About St. Simons Island

Following the Civil War, Rev. Dodge rebuilt the church that had been desecrated during the fighting. Few of the plantations remained, and life on the island changed. Fortunately, the trees that had facilitated the area’s economic gain in the previous century assisted the residents again by providing the means to recover from the effects of war. A sawmill was established at Gascoigne Bluff where timber was cut into lumber for use all over the world.

In the 1920s, developers, such as Ohio industrialist Howard E. Coffin, saw the island’s potential as a resort destination, ushering in a new era for St. Simons. Buying large tracts of lands, developing the Cloister (a resort hotel on Sea Island), and establishing a golf course on the land that had once belonged to Retreat Plantation, Coffin and his cousin Alfred W. Jones laid the foundation for the growth of The Sea Island Company in 1928.

People arrived in droves. Drawn by the island’s enigmatic energy, visitors initially rode ferries that let them off at the pier. After 1924 they crossed via the causeway, which bridges the five tidal rivers that connect St. Simons to the mainland. To accommodate the influx of tourists, other resort hotels were built, and soon after, motels and condominiums were added. In the twenty-first century, tourism continues to be one of the most important industries for the island and Glynn County.

Visitors delight in the area’s history, but the real draw of the island lies in the special connection that people develop for this spit of land. The dazzling beauty of St. Simons Island—oak trees festooned with moss, resurrection ferns that appear after rains, a diversity of birds that change with the seasons, ocean breezes laden with sea and salt, and beaches that wax and wane with the tides—overwhelms the senses. The shrimp boats that dot the horizon and huge freighters that frequent the port suggest prosperity and comfort. The result is that St. Simons becomes a place that people seek, a place where memories begin.

A simple walk down the pier and perhaps around the village of St. Simons is a wonderful introduction to the island’s treasures. Here locals and tourists mix, waves gently lap against the pier, soft winds rustle, and the lighthouse shines. Take time to get sand in your shoes and learn what it is to be an islander. Before you know it, the island will capture your heart. Welcome to St. Simons Island.

by E. Blanton Maddox