I look forward to being older, when what you look like becomes less and less an issue, and what you are becomes the point.

It’s not unusual for one of us to pull over while driving country roads to take a closer look at an abandoned barn, rusting farm implements, or anything that looks like something time forgot. But Tina’s topic for this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge: Seen Better Days immediately reminded us of a place we came upon unexpectedly on St. Simons Island, Georgia, near the Sea Island Golf Club: the remains of the Retreat Plantation hospital. In its day, the hospital and its 10 rooms served the slaves of the plantation.

The remaining structure has indeed seen better days. The structure itself is tentative. Moss grows along once-creamy walls, and bricks stand for now, but for how long? Ferns emerge from cracks in the walls, and massive trees add a bit of elegance as they provide contrast to the aging structure.

These decaying, crumbling walls reveal the elements of construction — tabby, it’s called — a mixture of oyster shells, lime, sand and water. It was a common concoction used effectively in coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia. And, as you can see, it endures (albeit not sturdily) for many years.

We wish these walls could talk and answer the questions Who was there? For how long? For what illnesses?

But for now, it’s at least a comfort knowing that the remains are available for all to see, thanks to preservationists with vision.

If you survive long enough, you’re revered — rather like an old building.

Katherine Hepburn

If you’d like to see more entries for Tina’s challenge, head to her site and check out the photography.

Travel during your better days,

Rusha & Bert

Savannah is amazing with the town squares and the hanging moss and the French Colonial houses. It’s brutally romantic.

Ah, Savannah. One of the most visited, most talked about, and most photographed cities in the South. And with good reason. It popped up on Southern Living‘s list of The South’s Best Cities 2020, and any time you Google prettiest, best, friendliest cities in the South — well, you guessed it: Savannah is there, on everyone’s list.

Savannah seems timeless to us. It’s a place for history, but also for newness, as the waterfront expansion and updates in lodging will attest. But it’s also a pretty place with 22 laid-out squares for leisurely strolls, numerous live oaks throughout the city, and a concerted effort to preserve historic homes and buildings for years to come. We hope you’ve enjoyed our posts on Savannah, and this last one focuses on some of our favorite homes and a summary of what we did, where we stayed, and how we dined.

It goes without saying, perhaps, that Savannah homes are lovely. Most are two or three stories tall with steps leading from brick sidewalks up to the main (second) floor. Evidently, homeowners in Savannah are patriotic, judging from the plethora of American flags flying from porches. And everywhere you look, people are out — enjoying the parks, walking their dogs, or pointing to flowerpots tastefully filled with ferns and flowers of all kinds.

“Brutally romantic,” says David Morissey, and we agree.

But parks and homes are just part of the story of Savannah. It’s a foodie town, an art town, and a youthful one at that. Here’s where we stayed and what we enjoyed on our four-day trip to one of the South’s finest cities.

Lodging

From modern high rise hotels to historic homes open to the public, Savannah has many choices for lodging. We stayed one night in City Market at Andaz, an affordable, newly decorated accommodation with friendly staff that put us squarely within walking distance of shops and restaurants.

But we also enjoyed three nights in one of the Historic Inns of Savannah — the Eliza Thompson House where we were spoiled with gourmet breakfast (think omelets, Southern grits, and sausages) as well as heavy hors d’oeuvres in the evening and a dessert before bedtime.

Don’t count out a stay on the riverfront, though. You may think it’s far from the historic district, but trolleys, Uber rides, and good ol’ sidewalks will get you anywhere in Savannah in minutes. We took the elevator inside The Bohemian down to the river walk, but while inside, we noted the artwork, colors, and modern embellishments. It’s a place for our next visit!

Dining

From breakfast at Two Cracked Eggs to dinner at Vic’s on the River (Oh, those crab cakes, shrimp and grits, and steaks), we found good places to dine right on the river walk. An Uber ride from Eliza Thompson House was both affordable and quick — helping us avoid traffic and the rigors of finding a place to park. (Yes, Savannah is crowded already!)

