Brunswick & The Golden Isles of Georgia 2008 Visitors Guide

Come Coast Awhile Nestled among the coastline and barrier islands of Georgia, Brunswick & The Golden Isles welcome you to a truly exhilarating expanse of sea, sun and fun. There is so much to do and see here. Yet, just relaxing and taking in the beauty of these fabled shores will give you enough wonderful memories to last for years. Here, you can relax along endless white sand beaches under the golden sun. Swim and sail in the Atlantic. Challenge 198 holes of golf or play on acres of tennis courts. Dine on gourmet fare. Stroll nature trails that wind through stands of live oaks, pine, azaleas, wisteria and mysterious resurrection ferns. Fish, boat, bike and shop. You can even ride horseback on the beaches! From doing it all to doing nothing at all, the pace of discovery is yours to choose. You are among the latest in a long line of visitors drawn to our natural wonderland where a profound sense of history lingers in every breeze. In the 1500s, the Spanish arrived, their soldiers seeking gold, their missionaries seeking religious converts among the Native Americans. In 1736, General James Oglethorpe founded Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island. Six years later, Oglethorpe’s troops defeated insurgent Spanish at The Battle of Bloody Marsh and helped determine the course of colonial history. Later, the antebellum era flourished as sea island cotton became king and sprawling plantations operated all along the Georgia coast until the War Between the States. 4 THE MARSHES OF GLYNN " By a world of marsh that borders a world of sea. Sinuous southward and sinuous northward the shimmering band of the sand beach fastens the fringe of the marsh to the folds of the land." the 1870s, Georgia poet Sidney Lanier was inspired to write The Marshes of Glynn as he stood and beheld the vast marshlands that embrace Brunswick & The Golden Isles. These marshes are undoubtedly one of the area’s most remarkable sights. But they do much more than dazzle those who view them. The salt marshes are a fragile yet enormously productive ecosystem, considered as some of the most extensive and productive marshlands in the world. These coastal marshlands are an essential support system for Georgia’s multi-million dollar seafood industry. The sun’s energy and the nutrients from the rivers are captured by the marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora) and microscopic plants that support the food chains of shrimp, fish, oysters and crabs. Some land animals such as raccoons, otters, marsh wrens and rabbits live, breed and feed in the marshes as well. And as a natural buffer, the marshes protect the inhabited upland areas from storms. In 1886, a group of the world’s wealthiest families bought Jekyll Island as their winter retreat. The Morgans, Rockefellers, Cranes, Vanderbilts, Pulitzers and others, reputed to hold over one-sixth of the world’s wealth, established the Jekyll Island Club and built their compound of enormous “cottages” along the banks of Jekyll Creek. The Club closed in 1942, and Jekyll Island was sold to the State of Georgia in 1947. In For wonderful memories, relax and take in the beauty of the fabled Marshes of Glynn. Stops 7, 8, 9 and 10 on The Brunswick/ Golden Isles Driving Tour are excellent vantage points for viewing the marshes. In 1908, timber magnate Philip Berolzheimer bought Little St. Simons Island as his family's private hunting and fishing preserve. His descendants now open the Island with its rustic elegance year ‘round to a limited number of guests. In 1928, Howard Coffin, the automaker who invented the Hudson, established The Cloister® on Sea Island and began the traditions for which the hotel and the Island are world famous. All these visitors found here what you, too, will find spellbinding beauty and memorable discoveries. Brunswick, St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. Explore them each. Enjoy them all.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Brunswick & The Golden Isles of Georgia 2008 Visitors Guide

Exploring! Brunswick & The Golden Isles Driving Tour Enjoying! - A Guide to Recreation Tasting! - A Directory of Dining Experiences African-American Heritage Driving Tour Lodging! - Your Guide to Accommodations

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.