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Thursday, April 12, 2012

St. Simon Treasures

As an avid reader I have read many books but none have touched me as much as Eugenia Price. Eugenia Price (June 22, 1916 - May 28, 1996) was an American author best known for her historical novels which were set in the American South. One of her series is called St. Simons Trilogy ~ especially "Lighthouse". So on this trip I made it a point to come and visit this area. I only wish I could have spent more time here... I highly recommend her books if you like fictional stories with history woven into them.
The St. Simons Island lighthouse was established in 1807 to serve as a marker for the entrance to the St. Simons Sound. James Gould of Massachusetts built the original lighthouse; the story of Mr. Gould and the building of the lighthouse are chronicled in Eugenia Price’s novel, “Lighthouse.” The beautiful two-story, brick keepers' dwelling and the white,
104-foot tower was deeded to Glynn County in 1972 for use as a museum and visitors' center. After three years of restorative work overseen by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, the museum opened to the public. The tower was opened in 1984 to
climbers willing to brave the 129-step spiral staircase. Under the National
Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, ownership of the St. Simons Lighthouse was
officially transferred to the Coastal Georgia Historical Society on May 26,
2004. ~ Interesting fact: Gould used the ruins of Fort Frederica, which was built on the island in 1736, as a source for the tabby, and completed the seventy-five-foot tower in late 1810 at a cost of $13,775. Oil lamps suspended on chains served as the light source. We love visiting Lighthouses and this one did not let us down.


Maritime Museum is at the Historic Coast Guard Station. This interesting museum is located in the restored U.S. Coast Guard Station at East Beach, which was built during the Depression as part of a WPA project. The museum features seven galleries that explain the importance of our coastal ecosystem and its preservation, the coast’s military history, and the important role played by the U.S. Coast Guard. It is a fun place to explore~



Fort Frederica National Monument was built in 1736 and it was the most expensive military installation in British North America. The town and fort, established as an outpost by Maj. General Oglethorpe, played a crucial role in establishing England’s claims to the disputed Georgia territory. At one time over 800 people lived in this area and when peace was declared the town declined. Soon after because of the heat, alligators & mosquitoes hey decided to abandon the town & fort. It was burnt down mysteriously and to this day no one is sure who had a hand in it. We spent the afternoon exploring this wonderful National Monument and enjoyed our picnic lunch while here. We also took Tiffy and she did a great job getting around the park~





Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

5 comments:

hobopals said...

Haven't been to St. Simons in many years--will stop there for a day in May.

We used to stay in the motel/hotel right near the lighthouse. We'd go in March and/or October.

We used to love to walk to town, stop in to have breakfast at the cafe' (forgot the name), and head down to the beach, grab a couple of adirondack chairs and read. I loved the 2nd hand book store that used to be on the main street.

The trolley tour was incredible. So much history on the island.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Jeff said...

Thanks for the history lesson-most interesting!

Unknown said...

Great photo tour. I love historical novels and have never read any by her, will definitely have to check these out.

Happytrails said...

Once again...a great tour of a most interesting area!! Love the pics!!
I will look into reading that series by Eugenia Price. Sounds like a good read.

Paul and Marti Dahl said...

Spent even more time at St. Simons. It's such a lovely place, glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

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