Monday, April 26, 2010

Jekyll Island, of Georgia's Golden Isles, in the rain

The way to Jekyll Island...

We were not thrilled about the budget chain hotel where we stayed until...I spotted its illustrated past, framed in the breakfast room. Ah, if only this place that now looks like every other of its species across America still had those bright linens, groovy furniture, and exposed concrete beams.

Past the contemporary versions of island hospitality to the old Jekyll, where industrial magnates of the late 1800s and early 1900s built their cottages, now restored and owned by the State of Georgia...

The Moss Cottage, in the shingle style (home of the founders of Macy's Department Store)
the Goodyear Cottage
the Indian Mound cottage
"Sans Souci" luxury apartments, built by J.P.Morgan
The Clubhouse


My favorite, Hollybourne, built for a large family by father, a shipbuilder. The entire structure hangs on a truss system in the attic. There are no load-bearing walls in the house. It is one of the few that have not been restored.
Various efforts at preservation in the past decade.
former site of a large screened porch at Hollybourne. The casino still sits, seemingly untouched, an oppressive structure with walls like canvas for the concrete cracks.
Taking the shingle style to a whole new game...it's J.P. Morgan's tennis courts, under restoration/renovation.
Former cottage, infirmary, now bookstore.

1 comment:

Mitchell said...

Super pictures! We used to vacation on Jekyll Island when I was a kid. I'd have never guessed that shingle building contained a tennis court inside.