Lunches at Gryphon and The Collins Quarter brought us to where the young people gather — for bachelorette parties, casual dining, and pots of tea, as well as more spirited options! But don’t forget that you can pick up quick bites at Byrd’s Famous Cookies and The Little Crown at Pie Society in City Market. And for the finest in hand-crafted chocolates, get thee to Chocolat by Adam Turoni pronto!

Sightseeing

One recommendation we stand by is this: take a trolley tour — first. There are several companies in Savannah, and, although we’ve ridden on two different ones, we found that the information delivered by humorous, chipper drivers was great on both. By boarding a trolley, you’re indulging in a great overview of the city — passing by some of the beautiful parks and squares and learning where to locate specific places to visit after your tour. Both Old Savannah Tours and Old Town Trolley Tours will take you past the notables, giving you an idea of where you want to go next — from the river walk to City Market to the historic district. Check out the packages they offer with various stops and/or bundled tickets to area attractions online, and then note the departure location — whether at Savannah Welcome Center on West Boundary Street (easy parking) or in town at various stops such as City Market.

One caution during this time of coronavirus shutdown: check to see if the sites you had in mind to visit are open. We found out (the hard way) that the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home was still closed to tourists. But we saw the outside!

Shopping

One thing’s for certain about Savannah: shops are open and people are buying! From antique maps at V & J Duncan to the newest soaps and jewelry at The Paris Market, shopping is varied in this city. We enjoyed bringing home kitchen items from Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons retail store as much as we loved dining on her Georgia Fried Catfish. But if you want art straight from the artists, check out the sidewalks on the riverfront. After all, there are gems of Savannah everywhere you look.

Here’s hoping you, too, find Savannah to be, as David Morissey said, ” . . . brutally romantic.” It’s a charming place, steeped in history.

But mostly for us, it’s one of our favorite Deep South places to see.

Travel Savannah,

Rusha & Bert

To see all the posts on Sweet Savannah, click here.

Parks and playgrounds are the soul of a city.

One of the most lasting impressions you’ll have of Savannah, Georgia, is that of the parks and squares throughout this lovely Southern city. Thanks to James Oglethorpe who laid out Savannah in 1733, residents and visitors can enjoy the peacefulness that comes with strolling the squares and walking underneath live oak trees laden with Spanish moss.

The best source of information on Savannah’s squares comes from Jason Barnette, author of Road Trips and Coffee, a travel blog focused mainly on Southern places to see. Filled with locations and main attractions of each square, “Visiting the 22 Historic Squares of Savannah – Tips, History, and Beautiful Photos,” will make you want to book a trip just for the peaceful parks alone.

According to Barnette, James Oglethorpe originally laid out six squares in 1733, then added nine more in 1796. By 1985, a total of 22 squares — some with fountains, others with statuary and still others with gardens only — invited residents and visitors alike to delight in these unique respites in the heart of a vibrant city.

And now, at a time that we hope is the end to a pandemic, people have returned to the parks — doing what they love — from watching artists at work . . .

to walking with friends . . .

to sitting and enjoying the beauty of fountains like this one in Forsyth Park.

You should first take a trolley tour to get a sense of how Savannah unfolds, one square after another. The hop-on, hop-off trolley tours with Old Town Trolley allow you to take a break when you want to — to tour historic homes, get a bite to eat in a Southern restaurant, or admire art by students of The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Book a trip online or in City Market.

No matter how you choose to see Savannah’s parks, you can’t go wrong. After all, you’re bound to wind up under a live oak wishing you could spend a month or two in this exciting, yet quiet, Southern town.

If you have found a quiet bench in a quiet park and sat down, be sure you had a very profitable day.

Mehmet Murat ildan

Travel leisurely,

Rusha & Bert

To see all our posts on the beautiful places we love in Georgia, click here.

