This Day in Jekyll History, January 23, 1919
On This Day in Jekyll History…January 23, 1919, the Richard Teller Crane family arrives for their first visit to their newly completed cottage on Jekyll.
After the firey demise of Solterra Cottage in 1914, Mrs. Frederick Baker sold her lot to Richard Teller Crane of Chicago. Crane hired prestigious Chicago architect Henry Dangler to design an elegant new home for the site. Dangler died before the design was finished and the project passed to his close friend David Adler. What resulted was the most home ever built on Jekyll Island.
This departure from the traditional simplicity of Jekyll caused a stir amongst members, with James William Ellsworth complaining “the building of pretentious houses on the Island by members” would “destroy what may be considered the greatest charm, this atmosphere of simplicity”. Construction of the home began in August 1917, and was completed in time for Mrs. Crane’s 81 year old father, Harlow Niles Higinbotham to arrive with his 13 year old grandson Cornelius on January 23, 1919 - the first stay by a member of the Crane family at the home that bears their name.
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