

Porsche Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company ...

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...

and

Volvo The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...

Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...

, GM and Mercedes export vehicles through Port of Brunswick. Other exports include agricultural products such as

barley malt Malt is germinated cereal grain that has been dried in a process known as "malting". The grain is made to germinate by soaking in water and is then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air. Malted grain is used to make beer, whi ...

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...

and

oats The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human co ...

; other bulk cargo includes

cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel (aggregate) together. Cement mixe ...

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard or sidewalk chalk, and drywa ...

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

perlite Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content, typically formed by the hydration of obsidian. It occurs naturally and has the unusual property of greatly expanding when heated sufficiently. It is an industrial ...

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

and

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class ...

. * The Glynn County Airport Commission was formed in 1980 to manage and develop opportunities at the county's two airports: Brunswick Golden Isles Airport and McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport. Made up of community leaders, its nine members serve rotating four-year terms. **

(BQK) - Delta Connection flies between Brunswick Golden Isles Airport and

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , also known as Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport, Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield, Hartsfield–Jackson and, formerly, as the Atlanta Municipal Airport, is the primary internatio ...

** McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport serves

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

. The airport has two active runways - 4/22 at 5,800 feet long and 16/34 at 3,313 feet long. Several non-precision approaches provide inclement-weather access, as well as a visual guidance system to assist pilots on landing. *

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of trac ...

and

Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31, ...

railways *

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

passenger service *

* Federal Highways: ** U.S. Route 17 ** U.S. Route 341 **

U.S. Route 25 U.S. Route 25 (US 25) is a north–south United States Highway that runs for in the southern and midwestern US. Its southern terminus is in Brunswick, Georgia, from where it proceeds mostly due north, passing through the cities of Augusta, Georg ...

Georgia Department of Transportation The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in develop ...

Federal Transit Administration The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administratio ...

Health care

* Southeast Georgia Health System

References

External links

Golden Isles Visitors Bureau website

Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce website

Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority

Glynn County, Georgia

City of Brunswick

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

St. Simons Lighthouse and Coastal Georgia Historical Society
{{authority control Barrier islands of Georgia (U.S. state) Islands of Glynn County, Georgia Regions of Georgia (U.S. state) Gullah country Slave cabins and quarters in the United States

Communities

St. Simons Island

Sea Island

Little St. Simons Island

Jekyll Island

Historic Brunswick

Glynn County

History

Geography and climate

Wildlife and vegetation

Culture

Arts and music

African-American heritage

Ghost stories

Annual festivals and events

Outdoor sports and activities

Tourism

Economy

Chamber of Commerce

Economic development

Convention and Visitors Bureau

Historical landmarks and attractions

Brunswick

Old Glynn County Courthouse

Historic Ritz Theatre

Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation

Old City Hall

St. Simons Island

A.W. Jones Heritage Center

Arthur J. Moore Methodist Museum and Library

Avenue of the Oaks

Bloody Marsh Battle Site

Cannon's Point Preserve

Cassina Garden Club Slave Cabins

Christ Church, Frederica

Epworth By The Sea

Fort Frederica National Monument

Gascoigne Bluff

Lovely Lane Chapel

Maritime Center

St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum

Jekyll Island

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Horton House

Jekyll Island National Historic District

Infrastructure

Transportation

Health care

See also

References

External links