As is true with all good research, it is never ending. This is the most recent incarnation of my research on the visitation data on Jekyll Island. (Jekyll Counts v.5).

There is some greatly expanded information - some as early as 1969. While it is by no means definitive, there are some marked changes in what was initially compiled. Some new info is added - DOT Causeway counts from the 1970s, census data from 1980 (amazing the Census shows a 48% in permanent residents between 1980 and 2000, which could have had impacts on many things). There were some data entry errors resulting in the Hotel Occupancy figures being overstated in FY 2000 & 2001. This has been corrected. You will also notice that the “Visitation” column is left fairly blank. The initial report referenced a car count multiplier of 3.46 as an accurate representation of island visitation. This idea dates back to data from the late 1960s, but has been called into question in other reports throughout the years - most notably, the 1981 Hammer, Siler & George Master Plan. In this version, the projection is removed and the multiplier is stated as noted from a source report. A number of reports note that truly accurately projecting island visitation is incredibly difficult. The biggest data change was the increasing of traffic counts from 1997 through 2007. As we checked data, we determined that beginning in 1998, island traffic at the greeting station was definitely broken into two groups - paid cars and decals scanned. The data from 2004-2007 was available and was added to the paid cars total. The 4 year data was also used to create an average that was added to paid cars from 1998 - 2003 - again not definitive but a solid estimate. Finally, a great deal of data had to be reconstructed for FY 1995, 1996, & 1997 - as it appears to in the transition period of 3 directors in 36 months, it seems to have sucked a number of records into a black hole. Finally, the most prominent addition are the source notations, which I think places the items in a greater context.

John Hunter, Director of the Jekyll Island Museum

Tags: jekyll island facts, jekyll island revitalization, Jekyll Island visitation
Posted in History comes Alive, Just the Facts, Press Releases | No Comments »

By Andrea Marroquin, Museum Specialist

In April of 1886, Marshall Field became a charter member of the Jekyll Island Club. Like many of Jekyll Island’s prominent Club Members, Field was a self-made man with humble beginnings. Born in 1834 near Conway, Mass., Field was the third of six children. When his father sold the family farm to his older brother, Field realized he would need to learn a trade. At 15, he obtained his first job as a clerk at a local dry goods shop, where his employer said that he would never be able to run a store. Nevertheless, at 21, he moved to Chicago and gained employment with the largest dry goods company in the city. He slept in the store to save his $400 annual salary, and became a partner by the time he married Nannie Douglas Scott in 1863. They would have two children together, Marshall Field, Jr. and Ethel Field. In 1865, Field opened a dry goods business with some other investors. The company soon moved to a prominent building on State Street known as the “Marble Palace.”

The six-story building burned down and $3.5 million of merchandise was lost, however, during the catastrophic Chicago Fire of 1871. Then, in 1873, the store reopened only to be
razed by fire again just five years later. It was determinedly rebuilt yet again. By 1881, Field had bought out the company. His store, “Marshall Field & Co.,” catered to fashionable middle and upper class women. He offered personal shoppers, unconditional refunds, home delivery, an interior decoration department, telephone services, a library, a nursery, and restful places to meet and socialize. His store was the first to offer in-store dining, as well as a bridal registry. When streetcars were introduced, Field also ensured the availability of convenient transportation. Field’s policy was, “Give the lady what she wants.” In 1887, Field also opened a 500,000 square foot wholesale store that sold items in bulk to retailers throughout the central and western United States. The small-town farm-boy had achieved big-time financial, social, and political success.

Hobnobbing on Jekyll Island, he frequented the Clubhouse and Fairbank Cottage along
with the nation’s other business leaders. In 1904, his name was put forward as a potential
Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, but he refused to consider the position. Field, widowed in 1896, was remarried to a longtime friend and neighbor, Delia Spencer Caton, in September of 1905. Field died a few months afterwards, on January 16, 1906, in New York City. He had developed a case of pneumonia from playing golf in Chicago on New Year’s Day.
At the time of his death, Marshall Field employed 12,000 people in Chicago. He was the wealthiest man in the city, one of the wealthiest in the country, and the richest merchant in the world. What was the secret of his success? Field left the following advice: 1) Never give a note,  2) Never buy stock on margin,  3) Don’t speculate,   4) Don’t borrow,  5) Don’t mortgage your business,  6) Always pay cash,  7) Sell on shorter time than your competitors,  8)Sell the same quality for less,  and 9) Hold your customers accountable for their obligations.

