SSI Archives

A Club for Carefree Island Recreation

In the mid to late 1930s, before opening as a hotel and later becoming a resort, The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort operated as a Beach and Yacht Club. A brochure announcing new facilities described the amenities of the Beach Club, which was located on the same stretch of beachfront as today’s resort. In addition to beach access, guests could enjoy a spacious clubhouse, an oyster bar with pecky cypress paneling, and the Bamboo Garden for outdoor dining and dancing.

The Yacht Club was situated on the river near Fort Frederica and offered fishing, hunting, and boating, as well as dining in the Barbeque Lodge. A houseboat called the “Waterway Queen” was docked there and could be chartered for large parties. Overnight visitors were encouraged to stay at Wynne Gables Hotel on Beachview Drive near the Village, an “inntype home of fifteen rooms operated year round in connection with the King and Prince Beach Club.” Rooms were steam-heated and had either private or connecting bathrooms. During the spring, which was considered the high season, a double room was $9.00, including meals.

After most of the beachfront facilities were destroyed by a fire, the Club was rebuilt as the King and Prince Hotel, opening on July 2, 1941. The hotel, now designated a resort, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

This month’s images are from an undated brochure recently donated to the Society’s archives.

Our monthly images on this page are from the vast archives of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society. The Society’s mission includes the “administration, restoration and maintenance of historic facilities and resources … preserved as a living part of the historical and cultural foundations of our coastal community.” Society facilities include the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum, the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, and the Historic Coast Guard Station. To learn more about the Society, its diverse programs, and the benefits of Society membership, please call (912) 638.4666, or visit coastalgeorgiahistory.org.