Our recent trip to Savannah was no different. We made reservations at Vic’s on the River (26 E. Bay St.) since good friends from Nashville recommended the jumbo lump crab cakes, spicy fried shrimp, and seared pork chop au poivre. But otherwise, we were happy to subsist on the gourmet breakfast , afternoon hors d’oeuvres, and evening dessert at our bed-and-breakfast inn, Eliza Thompson House (5 West Jones Street), one of the Historic Inns of Savannah.

But you can’t spend time in Savannah without finding good food on every corner. Here are some happen-upon places we remember for ambiance, good food, or both.

Two Cracked Eggs

Facing the Riverwalk and Savannah River, Two Cracked Eggs (301 W. River Street) is a little place we suspect stays full (Note: during the pandemic, seating is limited), but now we know why: there can’t be a bigger plate of food for starting your day anywhere else in Savannah! Order eggs (cooked any way you like), and you’ll get one gigantic biscuit that we dare you to finish! Two Cracked Eggs has it covered: friendliest wait staff, interesting presentation, and more food than you need even if you do over-extend your Fitbit’s recommended step count for the day! But here’s the best part: you can order breakfast all day long!

The Collins Quarter

Bringing a taste of Melbourne to Savannah, The Collins Quarter was a whirl of activity the day we had lunch at the 151 Bull Street location. It was Bachelorette Party weekend evidently, and pretty young ladies wearing tiaras and giggling over their bountiful plates of trendy food made us realize that this was THE place to be! The Roasted Chicken Sandwich was our choice — plump chicken breasts covered with Swiss ale onions and roasted red peppers — and a huge serving of fries on the side! You might not even need dinner after this.

The Little Crown by Pie Society

Sometimes you just see a place that looks interesting — and, in this case,it was the iconic blue door at 19 Jefferson Street that got us into The Little Crown.

From what we could tell, most people came for the British fare — steak and kidney pie, chicken pot pie, bangers and mash, pork and apple pie — but we found that little pasties had a charm and great taste all their own. For the road, we grabbed a Millionaire Shortbread and headed back out to City Market with smiles on our faces. It’s a pub, a restaurant, and a take-out all in one.

Byrd’s Famous Cookies, City Market

We rarely head home without something for our kids, even though they’re grown-ups. After all, when you start a trend, you have to keep it up, I suppose, and when we found Byrd’s, we knew what “the kids” would love to have from this trip.

Since 1924, Benjamin Tillman “Pop” Byrd, Sr. has been baking Byrd’s Famous Cookies (423 East River Street) in Savannah. He began with Scotch Oatmeal, but the company expanded its offerings to include many sweet favorites like Key Lime Coolers (their best seller), Georgia Peach Cookies, and Almond Shortbread as well as salty fare like Cheddar Pecan and Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits. Best of all? You can get a free sample of just about anything in the store. And the friendly folks at Byrd’s will gladly bag up purchases for your kids.

Chocolat by Adam Turoni

We may have saved the best for last, or at least the most creative — artisanal chocolates from Chocolat by Adam Turoni at the Library, 236 Bull Street. Named one of 10 Top Chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professionals, Adam Turoni has made it his life’s work to create chocolates that indeed look like art.

We were pleasantly surprised to be see handmade chocolates like we have never seen before. Displayed in tall glass-fronted bookcases, the chocolates looked right at home in surroundings that rival shops in Paris. And the chocolates – oh, my.

Poured into handsome molds then gilded (See photo at top), the chocolates themselves entice you to select your favorites from those bearing images of animals or hand-rolled in pieces of choice nutmeats. Some even incorporate local products like honey from Savannah Bee Company. Pick up a tray, select your special sweets, and watch how they are made — it’s an event in and of itself. If chocolate makes you feel special, you’ll be royalty here!

Be sure to check out the website and then move quickly to one of their three locations in Savannah.

So, when in Savannah, seek good food and ye shall find. Whether you’re making a night of it or just grabbing a quick treat, there’s something that will entice you in this foodie Southern town!