Field left a philanthropic legacy to the city of Chicago, as well. He helped found what would become the Art Institute of Chicago. He established the Field Museum of Natural
History. He also donated the original tract of land to the University of Chicago, a portion
of which is known today as Marshall Field. John Shedd was appointed to serve as the company’s president after Field’s death. Shedd completed Field’s plans for a 12-story expansion of the State Street store, which would later become a National Landmark. With its grand reopening in 1907, the store briefly gained the glorious title of “the world’s largest department store.”

To learn about other members of the Jekyll Island Club, visit the Jekyll Island Museum
on Stable Road, (912) 635-4036. Exhibits are open to the public free of charge and tours
of the historic district depart daily.

Tags: jekyll island club era, jekyll island georgia, jekyll island history tours, jekyll island museum, marshall fields
Posted in April 2008, Beachscape, History comes Alive | 2 Comments »

Passport to the Century

Travel into the past. Hear the remarkable story
of the Jekyll Island Club in the American Gilded
Era, and enter two restored cottages filled with
rich tales and elegant furnishings.
January 2 - May 26, 2008
• 11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm daily
May 27 - September 1, 2008
• 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm & 3 pm daily
September 2 - December 5, 2008
• 11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm daily
$16 Adults • $7 Children 6-12
Free under 6 • approx 90 min

Reclaiming Past Glories

Tour the last Jekyll Island Club Cottage to be
preserved. Hear about the family that resided
in this vacation retreat and discover the steps
required to preserve the structure. Don’t miss
this rare sneak peak inside a cottage that is
only open to the public in honor of Historic
Preservation Month!
May 3-31, 2008 • Sat only • 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm
$10 Adults • $5 Children 6-12 • Free under 6 •
approx 60 min

Reclaiming Past Glories

May 2-31
Celebrate Historic Preservation Month with a special
behind the scenes tour of Hollybourne Cottage!

In Service of Others

June 17 - August 7
Explore the hidden world of the hired help at this
upscale turn of the century resort.

Hands on History

July 2 - July 30
Embark on a guided learning adventure for
family fun! Wednesdays only, 9:30 am and 11:00am.

For more information, visit our website at
www.jekyllisland.com.
To make reservations
contact the Jekyll Island
Museum at 912-635-4036
Tours operate daily except Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.
Tour availability & pricing subject to change.

Tags: Jekyll Island April Beachscape, jekyll island history, jekyll island museum, Jekyll Island tours
Posted in April 2008, Beachscape, History comes Alive | No Comments »

Remember the Turner South network? Well they had this series called, “3-Day Weekend,” and they did one about Jekyll Island! Check it out!

Tags: , 3-Day Weekend on Jekyll Island, georgia coast, jekyll island georgia, jekyll island vacation
Posted in Beach Bummin', Bird Watching, Camping, Churches, Diversions, History comes Alive, Horseback Riding, Just for Kicks, Just for Kids, Kayaking & Canoeing, Nature Connection, On the Water, Serve it Up, Two Wheelin', Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

By John Hunter, Director of the Jekyll Island Museum

The question of Jekyll Island and its future is not new to the General Assembly or the citizens of Georgia. From the day it was purchased from the Jekyll Island Club in 1947, it has been a source of controversy. This place of beauty and history draws people. It creates memories and “firsts” that last generations. It is a place that is and should always be enjoyed by all. In 1950, the State of Georgia realized that for Jekyll Island to reach its full potential as a resort destination, it should be broken free from the State Parks system and direct control by the General Assembly, and be charged with a new course. This course would be codified and legislated, and would be a unique new partnership between state government and the private sector. Pre-dating the current buzz word “public/private partnership” by almost 50 years, this experiment would create the Jekyll Island State Park Authority - a state agency given the tools of the private sector to create and operate business, attract private investment, and develop a resort that provided beach access to all. A Master Plan for developing the island was completed in 1951. Using a combination of legislative appropriations, revenue bonds, and private investment a modern resort destination was created that featured golf courses, motels, residential areas, and recreational amenities while providing for care of the island’s rich natural and historic resources. This was done with the goals of maintaining 65% of the island in its natural state, make it as affordable and available as possible to all, and with the business model and mandated goal of being self-sufficient.

