Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Friends of Historic Jekyll Island, the Solterra Cottage dovecote will be stabilized and moved closer to its original location. Solterra Cottage, built by Frederic and Frances Baker in 1890, was destroyed by fire on March 9, 1914, but the small dovecote in the cottage’s back yard survived. Today it is the only remaining remnant of the 12-room Queen Annestyle Solterra Cottage. The dovecote was used to raise pigeons or doves to be served at the table. Solterra Cottage was known for a site for lavish entertaining. Important guests such as Andrew Carnegie, Joseph Pulitzer and J.P. Morgan dined at the Bakers’ island residence. Perhaps their most prestigious guests, however, stayed at Solterra in 1899, when the Bakers offered the cottage to President William McKinley, Vice President Garrett Hobart, and their wives. This island landmark was destroyed on the morning of March 9, 1914 when Solterra caught fire from a faulty fireplace flue. Efforts were made to save the building, but it continued to burn until only its chimneys remained standing. Island employees managed to save some of the valuable furnishings and pictures before the house was incinerated. The dovecote was also spared. Gretchen Greminger, the curator of the Jekyll Island Museum, said that the recent fundraising efforts would help to stabilize the small structure. In addition, the Museum hopes to move the small dovecote, provide it with a new foundation near its original resting place, and install an interpretive panel about its history. Greminger believes that the dovecote, as the last architectural remnant of Solterra, is well worth saving. “I think the dovecote is very reflective of the original intent of the Jekyll Island Club and its architectural philosophy,” she said. Stabilizing the dovecote will entail patching openings in the door, replacing any rotten wood on the wood cladding, and replacing the windows as needed. The preservation of the dovecote will be contracted out, and the work on the building should be completed within the next few months. After the stabilization is complete, the structure will be moved closer to its original placement near the Chichota ruins. Over the years, the dovecote has migrated around the historic district to serve assorted needs. Until now, it has never found a lasting resting place. Soon the migratory building will be returned to the approximate location of its original home. An interpretive panel focusing on Solterra Cottage and the Baker family will also be installed nearby. Greminger said that this panel will probably be similar in style and appearance to the interpretive panels recently placed throughout the historic district. “It is our last visible link with Solterra, and I think the Bakers were a very interesting family. It will be great to tell their story,” Greminger reflected. “This dovecote is also our last remaining link with the only American President known to have visited the island during the Jekyll Island Club era. This little building has a big story to tell.”

Tags: dovecote, georgia coast, jekyll island historic district, jekyll island history tour, jekyll island museum, jekyll island vacation, solterra cottage
Posted in Beachscape, December 2007, February 2008 | No Comments »

“What Woolworth was to the five-and-ten, what McCormick was to the harvester, Vail is to the telephone,” declared publisher B.C. Forbes. “Bell invented it, but Vail put it on the map.”

AT&T President Theodore Newton Vail also put Jekyll Island, Georgia onto the map when, thanks to his participation, it became a part of telephone history.

On January 25, 1915, the words “Hello, Jekyll Island,” reverberated across the phone lines, as Vail joined a party phone call with President Woodrow Wilson in Washington, DC, Alexander Graham Bell in New York, and Thomas Watson in San Francisco. This thrilling moment marked the ceremonial grand opening of the first transcontinental telephone service.

In 1885, Vail had created the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) by connecting existing local companies into a long distance network. Vail served as the first President of AT&T from 1885-1889.

Consolidating existing telephone companies into a single network required a great deal of money. It was Vail who interested a number of financiers in his project, including Jekyll Island Club Members J.P. Morgan and George F. Baker.

In 1889, at the age of 44, Vail retired. But in 1907, J.P. Morgan and other investors approached Vail to again take up the reins as president of AT&T. The company was having difficulty facing off with competitors in Vail’s absence.

Vail developed a bold plan for a comeback. In 1909, he announced that AT&T was going to provide nationwide telephone service through the creation of a coast-to-coast phone system. This was an ambitious goal. At the time, phone conversations were limited by technology to a distance of 2,000 miles.

