Jekyll Island Club Hotel

Steve and I have become very interested in Jekyll Island.  We visited again this week and will probably make several more times while we are nearby.  The Island has an interesting history. The Jekyll Island Club was a unique family oriented resort when it was founded in 1886 when members of the incorporated recreational club purchased the island from John DuBignon fro $125,000. Construction of the clubhouse began in August of 1886 and the club opened its doors in January of 1888.  Ground was broken on the clubhouse building in mid-August 1886.

The membership was made up of many of the world’s wealthiest including names such as Morgan, Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt.  The club operated for 54 years before complications form WWII and poor financial times forced it to close in 1942.  The state of Georgia purchased the island from the remaining members and began to operate the club  as a resort.  The operation was not financially successful and closed in 1971.  Fortunately, the Club and it’s grounds were designated an historic landmark in 1978, restored and reopened as a luxury resort hotel in 1985.  

A tidbit of trivia about Jekyll Island for those who frequent  local trivia competitions  is that Jekyll Island was the location of a secret meeting in 1910 of many of the country’s leading financiers to discus monetary policy and the banking system of the US.  It was at the meeting that legislation was written to create the U. S. Federal Reserve.  

The turret of the club peeking through moss covered oaks

Of course, we got hungry.  The historic wharf has two restaurants–Rah Bar and Lattitude 31.  Because it was so hot, we decided to eat inside at Lattitude 31.  

Lainey had shrimp tacos

Grilled Mahi with pineapple salsa for Joy

More pictures and posts of Jekyll Island to come….



Joy