Travel hungry,

Rusha & Bert

Begin at the entrance where you’ll find helpful volunteers and docents from the Bonaventure Historical Society standing in the portico of this classic red brick Administrative Building giving directions and detailed advice to visitors. An incredible three-dimensional map (only $8.00) marks dirt paths leading to the graves you want to see. And all of Bonaventure is easily accessible by car or foot.

“Drive slowly and stop often” is our advice. Especially if you want to take in the beauty of hand-chiseled headstones, elegant statues and arches, and tributes to families who have contributed so much to the fabric of this historic area. Some of the notables include Noble Jones, physician and builder of Wormsloe Plantation; Alexander R. Lawton, member of House of Representatives and Senate; Hugh Mercer, Brigadier General and Commander of Savannah; Edward Telfair, first governor of Georgia; Conrad Aiken, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and poet; Edward Telfair, First Governor of Georgia, and his daughter, Mary Telfair, founder of the oldest art museum in the South; and Johnny Mercer, American songwriter and winner of four Oscars for movie lyrics.

One of the most sought-after graves is that of a young girl named Gracie, and you can see that people pay tribute to this beloved child by leaving flowers, coins, and small stones. The legend of Gracie holds that she was “loved by Savannah’s elite for her role as entertainer and hostess during her mother’s extravagant Pulaski Hotel parties,” according to the map we purchased from the Historical Society. Sadly, Gracie died at age six of nephritis, but her funeral was attended by thousands who loved her.

The grave of poet Conrad Aiken is marked simply with a headstone and bench, but it’s definitely one that is patronized frequently, judging from the worn area left by tourists. Aiken was the first Georgia-born author to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

One of our favorite spots was the gravesite of American lyricist Johnny Mercer, a beloved song writer and founder of Columbia Records. We recognized a number of his winning songs etched into a commemorative bench: “Moon River,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” “Hooray for Hollywood,” and many others.

Wander the grounds to look for special pieces — like this towering angel that seems to be giving you a blessing just for visiting Bonaventure.

But don’t look for “Bird Girl,” immortalized on the cover of John Berendt’s book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. She was once at Bonaventure, but had to be moved since she attracted many tourists exacting a bit more wear and tear than Bonaventure could stand. You can now find her in the Jepson Center for the Arts.

Even if you don’t look for all of Savannah’s most notable citizens in Bonaventure, you can stroll the property or drive the pathways as you soak up the beauty of a true Southern hideaway surrounded by salt marshes and populated with birds of varying species. Taking a guided tour is another option if you want additional information on Bonaventure’s past and present.

Beautiful, historic and important — Bonaventure is worth a quiet morning contemplating the brevity of life.

Travel historically,

Rusha & Bert

For more information:

Location: Bonaventure Cemetery: 330 Bonaventure Road, Savannah, GA

Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

But it’s clearly the trees that are star performers at Wormsloe. Planted in rows leading up to Jones’ home, historic live oaks drape the avenue with verdant leaves, resurrection fern, and swaying Spanish moss.

Designated the Prettiest Place in Georgia by Conde Nast, according to a report by the Atlanta Constitution-Journal, Wormsloe (named for Jones’ township in England) draws thousands of visitors to its property each year. Located only 15 minutes from Savannah on Skidaway Road, the property opens its tree-lined drive leading to a museum, gift shop and tabby ruins daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

We were fortunate to find a parking spot near the ticket booth so we could gaze down the expanse of the tree-lined avenue. And then we took this elegant drive, slowly as we could, to the end.

At the gift shop, we parked again so we could explore the land on which Noble Jones built his home. All that remains of the estate are ruins composed of tabby, a sort of concrete made of broken oyster shells, ash, water, and sand. We’ve seen examples at other sites, but Wormsloe’s tabby walls are among the largest.

Close-up looks at Sabal Palmetto fronds made them seem more like art than mere plants in the afternoon sun.

But even with all that’s to see on this plantation, we still knew the real draw was that initial one-and-a-half mile drive from the archway leading us down the avenue lined with live oaks. It’s a sight we’ll remember. And one we recommend you see when you visit Savannah.

