The history of St George Island dates back to 3000BC when the Timucuan Indians inhabited the island. The Spanish found the island and established a mission to convert the Indians to Catholicism. Father Pareje was successful in converting a large number of Timucuans, and also was able to teach the Indians to read and write in their native language.
In 1736, the British conquered the island and then Colonial Governor Oglethorpe built Fort George on the north end of the island claiming the southern border of Georgia colony as the St John’s River. Today little remains of the fort on the island.
In the 1800’s, Fort George Island was a working cotton plantation. The remnants of the Kingsley Plantation built in 1813 are still on the island. We walked around the grounds, manor house and slave quarters.
By the 1900’s the plantation owners could not make a living working the land, so they built a resort lodge and started the Fort George Club. Members would anchor their yachts and enjoy the amenities of the lodge. The members of the club would later to vote to disband the club and the State of Florida purchased the property to serve as a state park. The structure of the lodge still stands on the island next to the original manor house.
We took the dinghy to the island to explore the plantation and its grounds. Here are some pictures.
Once we returned to our dinghy, we headed north again, leaving the Jacksonville area behind. Crossing Nassau Sound we cruised behind Amelia Island and the city of Fernandino Beach. This area is well known for its shrimping industry. The town of Fernandino is filled with historic buildings, mostly from the 1840-1900s and boasts to having the oldest tavern in Florida. (We’ve been there and recommend you visit)
We did not stop in Fernandino Beach since we had been there previously no real pictures of the town to do it justice.
The town also is known for Fort Clinch, the most complete brick fort in the US. The fort was built during the War of 1812 and remained part of the union even when Florida joined the confederate cause.
As we traveled north the landscape continues with wide salt marshes and oak hammocks. Homes have docks which extend over the salt flats to reach navigable water. This makes for very long docks!!
We crossed the St Mary’s River and entered Georgia, tucking behind Cumberland Island to anchor for two days. Most of the island is a national park and we went ashore to explore the ruins of the Carnegie Dungeness estate. Cumberland Island is Georgia’s southern most barrier island. White sand beaches with dunes on the eastern shore gradually changing to a forest of magnolias, oaks, palmettos and pines.
The Native Americans were succeeded by the Spanish in 1565, then the British in 1736
. The island was used to supply ship timbers, as well as the cultivation of fruit and sea cotton.
The family of Revolutionary War General Nathaniel Greene built Dungeness plantation in the late 1800’s. Only the small building built of tabby( a mixture of oyster shell, lime and sand) and the family cemetery remain.
A century later Thomas Carnegie purchased about 90% of the island and built a 30 room mansion also called Dungeness. There was a carriage house and a variety of storage and work buildings as well as workers quarters still standing on the island. The Dungeness mansion was destroyed in a fire in 1959. The wild horses on the island are from the Carnegie stock which was left on the island under the care of the National Park personnel.
Along the way we got to see the wild horses that inhabit the island, along with wild turkey, deer and lots of armadillos.
Tomorrow we will continue to explore the island by exploring the largest maritime forest in the US and the beautiful beaches at Cumberland Island. Lots more pictures!
Ended our day visiting with fellow loopers. Always enjoy their stories and suggestions! Took a side trip in the dinghy further up the river to see Greyfield Inn, a restored estate home that is the only accommodation on the island. We could see the inn from the dinghy only as it is private property. The family of the original owner, Lucy Richardson Ferguson still runs the Greyfield Inn today.
Bill felt brave and put up the drone for some shots.