Vail undertook a vigorous campaign of public relations. Investors initially protested his investment of $250,000 for marketing, arguing that everybody already knew of the existence of the telephone. He responded, “But everybody is not thinking about it.”

Vail, a Jekyll Island Club Member from 1912-1920, had intended to return to New York in time for the important phone call marking the event, but a leg injury detained him on the island.

Although Jekyll Island’s phone service was spotty, Vail was not about to miss participating in the ceremony. Jekyll Island had good connections to Brunswick, so new cables were laid from Savannah to Brunswick to ensure that the lines would function properly for the event.

Susan Albright Reed, visiting Jekyll Island that season with her family, recalled a worried Vail interrupting his dinner to test the phone lines and her father telling her, “It will be terrible if Mr. Vail can’t get through tomorrow. . . the President, Alexander Graham Bell, and Mr. Vail will all be on the line at once.”

On the day of the phone call approximately 1,500 AT&T employees stood by, ready to repair any problems along the 4,500 miles of telephone line from Jekyll Island, to New York, and across to San Francisco, in order to be sure the communications system functioned properly.

Their presence was fortunate, as a tree fall did interfere with service the morning of the call. The problem was soon corrected, however, and on January 25, Vail was able to participate in the first transcontinental phone call from Jekyll Island. Vail had a brief exchange with President Wilson in Washington, DC, who congratulated him on his great achievement. Within a year, radio telephone service was also available to Europe.

In 1919, Vail retired from AT&T for the second time. When he passed away a year later, on April 16, 1920, the telephone company he had raised from infancy owned more than 25 million miles of telephone wire and voices could carry around the world.

To learn how other Jekyll Island Club Members have influenced the nation, visit the Jekyll Island Museum on Stable Road, (912) 635-4036. Exhibits and daily tours describe the important contributions of the prominent business.

Tags: first transcontinental phone call, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island history, jekyll island museum, theodore vail
Posted in Beachscape, December 2007, January 2008 | No Comments »

Located at the end of Feeding Road, the Commissary, built around 1915, served as the general store for island residents. Anything from groceries to luxuries could be purchased here. It continues to sell gourmet food items in the present day.

All through the year specialty Southern foods can be purchased at the Commissary. The Commissary is also currently requesting recipes for a cookbook. The new cookbook will be published next spring by Juliana Germano, proprietor of The Commissary. Juliana is accepting recipes locally and from visitors of Jekyll Island from around the country. She wants to compile a cookbook from people all over the country who love to cook. So send your favorite recipes today to: The Commissary, 24 Pier Road, Jekyll Island, GA 31527 or email to jekyllcommissary@bellsouth.net to be a part of history!

Along with the recipe please include your name, city, and state as you wish for it to appear, as we will be using it when acknowleging your recipes. Also, please include your telephone number or email address so that you may be contacted if needed.

Tags: jekyll island, Jekyll Island Beachscape, pier road shops, the commissary on pier road jekyll island
Posted in Beachscape, December 2007, January 2008 | 1 Comment »

Information Courtesty of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center Staff

Adopt A Turtle

The GSTC is proud to announce, the long awaited Adopt-a-Turtle Program! With your donation of $50
or more, you can adopt one of our sea turtle patients. Current patients and already released patients with satellite transmitters are eligible for adoption. When adopting a turtle, you will receive an official certificate of adoption, a letter from your sea turtle, a 5 x 7 photo of your sea turtle, weekly updates from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, and you name will appear as an adoptive parent on the Georgia Sea Turtle Center website. If you chose to adopt a current patient, you also
have the opportunity to be a VIP at the release of you adopted turtle!

Welcome to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
The GSTC would like to welcome 2 new full-time Educators: Sarah Mathias and Kelly O’Keefe! Sarah began working at the GSTC as an Education Intern in September 2007 after completing her B.S. at Hawaii Pacific University. The programs she’s assisted with and developed here, the school groups she has assisted with and her cheery disposition have earned her a permanent position at the GSTC. Great job Sarah! Kelly comes to us from Powder Springs, Georgia with a B.S. from Berry College (Mount Berry, GA). With a background full of environmental education experience, she is sure to impress us with new ideas!