The bulk of development on Jekyll was completed by 1974. By the late 1970s, Jekyll had begun to suffer during a period of national economic stagnation. Downturns in tourism and the economy challenged Jekyll’s ability to remain self sufficient. As facilities aged and tourism trends shifted, and little changed on the island, a cycle of boom and bust was fostered between 1979 - 2007. When changes were planned, many were met with resistance - the Sea World type attraction in 1974, a new marina with condos in the early 1980s, the Great Dunes golf course expansion in 1994; and some were embraced - the rehabilitation of the Jekyll Island Club in 1985, continued improvement in the Historic District, the creation of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. All of these ideas were the result of trying to improve the economics of the island, knowing there are continued pressures on revenues when you are operating a resort designed and built in the 1950s but are tying to capture today’s travel markets and compete with other destinations. At all of these moments of debate, the general solution has been to fix what we have - to “update it” with fresh coat of paint, a new owner, or a renewed marketing push. At best, we would add a new attraction like Summer Waves and hope it would bring enough to the bottom line that we could improve another area. This “boom” of investment would go “bust” a few years later when people who returned to a “new” hotel found the same “old” hotel, and while they loved the island they would choose not to come back. That is not to say Jekyll Island does not have a loyal following, it does - for those who appreciate what it is and those who dream about what it could be. But many times that loyalty is based upon a visit long ago, or a memory created and shared and does not result in economic stability through frequent visitation or investment. Some of those loyalist stick it out because of that love, and keep their convention on the island for 40 years - until even they can’t justify the return to an island that just can’t meet their needs. The new visitors become harder to keep as well because while they are attracted to the island, their desire for modern accommodations and amenities drives them to other destinations. The end result of this cycle is long term stagnation. While revenues may grow, they can’t keep up with the aging facilities and their needs. You keep up to degree, but there is never enough funding for true investment that can make a lasting economic impact. Operationally, the island suffers because they get behind on technology, or new efficient methods, and business suffers because you can not compete.

So how is it solved? That is the $500 million dollar question. While money is not always the answer, in this case money is the question. Jekyll Island has a choice, create a new model for the island or continue on a well worn path. If you chose the new model who will fund it? In today’s world would the State of Georgia be able to invest $500 million in the long term sustainability of the Island? Where would the money come from? Cuts to education or transportation? A new tax from somewhere? The State of Georgia gave us that answer in 2007 - find the investment in the private sector. So today we move forward with revitalizing the island because it is what we must do. We must find new investment. We must compete. We must change. If we do not do these things, we will never see the what we all want for the Island - a thriving interactive historic district with well maintained buildings, picnic areas and public areas that are safe and free, be an eco-friendly sustainable destination, have the ability to add new amenities that meet the needs and interests of our visitors, or create educational programs and opportunities that highlight our nature and history. Worst of all, we might not be able to protect the island from future development when some decides that “enough is enough” with the question of Jekyll Island.

Tags: jekyll island, jekyll island development, jekyll island history, jekyll island museum, jekyll island revitalization
Posted in History comes Alive, Just the Facts | 2 Comments »

Would you rather surf the ocean or the World Wide Web? Watch a movie or a campfire? Which do you think your children would choose? A Nature Conservancy-funded study showed that many of us would likely choose the movie or the Web. We’re more removed from nature than we have ever been in history. As a nation, we’re becoming more “indoorsy”, and that’s not a good thing.
The study reports that visits to U.S. national parks have been declining since 1987, after having risen for the previous 50 years. Researchers said that video games, home movie rentals, going out to movies, Internet use, and rising fuel prices explained almost 98 percent of the decline. The drop in attendance comes as our use of electronic media has risen - something that researchers call “evidence of a fundamental shift away from people’s appreciation of nature.”
“When children choose TVs over trees, they lose touch with the physical world outside and the fundamental connection of those places to our daily lives,” said Steve McCormick, President and CEO of The nature Conservancy.
Jekyll Island is an ideal place for you and your family to reconnect with nature. It has been and always will be a place of natural beauty and conservation because 65% of the island will always be in its natural state. Everything you need to reawaken your inner Thoreau is here-nestled safely and conveniently on Jekyll Island.
“We demonstrate our values in the way we allocate our time,” said Patricia Zaradic, an ecologist with the Stroud Water Research Center who worked on the study. “Research indicates that children who experience nature with a mentor develop an appreciation of nature as adults.”
Children who are led by their parents to experience nature firsthand also learn habits that support a healthy lifestyle. Spending time engaged in the natural world is far preferable to spending time parked in front of a television screen.
So leave your laptops for another day. You need not give up your video games for good. But you can unplug from this 21st century world, and give your attention to the beautiful, great outdoors and the diverse creatures living within it. Jekyll Island promises something special for every member of your family, regardless of age or interests. How many video games can say that?
Come and see what’s outside on Jekyll Island!
With 10 miles of unspoiled beaches, beach lovers have plenty of space to sunbathe, swim, walk or search for shells. You’re sure to see many live creatures as well, including hermit crabs and sand dollars. Preserve the Island’s shoreline environment by leaving these interesting beach dwellers just as you find them and take only a few of your favorite shells.
As a barrier island, Jekyll Island’s beaches are unique and ever-changing.

