Committed to Jekyll Island

At Ameris Bank, our customers and the community are always at the center of everything we do. From big-ticket decisions to everyday services, we’re committed to serving our neighbors on Jekyll Island.

40 Off the Table

To understand the modern evolution of Jekyll Island‚ you need only look at turtle soup.

By Osayi Endolyn

30 Catch Your Dinner (or Have Fun Trying)

Everything you need to know to pull off a DIY seafood feast.

By Josh Green

56 Time and Place

Take a walk through the ages at the newly opened Mosaic‚ the Jekyll Island Museum.

By Josh

Green

64 Long Gone Summers

Peppermint Land‚ Ski Rixen‚ and one really bumpy ride: Revisiting Jekyll’s boldest attempts to reel in tourists.

By Tony Rehagen

46

How to Get Along with Gators

Jekyll’s alligators are more prolific—and closely monitored—than the average visitor might guess.

By Candice Dyer

Stained glass at Faith Chapel.

Dear friends,

executive director

C. Jones Hooks director of marketing & communications

Alexa Orndoff creative director

Claire Davis publisher

Photography courtesy of Jekyll Island Authority unless otherwise noted. This magazine was published by the Jekyll Island Authority in cooperation with Atlanta Magazine Custom Media. All contents ©2019. All rights reserved.

Sean McGinnis editorial director

Find us on social media:

@jekyll_island

@JekyllIsland about

31 · 81

Published twice a year, 31·81 pairs stunning photography with thoughtful articles to tell the stories of Georgia’s unique barrier island.

Jekyll Island lies at 31 degrees north latitude and 81 degrees west longitude.

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Kevin Benefield design director

Cristina Villa Hazar senior editor

Elizabeth Florio art director

Liz Noftle associate publisher

Jon Brasher travel sales director

Jill Teter production director

Whitney Tomasino

For generations of families‚ a summer vacation on Jekyll is a cherished tradition‚ and this is the time of year we prepare to welcome people of all ages back to the island they love. We also have the privilege of introducing first-time visitors to our island’s fascinating history and enchanting natural beauty—and helping them forge lasting memories of their own.

As faithful stewards of the island‚ we are charged with protecting Jekyll’s irreplaceable ecosystems and preserving its captivating historic places. Yet we must also serve the needs of visitors and residents. Having completed a carrying-capacity and infrastructure assessment last year‚ we now have a powerful tool to assist us in maintaining the delicate balance that’s at the core of our mission. The primary goal of the study was to examine the number of people‚ vehicles‚ and development the island can accommodate while still safeguarding its unique natural character. By monitoring this data‚ we can adopt a proactive approach to managing visitation while making Jekyll inviting and accessible to new generations so they can develop their own authentic connections to the island.

Speaking of development‚ Mosaic‚ the reimagined Jekyll Island Museum‚ opened in April and now serves as a base camp‚ educating visitors as they plan their explorations of the island. The museum’s modern‚ interactive exhibits tell compelling stories from thousands of years of human habitation on the island. Mosaic also encourages curiosity about Jekyll’s vibrant landscapes and the thriving wildlife populations they support.

I hope you will use Mosaic as a gateway to new discoveries on the island, whether on your first visit to Jekyll or your fiftieth.

Jones Hooks

Executive

Director, Jekyll Island Authority

Jekyll Island Authority Board Of Directors

Michael

D. Hodges chairman St. Simons Island, GA

William H. Gross secretary/treasurer Kingsland, GA

Mark P. Williams commissioner, georgia dnr Atlanta, GA

A.W. “Bill” Jones III Sea Island, GA

Robert

W. Krueger vice chairman Hawkinsville, GA

Joy A. Burch-Meeks Screven, GA

Dr. L.C. “Buster” Evans Bolingbroke, GA

Hugh “Trip” Tollison Savannah, GA

Joseph B. Wilkinson St. Simons Island, GA

Inspiration Aplenty

When I tell people about this magazine‚ I often get the same question. “Won’t you run out of ideas?” After all‚ Jekyll is a mere seven miles long and a mile-plus wide. I’ll admit I had the same concern for about five minutes. Then I sat down with Jekyll Island Authority staff members for an initial brainstorming meeting in 2016‚ and one look at their robust idea file laid my concerns to rest.

