History of St. Simons Island, GA

Off the coast of Georgia among the "Golden Isles", there is St. Simons Island, an island with a history steeped in blood and sweat. Location has made St. Simons Island a crossroads, for centuries, for war. Timucuan and Guales Native Americans first inhabited the island and hundreds of miles surrounding it. The Spanish had conquered much of the area and all of Florida. Jesuits and Franciscans were stationed to convert the natives, but without success, causing friction and eventual insurrection. Since the missionaries did little more than try to convert them, the British arrived in place, trading and becoming on better terms with the natives. James Edward Oglethorpe, a man a part of the English gentry and Parliament member, joined a board of trustees, designated by the Crown, to colonize what is now Georgia and South Carolina. War was a constant fear between the Spanish and English. On St. Simons Island, the English built the Fort Frederica, a sizable town where Oglethorpe would stay, until he returned to England permanently. The English defeated the Spanish onslaught. By the 18th century, Frederica and much of Georgia were in financial trouble, ending British occupation of the land. With the American Revolution, came the plantation era. King Cotton (sea island cotton) and slave labor buttressed the economy, as is well known. Approximately four to five different business men bought plantations in different locations on St. Simons Island. Each grew to be wealthy beyond the high standards of the day. It is said that their slaves lived and worked in better conditions than neighboring, poor white farmers. During the Civil War, the island's location was strategic for food supplies and a base for raiders and blockade runners. Soldiers were called to arms from St. Simons Island, and women, children, and slaves went inland. Desolate upon return, with slavery abolished, ex-slaves demanded wages, and consequently, the planters' economy was devastated. Economic stability returned a decade later, when Dodge-Meigs Lumber Company set up mills for lumber. Following, there was a rise in employment and an influx of importing and exporting ships from around the world. Once the well went dry, however, the lumber industry ended on St. Simons Island and moved elsewhere. Cushioning the blow, a ferry and, in 1924, the Fernando J. Torres Causeway, were in communication with the mainland, bringing in visitors, most importantly, Howard Coffin, the owner of nearby Sapelo Island and Detroit auto magnate. He created Sapelo Island as a retreat and, being a visionary, did the same for St. Simons Island. In the midst of World War II, St. Simons Island was once again near battle. A fleet of German U-boats torpedoed two oil tankers, the S.S. Oklahoma and Esso Baton Rouge. Fortunately, the survivors were rescued and brought to the Coast Guard pier at Frederica River. The brave mariners and two oil tankers returned to war. St. Simons Island, for centuries, has attracted missionaries and religious souls. Christ Church, built in 1820, was the second oldest Episcopal Church in Georgia. Many prominent men were buried in its graveyard. St. James Union Church was erected in 1880. After seeing much destruction, the present-day Christ Church and St. James Union Church, along with the lighthouse, stand as a testament to the rises and falls of St. Simons Island. Incorporated, St. Simons Island has a population of 13,381 residents, according to the 2000 census.