Join Us for Turtle Tales!
Turtle Tales has been changed! It is now offered on Saturdays at 10:30am and is FREE with general admission. There are so many books about sea turtles, it’s hard to choose! Our Turtle Tales program will introduce you to the many children’s books about sea turtles. This program involves a turtle-inspired book reading and craft for children of all ages. There will be
a different book and craft each month. And yes, you can purchase the books in our Gift Shop! January’s book will
be “Carolina’s Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!” by Donna Rathmell and the craft will be Recycled Sea Turtle Art! Turtle Tales is offered on Saturdays at 10:30am and is FREE with general admission! No reservations required.

Behind the Scenes
Ever wonder what it feels like to be on the other side of the Treatment Window? Wish you could get a closer look at the patients, off of the pavilion walkway? You’re in luck. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is pleased to offer behind-the-scenes tours. Guests will visit food preparation areas, animal holding areas, and the treatment, X-ray and Surgery Rooms. Come join us for a closer look at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center from the other side of the Treatment Window. Tours are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 P.M. and are offered on a first come first served basis,–Reservations are required. Call early or sign up in the Gift Shop- Group size is limited to 10 guests. (912-635-4444) Cost: $25/Adults - $15/Children (Must be at least 10
years of age). Price includes admission.

Meet Spitfire!
The newest patient at the GSTC is Spitfire, is a beautiful subadult loggerhead sea turtle that lives up to his name. He has been rambunctiously swimming about his tank and eating everything in site since his arrival. Spitfire came to us from the Marine Science Center in Volusia County Florida on December 3. 2007. He originally stranded October 1, 2007 off the coast of Daytona, Florida. Spitfire is floating and unable to dive correctly. Upon arrival to the GSTC he weighed 102 pounds and he currently weighs 122 pounds.
We are hoping to conduct further diagnostic work including a laproscopy to try to determine the cause of the floating.

Sage & Amelia Go Home to the Gulf
Beginning in mid November we began looking for a ride to the Gulf Stream for our loggerhead hatchling Amelia. Our green sea turtle hatchling, Sage, was not gaining weight as well as we had hoped and we had decided to keep him. Both turtles had been affected by the red tide event that occurred of the Northeast coast of Florida this fall. Amelia came to us on September 26th
and Sage came to us on October 11. We began working with local charter captains and private boat owners as well as the Coast Guard to see if we could get Amelia out before the water temperature dropped to low. Sage must have found out what was happening and not wanted Amelia to have all the fun, because he turned around rather rapidly and started packing on the grams. He was quickly deemed releasable and was ready to go! After several weeks and a huge amount of effort by
Becky Shortland with the Gray’s Reef Marine Sanctuary, LCDR Nancy Whitt, LCDR Eric King and LT. J.G. Smith of US Coast Guard sectors Charleston and Mayport and Captain Raymond Sweatte and the crew of the R/V Savannah out of Skidaway we found them a ride, and it couldn’t have gotten much better for these two lucky little hatchlings. On December 10th Sage, Amelia and a myself were escorted in first class style offshore to the release point upon the 92 foot research vessel the Savannah out of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography. After a great night of learning about the benthic sampling that was occuring, we let Sage and Amelia go at approximately 10:00am on Tuesday the 11th. Both turtles did great! Amelia immediately went into camouflage mode and tucked her flippers up against her shell. Sage, however, tried to swim back into the bucket and then swam alongside the boat for several minutes before going off to explore his new world! The staff and volunteers at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center would like to extend a GIANT thank you to all the people that are making this release such a “sailing” success!

Posted in Beachscape, December 2007, January 2008 | 1 Comment »

Read December’s Beachscape Online!

IN THIS ISSUE:
Plan Your Visit to Holiday Island!
Get Your Faith Chapel Ornament
Make a Gift Through Giving Express®
On Island Time presented by the Georgia Dream Pass
Jekyll Books Offers “Heart of Jekyll” Ornament
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center Turtle Update

Tags: beach vacation, Faith Chapel Ornament, Holiday Island, Jekyll Island Beachscape, Jekyll Island Events
Posted in December 2007, Festivalgoer | No Comments »