Loop Dreams Adventure with Ken & Barbara: April 2-3, Jekyll Island

April 2 - 3

Jekyll Island, named for an English nobleman who helped promote Oglethorpe's colonization of
Georgia, was purchased in 1886 for $125,000 by a group of financiers. They established the ultra
exclusive Jekyll Island club, which by the turn of the century boasted a membership that supposedly represented an estimated one-sixth of the world's wealth. Five years after the club finally closed its doors in 1942 the state of Georgia bought the grounds and buildings for $675,000, the modern day equivalent of the purchase of Manhattan Island. Thirty-two of the original structures still stand, among them the Clubhouse and the "cottages" Morgan, Rockefeller, Singer, Pulitzer, Vanderbilt, Goulds and others called this community home in the winter. Talk about going back in time first class, this island was awesome!

We anchored close to the marina and took our dingy to Jekyll Harbor Resort Marina where they charged a small fee and in return they provided bikes. A short ride to the town and after touring the Jekyll Island Museum we took a tram ride through the 200 acre historic district which enabled us to tour some of the mansions. The church was beautiful and the tiffiny stained glass was breathtaking!
Afterwards we visited the Sea Turtle Center where they were operating on a sea turtle, then off to the Jekyll Island Clubhouse which is now a hotel and opened to the public. I was wanting to play croquet on the front lawn. So glad we did not pass up this gem of an island.

Next day we toured Brunswick and ran across the old courthouse. Looks like this little town is struggling. Popped in a few antique stores and of course had to hit the ice cream parlor with fresh cup cakes. Yummm!