Jekyll owes its depth of history‚ in part‚ to the fact that a bunch of wealthy Northerners picked it as their private retreat in the early twentieth century. If you leafed through any of the previous five issues‚ you know the likes of J.P. Morgan and William Rockefeller had homes here. Thus little Jekyll has some big claims to fame—like hosting the financial summit that devised the Federal Reserve System (talk about a brainstorming meeting). In 1947‚ the State of Georgia bought the island and transformed it into a public paradise‚ adding midcentury flair to the Victorian scenery. One story we’ve been excited to tell since day one is about the bygone attractions of this era‚ including an amusement park called Peppermint Land (page 64).

Our deepest well of ideas is not Jekyll-specific‚ of course‚ and that’s nature. Yes‚ we write about inhabitants of this specific barrier island‚ including bobcats‚ rattlesnakes‚ and the 110 or so large alligators that call it home (page 46). But the magazine’s illumination of small things—Spanish moss and resurrection fern‚ tiny coquina clam shells and the humble sand dollar (page 16)—has shown the rewards of looking closely‚ wherever you are.

There’s one story I’d been dreading. Fishing is a big deal on Jekyll‚ but it’s not exactly my area of expertise. I’ve cast a line approximately three times ever. As we discussed the approach for a fishing guide‚ Meggan Hood‚ former senior director of marketing for the Jekyll Island Authority‚ said‚ “Let’s write a primer for the Elizabeth Florios of the world.” That sounded good to me—and kudos to Josh Green for pulling it off (page 30). His story makes me think I could at least have fun trying to catch my dinner‚ which I guess is the point‚ though a fish fry would be nice.

Elizabeth Florio Editor

1 Josh Green is a freelance journalist and fiction author who lives in Atlanta with his wife and daughters. His work has won top accolades in his native Indiana and in Georgia‚ including a 2017 Atlanta Press Club award for magazine writing. A contributing writer at Atlanta magazine and editor of Curbed Atlanta‚ Green is working with his literary agent to market his first novel. His book of short stories‚ Dirtyville Rhapsodies‚ was published in 2013.

2 Amy Holliday is an artist and illustrator using primarily traditional mediums such as graphite and watercolors. She loves illustrating all things related to the natural world‚ as she is passionate about conservation and environmentalism‚ and she hopes to inspire others through her work. She works from her cozy home studio on the edge of the Lake District in the North of England.

The Doctor Is In, Even When You’re Out of Town.

MOSAIC, THE JEKYLL ISLAND MUSEUM

Now Open

Get an introduction to Jekyll’s teeming wildlife and rich history at the new Mosaic museum. The historic building, which underwent a $3.1 million transformation, displays a rotating mix of artifacts that visitors can explore through interactive displays and audio elements. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding major holidays. Tickets cost $9 for adults and $7 for children (free for kids three and under). Specialty tours of the museum and historic district are also available. jekyllisland.com/mosaic

Beach Village Music Series

First Saturday of the month‚ June–September Dance along to the soundtrack of summer at these free concerts on the Village Green. Bring a picnic and chair‚ or stock up on dinner at nearby shops.

Swim-In Movie

June 1, 30

What’s more fun than Summer Waves Water Park’s wave pool? Watching a movie in it! Get comfortable in an inner tube for a classic screening of Jaws on June 1‚ and laugh along with Trolls on June 30. Tickets are $15 and include entry to the park after 4 p.m.

Independence Day Celebrations

July 4–5

Shrimp & Grits Festival

September 20-22

Besides feasting on creative renditions of this Southern staple‚ scope out a thoughtfully curated artists market‚ hear live music‚ and sip craft brews.

Goblins on the Green

October 26

Trick or treat through Beach Village shops before settling in with candy for a screening of The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Georgia-Florida Golf Classic

October 31–November 1

The SEC rivalry comes to the island during this annual golf tournament‚ where the winner takes home a championship ring. tess malone

Movie on the Green

Last Saturday of the month‚

May–November

BYOB (bring your own blanket) for free movies on the Village Green. Family favorites include Ralph Breaks the Internet Mary Poppins Returns‚ Smallfoot‚ Aquaman and Bumblebee

Kick off the Fourth with the Independence Day Parade through the historic district; deck out a bike‚ pet‚ or yourself to compete for “Most Patriotic Person.”

