“Escape from some of the more overdeveloped and overpopulated resorts along the East Coast and experience Canopy Bluff at Jekyll Island, Georgia – a new haven of tranquility and scenic beauty unlike anything the Island has seen before. With 127 one, two, three and four bedroom condominiums, a full service resort hotel with 300 guest rooms and suites, meeting and catering facilities, and many more amenities, Canopy Bluff will be an exciting retreat perfect for those looking to get the most out of their vacation.” – from a Hodnett Cooper Real Estate brochure.

Many Georgians believe that this will undoubtedly be the beginning of the end for what is often called Georgia’s most precious “jewel.”

The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island, (www.savejekyllisland.org) however, has another viewpoint. Determined to prevent this upscaling of what was to be the permanent primitive and affordable island, they are working hard to prevent the $352 million project continuing as planned. Their contention is that the plans for building several new resorts and a town center, will violate Georgia’s Shore Protection Act. This statute prevents anything built closer to the dunes than the natural tree line without additional special permits, which they don’t yet have.

Linger Longer spokesmen insist they will obtain the necessary permits. However, it seems likely that the determination of so many Georgians and others who love Jekyll as it has always been, will prevent ground-breaking for some time.

Currently, The Initiative is appealing to all Friends of Jekyll Island State Park to help save this island. Senator Jeff Chapman believes legislation is necessary to defend the remaining open beachfront of Jekyll Island State Park from commercial exploitation. He is seeking public support for his “Open Beach Resolution” and is also asking the public to comment on the need for additional legislation to protect “the people‘s park.”

Initiative spokesmen say the success of Senator Chapman’s effort may well hinge on how much public support he can muster for. If enough people visit the Senator’s website -(http://www.jeffchapman.us) - to endorse his Open Beach resolution and submit ideas for protective legislation, then he will be armed with public support when introducing a bill that would block the commercialization of Jekyll’s most popular public beach and point the way toward responsible revitalization of Georgia’s Jewel.

In the beginning, there were the birds and the fish, the amphibians and the mammals, the flora and fauna of an island paradise. And always, the ocean in myriad shades of blue, rippling and rolling and peaking as the tides moved in and the tides moved out.

As early as 2700 B.C, Native Americans used the island. With their innate respect for nature, they did nothing to disturb this pristinely pastoral oasis.

In the 16th century, Europeans arrived, then early Americans. Some farmed the land, some fished, some established businesses of one sort or another. None damaged the magnificent coastal jungle that was, and largely remains, Jekyll Island.

Not even the world’s richest and most powerful men, who in the 1880’s, came, saw and were captivated, ever seriously disturbed this pristine paradise.. . J. P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Joseph Pulitzer, Marshall Field, and Cornelius Vanderbilt built the Jekyll Island Club as their winter retreat, but outside the small area they occupied, the island remained untouched. In addition to their palatial pavilion, they built a number of “little cottages”, most in the 7,000-8,000 square foot range, to house their family and friends adjacent to the Club. They came, they said, to live the “simple life,” away from the hustle and bustle of the cities.

Along with them, of course, they brought their butlers, valets, housekeepers, maids, gardeners and gatekeepers. The membership of this little group owned one-sixth of the wealth of the entire world. They lavished their clubhouse, and apartments and cottages with the ultimate that money could buy.

  

Again and again, history was made on this, the smallest of Georgia’s barrier islands.. The First Name Club met here, leading to the creation of the Federal Reserve System. The first transatlantic phone call was made here by AT&T president Theodore Vail, among many historical events.

Early in World War II, President Roosevelt asked everyone to leave the island, feeling it was too risky to have so many powerful men in one spot.

They never returned. In 1947, through a condemnation act, Melvin Thompson, governor of Georgia, bought the island for $675,000, creating Jekyll Island State Park, a place to be enjoyed by all Georgians and especially those with limited incomes. Legislation was later put through limiting development of the island to no more than 35 percent of the island.

Today, nature remains supreme. Sea Turtles abound. From May through August, after nightfall, female Loggerheads swim ashore and make their way across the sand, digging their nests to lay 80 to 100 eggs. The Jekyll Island Turtle Project ensures that nature’s routine is undisturbed.

Bird watchers nationwide come to Jekyll, one of 18 sites along the Colonial Coast Bird Watching Trail. In addition to abundant year round populations, Jekyll serves as a resting place in the spring and fall for migrating species on the Atlantic Flyway. Guided nature walks offer year round information on Georgia’s coastal environment and, from a distance, you can often see deer, wild turkey, raccoons, hawks, egrets, herons and wild alligators.

Seashell fanciers can wile away many hours perusing the fascinating array of shells on Jekyll’s beaches. Highly polished “olives” and whelks abound. These cannot be taken away, as they are often home to hermit crabs and need to remain in their native land. The same applies to sand dollars, living creatures that contribute to the preservation of the beautiful shoreline.

“I suppose these are reasonably priced compared to other places, but they’ve still gotten expensive enough that my wife and I come once a year, instead of three times like we used to,” says one Athens couple.

Jim Langford, project director for Linger Longer Communities insists that visits to Jekyll have fallen off in recent years because of the lack of newer and better hotels and eateries. Many supporters of Save Jekyll Island say the opposite.

A smattering of restaurants provide good local eats, and the tiny strip mall that serves the island’s needs includes a post office, a drug store, a tourist shop or two, a small supermarket and a couple of eating establishments. With its cozy beach town demeanor, this little town center is just enough to fill the quick-shop needs of visitors and residences alike. Nearby Brunswick, less than 30 minutes away, has plenty of giant super-size malls with everything else

Three 18 hole golf courses plus a 9 hole course provide plenty of outlets for the many golfers who come to Jekyll to play their game, to hike and swim and revel in the sensual beauty of this oasis.

Will the Authority be able to maintain its current position and allow developers to procede with their plan? Or will the Initiative linger longer due to the determination and passion of the folks who love Jekyll as it is. -- Cima Star
Photos by J.Star

For more information on Jekyll Island see the following links:

Munching Around Jekyll Island

Help Us Save Jekyll Island

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