Jekyll Island, Georgia, was once the winter playground for a group of the nation’s wealthiest and most influential leaders of the 20th Century. Members of the exclusive Jekyll Island club, which included J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, and Joseph Pulitzer, came here from the North and Midwest to escape the harsh winters. They hunted, golfed, played tennis, frolicked on the beaches, basked in the clean air, and enjoyed the elegant natural beauty of this barrier island.
Many of their cottages, staff quarters, and out buildings remain today to remind us of this fascinating vignette of American History. To ensure that generations to come may enjoy and learn from this enchanted bit of Americana, Friends of Historic Jekyll Island (FOHJI) was established and now raises thousands of dollars annually for the preservation and interpretative projects.
(Friends of Historic Jekyll Island Membership brochure)
Tiffany Window Conservancy
One of FOHJI’s biggest projects has been to assist the Jekyll Island Authority with the conservancy of the Tiffany Window. John Bowe and Rosemary Shepherd of Kekekabic Studios are currently working on the project to clean and secure the window. Recently some FOHJI Board Members and friends visited their workshop to learn more about the process (and progress) of the project. They explained that some of the sections may have three to four layers to give the panels depth. Also, the faces and hands are glass that is painted with a mixture of powdered enamel and either water or alcohol. They also showed how they clean the nooks and crannies of the window.
Time Capsule Dedication
FOHJI Board Members were invited to the 75th Anniversary Time Capsule Dedication on Tuesday, October 18, 2022. The time capsule, honoring Jekyll Island’s 75th Anniversary as a State Park, is buried adjacent to the historical marker featuring M.E. Thompson and the purchase of Jekyll Island; it will be opened in 2047, Jekyll Island’s 100th anniversary as a Georgia State Park. Jekyll Island Authority Executive Leadership, Board of Directors, and state dignitaries were in attendance.