Watch fireworks over the ocean after dark.

On the fifth‚ bring the kids for an afternoon of bounce houses‚ music‚ and waterslides on the Village Green at Red‚ White‚ & Bounce.

JEKYLL TOPS THE LIST

No. 1 “20 Best Places to Go in 2019‚” Money magazine No. 2 “19 Best Beaches for Families and Kids‚”

NBC’s Today show No. 10 (Driftwood Beach): “2019 Travelers’ Choice Awards - Best Beach‚” TripAdvisor

Club member John J. Albright owned Jekyll's PulitzerAlbright Cottage. Pictured here is his son-in-law, Laurence Hurd, circa 1930.

Red Bugs

In the 1920s, the best way to get around Jekyll was in a jaunty electric roadster

BY REBECCA BURNS

Banish visions of Teslas and Prius Primes; the eco-friendly runabout favored by tobacco tycoon Pierre Lorillard and his fellow Jekyll Island Club members was an open-air buckboard. To get around the island‚ club members relied on these electric “cyclecars‚” affectionately known as Red Bugs.

The cars‚ which could reach speeds of twenty miles an hour‚ came to Jekyll at the suggestion of Jekyll Island Club carpenter Chris Nielsen‚ who when searching for bicycle wheels came across a company called Briggs & Stratton‚ maker of an electric vehicle called the Flyer. More like a souped-up go-kart‚ the Flyer featured a highly varnished wood frame and five wheels‚ the fifth at the rear to aid with steering and braking.

Nielsen and the club president ordered a test Flyer and soon the vehicles‚ which easily zipped over the oyster-shell paths of Jekyll‚ became all the rage.

The club kept several to rent out‚ but many families ordered their own.

The Flyer‚ which bore a closer resemblance to a modern dune buggy than to an enclosed car‚ was marketed as a cheaper alternative to larger cars. Gas-powered engines were later added. A 1917 ad in the Bainbridge‚ Georgia‚ Post-Searchlight touted the Flyer’s ability to get eighty miles to the gallon and its price of just $125.

Briggs & Stratton later sold the rights to a New Jersey company‚ which named the runabout Auto Red courtesy of

Bug. The cars were popular up and down the Eastern Seaboard at island resorts such as Jekyll. A version was even sold in France as “Le Red Bug.”

On Jekyll‚ club members were instructed to leave their automobiles at home. “It was keeping with the philosophy of getting back to basics‚ leaving the technology and stress of their modern lives behind‚” says Meggan Hood‚ former senior director of marketing for the Jekyll Island Authority. Business leaders happily traded their sedans and touring cars for these quirky little vehicles.

Ride A Vintage Red Bug

At Jekyll’s new museum‚ Mosaic (see page 58)‚ you can test-drive the original Red Bug in a special exhibit on the vehicles. A replica cyclecar is equipped with a special seat that re-creates the bouncy feel of cruising on beach paths‚ while a screen “moves” you through island scenery at twenty miles an hour.

Ride A Modern Red Bug

Like a Rockefeller or Pulitzer‚ you can get around Jekyll on a Red Bug‚ albeit a modern version from local company Red Bug Motors. The street-legal electric carts are available with two‚ four‚ and six seats. Rentals start at $95 for twenty-four hours‚ with discounts for five-day rentals. redbugmotors.com

Marsh Grass

It’s a golden refuge for life of all kinds

BY TESS MALONE

The brilliant hue of Spartina alterniflora in fall gives the Golden Isles their name‚ while the grass grows emerald in spring and summer. All year long‚ it sustains an abundant ecosystem.

Marsh grass feeds aquatic residents. Periwinkle snails and manatees munch on it‚ while fiddler crabs use it for shelter and make sure the snails don’t overindulge.

These aquatic residents‚ in turn‚ feed mammals and birds‚ from eye-catching roseate spoonbills foraging at low tide to covert mink.

Seafood restaurants can thank it for their catches. Dead grass washes up on beaches‚ providing a home for crabs‚ clams‚ oysters‚ shrimp‚ and fish.

It’s nature’s filter. Sediment in spartina traps pesticides‚ heavy metals‚ nutrients‚ and other toxins from the water.

Storms are no match. It acts as a buffer against erosion from heavy tides and hurricane damage.