Thanks, Mr. Jones, for making Wormsloe the Prettiest Place in Georgia!

Travel through the trees,

Rusha & Bert

For all our posts on Savannah, Georgia, click here.

The first, Mercer Williams Museum House, was the actual residence of Jim Williams, antiques dealer, preservationist, and central figure in the very popular book by John Berendt — Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, published in 1994. Originally, the building of Mercer House, an Italianate villa, was begun in 1860 by General Hugh Mercer, great grandfather of the famous lyricist Johnny Mercer, but the Civil War delayed the construction. The house was finally completed in 1869, but it changed hands, fell into disrepair, and later restored by Jim Williams in 1969.

This stately mansion built with classic rose-colored bricks known as “Philadelphia Reds” offers an elegant 15-foot tall entry and floor-to-ceiling windows. Jim Williams added elegant tiles in the entryway as well as his signature art, fabrics, and antiques which are still on display today. Tours are available, but photos of the interior are not allowed.

Inside, our favorite details included the spiral staircase to the second floor, the stained glass window above the stairwell, and the movable walls that could open rooms for large-scale entertaining. But outside, we were smitten with these glorious windows, most of which pair with ornate iron balconies and sport sculptural hood molds of cast iron.

But, if you ask us, it’s the book that brought us to the house, not just the amazing details and collected beauty of Williams’ possessions. Before we left home, we checked out an audible version from our own Knox County Public Library and set off for Savannah. Told by a reporter (John Kelso) on assignment in Savannah, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil chronicles not only the society parties Kelso was sent to cover, but also the murder (or was it self-defense?) of young Danny Hansford, an employee of Williams, as well as side stories of the Lady Chablis, a black drag queen, and Minerva, a voodoo priestess. The cover of the book features a statue of “bird girl” originally photographed in Bonaventure Cemetery, a photo so popular that many tourists wanted to “visit” her in the cemetery. So many, in fact, that city officials moved her into the Telfair Museums for safe keeping!

When we returned home, we immediately rented the movie version of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring Kevin Spacey (Jim Williams), Jude Law (Danny Hansford), John Cusack (John Kelso), and Lady Chablis as herself! After all, we wanted to see the interior of the Mercer Williams House Museum as the backdrop for this movie — and we weren’t disappointed!

But after a tour like this, you, too, might be looking for a unique place to eat! So we went in search of a restaurant we had both loved on a previous trip: Gryphon.

Renovated in a space once used by a pharmacy and a library, Gryphon is run by students from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and it boasts touches of both its former inhabitants.

The name comes from the two gryphons that flank the clock on one side of the restaurant. (See photo at the top of this post.)

Touches of the pharmacy can be seen on the labeled wooden drawers.

Stained glass windows feature mortar and pestle central motifs.

But perhaps what charms old book lovers like us the most is seeing good books repurposed. Impressive groupings of books arranged by color and flanking tomes re-opened in artful ways just made us smile.

If you love history, be sure to tour Mercer Williams House Museum. And if you love good food (and large pots of tea) in an artful place, try Gryphon. Who knew Savannah would have so much history, art, and whimsy rolled into one intriguing place to visit!

Travel historically,

Rusha & Bert

Photo credits:

• Cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — Amazon
• Photo from movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — YouTube

And we’re taking you with us: starting on Jones Street where our Historic Inn — the Eliza Thompson House — sits squarely (smack-dab, as we say in the South) on the prettiest street in America named by Southern Living.

We’re not the first to write about this classy thruway. Business Insider featured Jones Street in “The Most Charming Streets in America” as did Valerie Price and John Wilsdon in their blog, Roadesque, when they wrote “Getting to Know Savannah in One Street.” But we also found a great source for lodging options in Erin Clarkson’s post “Stay in a Historic Home on Jones Street in Savannah, GA” and historical background for Jones Street in Go South! Savannah.

