Jekyll Island Georgia

Jekyll Island is an island off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, in Glynn County; it is one of the Sea Islands and one of Golden Isles of Georgia. The city of Brunswick, Georgia, the Marshes of Glynn, and several other islands, including the larger St. Simon's Island, are nearby. Its beaches are frequented by vacationers, and a number of old mansions that once belonged to famous millionaires of the past are tourist attractions. Jekyll Island is also a National Historic Landmark district.

Jekyll Island History

The Spanish (1566-1686) Creek Indians were the first occupants of Jekyll Island. The called it "Ospo" and the territory "Guale". The Spanish came to Jekyll in 1566, and attempted to conquer the land and convert the Indians. They established a mission constructed of tabby, called San Buenaventura. The first dogs were brought by the Spanish friars, who improved the Indians farming techniques. The British attacked the island and destroyed the mission in 1680 and drove off the Spanish and the Indians.

Pirates (1686-1733) Pirates roamed the sea lanes off the island praying on ships. The best known pirate of these days was Blackbeard, who supposedly buried much treasure on the island.

The British (1736-1783) General James Oglethorpe established Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island in 1736. He built a tabby outpost and renamed Ospo Island to Jekyll, in honor of one of his sponsors, Sir Joseph Jekyll. During this period Oglethorpe's aide, Captain William Horton, built his permanent home of tabby.

On November 28, 1858, fifty years after the importation of slaves to the United States was made illegal, the ship The Wanderer landed on Jekyll Island with 465 slaves. This is generally believed to be the last shipment of slaves to arrive in the United States.

On January 25, 1915 the first continental telephone call was made between Theodore Newton Vail (president of AT&T) at Jekyll Island, Alexander Graham Bell in New York, Bell's assistant Thomas Watson in San Francisco, California, and President Woodrow Wilson in the White House. The telephone is on display on Jekyll Island.

Jekyll Island is also the reported location of the first condominium in the USA, known as Sans Succi (without worry).