The History
Before Europeans arrived at Jekyll Island in the early 16th century, the Guale and Timucua people found ways to carve out a niche for themselves in this coastal jungle paradise that some called "Ospo". The Spanish, French, English and early Americans all established farms and other enterprises on the island, and each group tried to put their mark on the natural environment of Jekyll in some way.
Jekyll's unique naturalness survived, and in 1971, the State of Georgia specifically set aside more than 3,700 acres of Jekyll's land area for permanent protection from development. Now the island provides habitat for more than 1,700 species of plants, fish, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Jekyll's human history exists in the archaeology of its soils, in the ruins of old farms, and in the restored buildings left behind by the wealthy families that created the Jekyll Island Club more than 100 years ago.
The distinctive combination of natural environment and human history gives Jekyll Island its special value and shows us why Georgia's coastal jewel is worth preserving and celebrating.