It’s pretty‚ but don’t pocket it. Collection is illegal thanks to the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act passed in 1970.

Sand DOLLARS

BY

Sand dollars have more in common with people than you might think. Scientists have discovered that the genomes of humans and sea urchins bear notable similarities; they’re our closer kin than beetles‚ crabs‚ or clams. But in most ways they’re entirely foreign.

“If you want to be a stickler‚ their proper name is the five keyhole urchin‚ in the family of echinoderms‚ Latin for ‘spiny skin‚’” says Ben Carswell‚ director of conservation for the Jekyll Island Authority. “But most people‚ even naturalists‚ still call them sand dollars.”

They breed by broadcasting‚ in which males and females release thousands of sperm and eggs into the water‚ which connect and develop into larvae. Thread-like appendages called cilia help the larvae move and burrow into the sand. When threatened‚ baby sand dollars clone themselves‚ a sort of evolutionary insurance.

These radial discs are abundant on Jekyll‚ especially between tides‚ when they might turn up by the half dozen within a few square feet. If you are beachcombing and pick up a brown one with tiny tube-like feet that feel like velvet fur on its underside‚ it is alive‚ and you are encouraged not to disturb it. “We want to send the message not to be wasteful of a life just because it’s a simple life‚ and they are fragile when they’re alive‚” Carswell says. However, visitors are welcome to make souvenirs of the calciumbased skeletons‚ which are smooth‚ white‚ and brittle.

Living sand dollars spend their days tunneling into the sand and using their feet to sweep organic matter and single-celled organisms into their mouths. They in turn are preyed upon by fish‚ crabs‚ gulls‚ and rays. “Sand dollars are an important food resource‚” Carswell says—but don’t be fooled by their cookie-like shape. “So far I’ve never heard of anyone using them as bait.”

BY TONY REHAGEN

In November of 2014‚ pilot Leslie Weinstein got a call about some passengers needing a lift from New England down to a winter home on Jekyll Island. But these were no ordinary snowbirds. The voice on the other end of the line was that of Terry Norton‚ founder‚ director‚ and veterinarian at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Norton informed Weinstein there were fifty sea turtles stranded off the coast of Cape Cod that needed immediate medical evacuation to Jekyll. If the animals didn’t make it to the turtle center soon‚ the members of an already endangered species might not survive.

Weinstein was the perfect man for the job. He was the son of a pilot and had grown up outside of St. Augustine, about 100 miles south of Jekyll. As a boy‚ he’d dig up turtle eggs from the beach and carefully move them to his family’s private sands‚ safe from hunters who sold the eggs as delicacies to local restaurants. He’d then carry the hatchlings in a bucket to release them in the ocean. As an adult running his own aviation business‚ Weinstein still had an affinity for the creatures. He arranged for three aircraft and three volunteer pilots to make the run and save the turtles—the largest single rescue mission of its kind. It would not be the last for Weinstein and company. Each year‚ beginning around November‚ hundreds of loggerheads‚ leatherbacks‚ hawksbills‚ and other species get caught in the dropping water temperatures of the North Atlantic. The cold-blooded reptiles can’t adapt and become “cold-stunned”—their body sys- tems‚ including circulation‚ metabolism‚ and cognition‚ slow and eventually shut down. They are unable to swim south to warmer waters. Turtles Fly Too‚ as Weinstein dubbed his nonprofit‚ is a nationwide network of more than 500 aviators who volunteer their time and equipment to deliver sea turtles from danger all along the East Coast. They partner with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to give the turtles a lift. Destinations include inland aquariums and research centers throughout Florida‚ but with its Georgia Sea Turtle Center and a population particularly attuned to protecting wildlife‚ Jekyll Island is a prime landing spot. Each year between twenty and sixty of the 500-plus stranded animals come to Jekyll‚ where they are treated and can convalesce until the water warms in March or they’re deemed healthy enough for release. The center has treated 238 cold-stunned sea turtles since its opening in 2007. “Our daily routines are shot‚” says

Michelle Kaylor‚ rehabilitation specialist at the center. “But even though it’s a ton more work‚ our folks are excited about cold-stunning season. The reward is in getting to see the animals get better and see them released.” and gifts that are sure to evoke precious Jekyll Island memories for years to come.

32 Pier Road

912-635-2643 thecottageji.com