DAY 10: EXPLORING JEKYLL ISLAND, GEORGIA
IN THE LATE 1800's, PRIVATELY OWNED JEKYLL ISLAND WAS SOLD TO A CONSORTIUM OF WEALTHY U.S. INDUSTRY & BANKING TITANS WHO FORMED THE PRIVATE JEKYLL ISLAND CLUB. MEMBERSHIP WAS STRICTLY LIMITED WITH THE LIKES OF THE ROCKEFELLERS, THE MORGANS AND THE GOULDS. BY 1899, THIS ONE HUNDRED MEMBER CLUB CONTROLLED ONE-SIXTH OF U.S. ASSETS. JEKYLL ISLAND WAS THEIR WINTER PLAYGROUND AND WE SET OUT TO DISCOVER WHAT THE ATTRACTION WAS. (BESIDES HAVING SEATOW ESCORT US HERE)
NORTH OF THE RECENTLY DEVELOPED BEACH DISTRICT (ABOVE) IS THE ISLAND'S HISTORIC DISTRICT WHERE THE JEKYLL ISLAND CLUB FOUNDERS CREATED THEIR EXCLUSIVE GILDED ERA RETREAT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE CENTERPIECE IN THIS NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT IS THE VICTORIAN CLUBHOUSE WITH ITS FAMED TURRET ALONG WITH A COLLECTION OF ADJACENT RESTORED COTTAGES. THE CLUBHOUSE HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS AS A HOTEL AND RESORT AS THE JEKYLL ISLAND CLUB HOTEL.
