History of Jekyll Island

We had to go to the store and the super accommodating General Manager of the Marina, Scott took us in his car- he apologized about the size (small) and said that the big stores were torn down  to make way for the largest convention center in Georgia, a Westin, another chichi resort- it is under construction and it looks fabulous! You never know what is around you if you don't get out of the marina!

fun directional sign on the ocean side of Jekyll Island

Grocery store!

He said we had to see the historical buildings and being that we were waiting on parts anyway, we said sure!

Jekyll Island Hotel- was built as the clubhouse for the Vanderbilts, the Morgans, the Rockefellers, the Goodyears,etc,etc

Moss Cottage

In 1886 Jekyll Island was bought for a private club for the uber wealthy- 53 people came up with $600 each. This included the Vanderbilts, the Rockefellers and the J.P Morgans, the Goodyears. They sailed to "their" island in huge yachts (Morgans was 343 feet long!) There is a fabulous hotel where they would have elaborate balls. All of the meals were served in the formal dining room where formal clothes were required! They still require men to wear jackets to dinner! There are 35 or so restored "cottages" that were built. The most expensive was built by the Crane family (Crane Plumbing) It cost $500,000- in before 1900- it had 22 rooms, 20 bathrooms- and no kitchen!!!! None of the cottages had kitchens because all meals were served in the clubhouse!!

Goodyear Cottage

One of the formal dinners at the clubhouse

Cottage

Overview of the historical district

Gorgeous original lighting

Hall to grand restaurant. There is a piano player playing beautiful music

One of the yachts coming in to the dock

The actual room that the Federal reserve was founded

One of the most fascinating things that happened there was the formation of the Federal Reserve and the currency system that we use! There were secret meeting with the wealthiest people in the US- right in this room! There is a picture of  the people that started the Federal Reserve as well as one with Ben Bernanke shaking hands with Alan Greenspan! 

Phone used for the first intercontinental phone call- President Woodrow Wilson, JP Morgan, Alexander Graham Bell and the owner of AT&T (it doesn't look like the one in the picture- maybe this was the one the President used- ???)

Another event that took place here was the first intercontinental phone call. On January 25, 1915 Theodore N. Vail, the first president of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T), participated from Jekyll Island in the opening of the first telephone line across the United States. Vail, a member of the Jekyll Island Club, was recuperating from a leg injury. Consequently, instead of traveling to New York for the inauguration, Theodore Vail opted to stay in Georgia and participate in the event from Jekyll.The President, Woodrow Wilson, Alexander Graham Bell and Mr. Vail will all be on the line at once.'" Telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell started the event around 4:00 pm Eastern Standard Time by speaking from New York to his assistant Thomas A. Watson in San Francisco. Mr. Vail and others including William Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan, Jr. listened to the conversation keenly in one of the parlors of the Jekyll Island clubhouse. http://www.jekyllislandhistory.com/transcontinental.shtmlhttp://www.jekyllislandhistory.com/transcontinental.shtml

After the depression the club disbanded and was bought in 1946 by the State of Georgia. It is now a National Park. There are 3 golf courses- the original 9 hole course that the Morgans and Vanderbuilts played and two gorgeous championship courses- because they are a National Park, the green fee is $45-including a cart!! The grounds are stunning- huge trees with moss hanging from the branches. There are walking paths that meander through the grounds- absolutely lovely. here are always deer running on the course!

Original bar in the clubhouse

Sunset over the restaurants on the dock

There are 4 restaurants on the historical grounds- the formal one in the clubhouse, a 5 star restaurant that is casual dress, and two on the pier- one fine dining seafood and the other a fun funky bar with fabulous steamed mussels and shrimp...oh yeah and a 5 rum punch that the waitress talked us into!! We had walked to the historical district from the marina- about 2 miles I think. We were told that if you need a ride back the bellboys at the hotel will drive you and he did! it was great because between Steve working 12 hours a day in the engine room and the rum punch we were beat! Steve tipped the young man $20- he said he was so tired he would have paid $100 to not have to have walked back!!

Steve got all the repairs finished and everything was working perfectly. On the last night we ate at the fun restaurant at the marina and were joined by Scott and Jeff- who bought us wine that has the Jekyll Island Hotel logo on it. Great guys. we are looking forward to coming back and spending time here. What started as a nightmare turned out really well. I have to not panic and learn to go with the flow!

Scott with Steve and me

Wine from the Hotel! (Thanks Jeff and Scott)

disclaimer- sorry about the quality of the pictures-I was using the camera phone and some of the pics were of photos-glare