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Avenue Of The Oaks A Southern Welcome Of Love & Legacy STORY BY SHAN WALKER
At first glance, the towering oak trees that line the entrance of the Sea Island Golf Course on St. Simons Island may seem like an ordinary landscape greeting. But, oh, if the Avenue of Oaks could speak, the stories of love and legacy they could tell! The oaks, planted over 160 years ago, have greeted many guests, and they’ve also witnessed tragedy, triumph, loss, love, and a legacy that has stood the test of time. You see, the exclusive golf fairways and the welcoming row of trees that we see today were once known as “Retreat,” the most efficient plantation of its kind in the 19th century. Anna Matilda Page King inherited the
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2000+ acres, but she, her family, and her staff were no ordinary inhabitants. Quite uncommon in that day, Anna Matilda's Father had raised her to be an educated young woman in his business of land management. From seed cultivation to construction, her education served her well when her husband was frequently-absent, serving in Congress and other business affairs. She singlehandedly ran the plantation and raised her ten children to be productive and honorable, although struggling at times to feed what she called her “family, black and white.”