For those of you who know Southern architecture, it comes as no surprise that these lovely Georgian homes with their high stoops and multiple floors date from the 1850s and ’60s. Named for Major John Jones, Commander of Georgia Continentals during the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Savannah, the stately homes have more in common than not — they’re mostly brick in construction, standing side-by-side in rows along brick-paved streets, accessible via steps (sometimes steep) leading up to first floor parlors. Jones Street benefited from a large-scale restoration in the 1960s, and today, you can stay in several of the properties just as we did at the Eliza Thompson House.

The street is accessible to many attractions including Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room (on W. Jones Street). And it also intersects Bull Street, another charming notable by Southern Living and home to shopSCAD
(Savannah College of Art and Design), Alex Raskin Antiques and Forsyth Park.

But what we liked best was walking — early morning, late afternoon, well, any time. The homes may be similar — especially in their collective patriotic look and feel — but each is different, boasting planters or flags or colored walls.

We hope you’ll stay with us as we show you the Savannah we saw. But until then, just enjoy this first installment of our feeling-free-after-Covid-shots excursion.

If you want to make Savannah your next destination, book now. Bachelorette parties are in full swing, trolleys are at least half full, and the re-open feeling is alive and well. Another great thing: mosquitoes haven’t made it back to this classy Southern city just yet. And to that we say, “Sweeeeeet”!!

Travel Savannah,

Rusha & Bert

This post is linked to Dan’s Thursday Doors, a weekly look at interesting doors and the buildings that support them. Hope you’ll check out this week’s entries.

Tasteful is our word of choice in describing seasonal decor at The Cloister — “appealing to those who appreciate gracious service and heartfelt hospitality,” according to their website. Since 1928, this Forbes Five-Star award-winning resort has opened its doors to those who value privacy and luxury. The Cloister was also the site of the G-8 Summit in 2004, hosted by President George W. Bush. So, for one weekend, we imbibed in The Cloister’s surroundings, all dressed up for the holidays.

With a towering Christmas tree in traditional reds and green, the gathering room in the main building welcomes guests with a crackling fire in the fireplace, comfortable seating, and poinsettias to add the colors of the season.

More trees line the hallways where shops offer seasonal surprises as well as fine apparel and accessories for men and women.

Little holiday decoration is needed in the ground floor restaurant since red is the dominant color. Guests can order from a menu or customize a bountiful breakfast — just for the asking.

In the atrium of the main building, guests are treated to hot coffee and pastries served from a gingerbread house.

In another section of The Cloister known as The Lodge, old-world style dominates the dark-paneled room, providing an intimate experience for those waiting for a table in the dining room or enjoying the bagpipe serenade before dinner.

Outside, natural decorations continue in the traditional colors of red and green — but you may want to look past it all to see the river and marsh beyond. If you’re lucky enough to be on the patio at sundown, you can see lighted angels on the bridge beyond and that welcoming sky. (Breathe in. You’re at The Cloister!)

We enjoyed it all: the quiet of the surroundings, the history of this famous resort, the beauty of the area, and hospitality offered by each staff member. Visiting The Cloister at Christmas puts a new spin on the term “enjoying the holidays,” but in reality, any time would be a good time to be there!

Happy holidays,

Rusha & Bert

For more memories and celebrations, head to Ann-Christine’s site. Or contribute a post of your own by linking to hers. It’s great fun to see how the holidays unfold all around the world!

For travel information, contact Lauren Gunnels of Ortelius Travel.

The Jekyll Island Club, Jekyll Island, Georgia

Our Coasting series continues with a short one-day trip to Jekyll Island, one of four barrier islands in Georgia. Although Jekyll can boast of lovely marshes, moss-draped live oaks, and quiet beaches, it was the historically lavish lifestyle of the rich and famous that drew us to the historic district where several of the buildings of the Jekyll Island Club still stand.

One wing of the Jekyll Island Club facing the croquet lawn.

