JEKYLL ISLAND THROUGH THE YEARS

The State of Georgia purchased the island for $675,000, or about $6.7 million today.

Jekyll Island Authority was established as a self-supporting state agency to steward the new state park’s natural and cultural resources and protect it from overdevelopment.

The Dolphin Club opened at St. Andrews Beach, the first and only section of Georgia coast accessible to African Americans, and hosted Blues legends including Otis Redding and B.B. King.

The original Clubhouse of the Jekyll Island Club was renovated and opened as a hotel, later receiving a Historic Hotel of America designation.

A pinnacle year for revitalization, the new shopping center, Beach Village, and hotels open. The Jekyll Island Foundation also completes their Horton Pond and Skeet House projects.

With the addition of new residential communities and several new hotel properties, the island attracts more than three million annual visitors.

A drawbridge to the island was completed and opened, and Tallu Fish founded the Jekyll Island Museum, operating out of Indian Mound Cottage.

The region’s first indoor heated pool, the Aquarama, opened in 1961 at nearly Olympic-size length.

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center opened in the renovated power plant of the Jekyll Island Club.

The reimagined Jekyll Island Museum opened its doors with new interactive exhibits building upon the stories once told by the museum’s first curator, Tallu Fish.

What a momentous year it has been on Jekyll Island! In my three years of serving on the board, I have witnessed the incredible dedication the JIA staff has to the island and the visitor’s experience and that has been ever so evident this anniversary year. The successes and milestones achieved, and celebrated, this past year are a direct result of their ingenuity, skill, and enthusiasm. They are a significant part of what makes this island such a special place to visit, and I am truly grateful for their daily stewardship to retain its character.

There’s no question 2022 was one for the history books. It was an exciting year of festivities and commemorations of the important 75th year of the State’s ownership of Jekyll Island. Furthermore, the year provided an opportunity for us to reflect not only on the State’s initial vision for Jekyll Island, but also the special destination it has become today. While Jekyll’s natural assets continue to be protected and relished through significant private and public partnerships and investments, the island has become a place for families to vacation, conferences to convene, travelers to unwind and businesses to thrive. This celebration should continue!

Director