For your convenience, public showers and restrooms are located at several sites and picnic areas.
Here is a bird lover’s paradise. A vast variety of birds make the island home. In addition to those, the island serves as a resting place in the spring and fall for migrating species on the Atlantic Flyway. The island has been designated an “Important Birding Area (IBA)” by the Georgia Audubon Societies. It is one of 18 sites along the Colonial Coast Birding Trail and boasts several significant birding sites: near the Welcome Center on the Jekyll Island Causeway; at Clam Creek on the northern side of the island; and at the “Glory” beach near the Jekyll Island Soccer Complex. New birding platforms are scheduled for construction at Driftwood Beach and the St. Andrews picnic area.
With 206 campsites available on 18 wooded acres, Jekyll Island has something for everybody– from tent sites to full hook-up to pull-through RV sites. The campground offers a long list of amenities, including restrooms, showers, pay phones, laundry and a full-service store with food, ice, bait, propane, supplies and bike rentals. Daily rates are available year round. For guests wishing to stay a bit longer, the campground offers a week-long special: stay six days and the seventh is free. Monthly stay rates are available November through March. Other times, a 14-day camping limit may apply.
The Georgia 4-H Tidelands Nature Center offers hands-on exhibits for the kids as well as guided nature walks and kayak or canoe tours. Guided activities include nature walks, Historic District Landscape Tours, and Turtle Walks (from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center), offered from May through August).
On a guided nature walk, you will spend a couple of hours to walking the beach, maritime forest or marsh with an experienced naturalist.
Explore the area by kayak or canoe on a three-hour guided tour of the local salt marshes and estuarial waters. Learn about wading birds, fiddler crabs, marsh grass and dolphins. There’s no better way to observe birds, fish and other coastal creatures in their native habitat.
Both canoe rentals and kayak tours are available March through October. Sea Kayaks, a more maneuverable and stable relative of the traditional kayak, also are available for saltwater excursions. Rentals, instruction and guided tours are available by calling (912) 635-5032.
Jekyll Island is perfectly suited for travel by bicycle. With more than 20 miles of paved trails, you can explore a broad range of scenery, from beaches to forests to Jekyll Island’s own Historic Landmark District and campgrounds. Free trail maps are available at the Jekyll Island Welcome Center.
Jekyll Wharf and Jekyll Harbor Marina are two points of access to the many water activities along coastal Georgia. Spend a day sightseeing, dolphin spotting or on a sailing tour.
For the fishermen, the island’s knowledgeable fishing captains know all of the best spots to catch a variety of fish, including Tarpon, Whiting, Red Drum, Sea Trout, Triple Tail, Spotted Sea Trout, Striped Mullet, Sheepshead, and Black Drum, just to name a few. Loggerhead sea turtles have found safe haven on Jekyll Island. Their nests, tucked among the dunes of Jekyll Island’s beaches, have made the island a major site for conservation and education. Sea turtle nests are marked and monitored by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. From May through August, female loggerhead turtles swim ashore, dig their nests and lay their eggs.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, a $3 million center, includes a learning center, rehabilitation center and veterinary clinic, is the first of its kind in Georgia. The Center officially opened June 16, 2007. For more information about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and related programs, visit www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org
Jekyll Island has been a golf destination since 1898, when Jekyll Island Club members added the first course on the island near the present-day airport. Today, Jekyll Island boasts 63 holes of golf on three 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course, earning Jekyll Island the bragging rights as Georgia’s largest public golf resort. During course design of Pine Lakes Course, Clyde Johnston incorporated “Family Friendly” tee boxes, making this the only course in America that allows players of all ages to compete evenly.
Boasting 13 clay courts (seven of which are lighted), the Jekyll Island Tennis Center earned a spot among Tennis Magazine’s “25 Best Municipal Tennis Facilities” in the country. The Jekyll Island Tennis Center hosts six USTA-Sanctioned tournaments annually, as well as junior camps throughout the summer. Ongoing adult programs include clinics and round-robin tournaments, which are offered between October and March. The Center’s staff can arrange pick-up games for single players, as well as offer private and group lessons. Also available are rental racquets and ball machines, as well as equipment repair. Weekly, monthly and annual single-person and family memberships can be purchased as well.
For a totally different perspective, saddle up and experience Jekyll Island on horseback. Guided tours originate from the Clam Creek picnic area on the island’s north end, make their way though maritime forests and along the salt marshes, then return along beautiful Driftwood Beach. Reservations are required and can be made Monday through Saturday (weather permitting) at Victoria’s Carriages and Trail Rides at the Island History Center on Stable Road.
There are plenty of ways to unplug and unwind on Jekyll Island. If you need some ideas, just check out www.jekyllisland.com or our Welcome Center on the Jekyll Island causeway!