It was Newton Finney (served briefly as captain of engineers on Robert E. Lee’s staff during the Civil War) and his brother-in-law, John Eugene DuBignon, who dreamed of developing a hunt club for wealthy northerners.  Between 1879 and 1885, the men acquired the land and convinced investors to create the exclusive Jekyll Island Club. Finney and DuBignon then sold the newly incorporated club to the 53 member investors among whom were “Men of Means” (as the plaque on the grounds dubbed them) such as J. P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt, Henry Hyde, and Marshall Field.

The iconic turret of the Jekyll Island Club.

Officially opened in 1888, the Queen Anne style Clubhouse, designed by Charles Alexander of Chicago, was hailed for its notable details — a signature turret, bay windows, leaded art glass, and sizable rooms with tall ceilings.  Club members and their families engaged in leisure activities that even today sound sumptuous — yachting, hunting, lawn parties, carriage rides, and formal dining in the evenings.  And yes, we were there on a day when white-clad players of croquet took to the front lawn much as we imagine the club members might have done.  Ah, the good ol’ days!

A game of croquet on the lawn of the Jekyll Island Club

Some of the cottages are open for tours; some can be rented.  Sans Souci (“without care”) was one of the first condominiums built in America with its original six units, owned in part by J. P. Morgan. Still in tact are the original floors, skylight, and stairway.(jekyllclub.com/accommodations)

America’s first condominium? Sans Souci on Jekyll Island

Other cottages are open only for tours.  Like Indian Mound Cottage, home of William and Almira Rockefeller, built in the early 1900s, subject of this video posted on YouTube.

Indian Mound Cottage, home of William and Almira Rockefeller

It’s a good idea to take a trolley ride complete with talkative driver elaborating on the history, architecture, and social life. Or just sit back and relax to the clop-clop of horses’ hooves as you tour by horse-drawn carriage.

Touring Jekyll by horse-drawn carriage.

And, if you’re wondering, you can (YES!!!) be a guest yourself at the elegant Jekyll Island Club where the interior is as interesting and luxurious as the exterior.

Sitting room, Jekyll Island Club

We sauntered out to the Jekyll Island Wharf for a leisure lunch and watched sea birds fly by, all the while pretending that we could be one of the Astors or Rockefellers or Morgans enjoying a picnic beside the sea.

Jekyll Island Wharf

Pulling away from the lap of luxury wasn’t easy, but we were interested in what else the island had to offer.  A lot, as it turned out.  Like Horton House Historic Site located on North Riverview Drive.

Needing a residence for his family still residing in England in the 1730s, Major William Horton (who served as second in command of General James Oglethorpe’s regiment) cleared a tract of land and built the sturdy structure now known as Horton House.

What remains of Horton House, built by Major William Horton around 1740.

Horton House was built of tabby, a building material introduced to us during our tour of Fort Frederica.  Tabby is created by mixing water, lime, sand, and oyster shells. But Horton had to first burn oyster shells to create lime, then mix the tabby, and finally pour it all into the forms that still remain today.  The house has been burned, rebuilt, and abandoned, but is now preserved as a designated historic site, open daily to the public.

Horton House, Jekyll Island

No matter what you choose to do on Jekyll Island — from looking at historic markers to roaming the beaches to pretending you, too, are a descendant of the Astors or Vanderbilts — you can’t escape the elegance and history of an “old money” world gone by.

No more cycling. We’re at the beach!

For more information, resources:

Explore Southern History: Horton House: http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/hortonhouse.html

Jekyll Island, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jekyll_Island

Jekyll Island Club Hotel: A Historic Landmark Experience: http://www.jekyllclub.com

Jekyll Island Club – Haunted Houses: http://www.hauntedhouses.com/states/ga/jekyll_island.htm

Jekyll Island, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JekyllIsland

For more posts in the Coasting series: 

• Goin’ coastal before and after the TaxSlayer Bowl
• Coasting: The laid-back vibes of Tybee Island
• Coasting: Beautiful St. Simons Island
• Coasting: The serenity of Christ Church on St. Simons Island
• Coasting: Three reasons to stroll through Fort Frederica on St. Simons