Tags: beach vacation, biking, georgia coast, golf vacation, golfing, jekyll island, nature conservancy study
Posted in Beach Bummin', Beachscape, Bird Watching, Camping, Diversions, History comes Alive, Horseback Riding, Kayaking & Canoeing, March 2008, Nature Connection, On the Water, Serve it Up, Two Wheelin', Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

      We love history here on Jekyll Island, and we try to use history to learn. Author June McCash has written several books and many articles about Jekyll Island, and one particular article covers the State-era of Jekyll Island and the history of the Jekyll Island State Park Authority. This article is required reading for all new employees in the sales, marketing and public relations areas. I hope you will take some time to read also, and you may be struck by the way history has a tendency to repeat itself - if we let it!

From Millionaires to the Masses

      If you would like to read more about June Hall McCash, check out her new blog at http://junehallmccash.georgiawriters.org/

Tags: from millionaires to the masses, jekyll island, jekyll island history, june hall mccash
Posted in Diversions, History comes Alive | No Comments »

Jekyll Island Club & River

Originally uploaded by winiwin

What a gorgeous shot of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and San Souci!

Beautiful work winiwin!

Posted in History comes Alive | No Comments »

Passport to the Century

Travel into the past. Hear the remarkable story

of the Jekyll Island Club in the American Gilded

Era, and enter two restored cottages filled with

rich tales and elegant furnishings.

January 2 - May 26, 2008

• 11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm daily

May 27 - September 1, 2008

• 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm & 3 pm daily

September 2 - December 5, 2008

• 11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm daily

$16 Adults • $7 Children 6-12

Free under 6 • approx 90 min

Reclaiming Past Glories

Tour the last Jekyll Island Club Cottage to be

preserved. Hear about the family that resided

in this vacation retreat and discover the steps

required to preserve the structure. Don’t miss

this rare sneak peak inside a cottage that is

only open to the public in honor of Historic

Preservation Month!

May 3-31, 2008 • Sat only • 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm

$10 Adults • $5 Children 6-12 • Free under 6 •

approx 60 min

For more information, visit our website at

www.jekyllisland.com.

To make reservations

contact the Jekyll Island

Museum at 912-635-4036

Tours operate daily except Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.

Tour availability & pricing subject to change.

Tags: jekyll island, jekyll island museum, tour schedule
Posted in History comes Alive | No Comments »

Ken from Macon writes:

I am a 40 year-old who went to Jekyll almost annually with my parents. I happened across your blog when I was researching what was going on with Jekyll.I haven’t had time yet to digest everything but if you’ll swing by Flickr.com and see the pictures I took of the old Stuckey’s Carriage Inn you might enjoy them. Look up “Georgia Coast Inn”.

Most of the times we had were good though my Mom badly dislocated her ankle when falling at the old Hilton (Villas by the Sea). I remember the ambulance was ten years old and to be replaced that autumn. But the EMT’s more than made up for it.I also know Rob Evans, who is a customer of mine. He was a Carnegie nominee for saving one or two people (I forget)caught on a sandbar at Jekyll. Sadly a third person drowned but his efforts gave someone a lease on life.

Take care and keep up the good work.
_________________________________________
Thanks Ken! We enjoyed the pics and stories!
~Larissa

Tags: feedback, Georgia Coast Inn, photos, Stuckey's Carriage Inn
Posted in History comes Alive | No Comments »