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Christ Church, Frederica
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 The Christ Church congregation traces its origins to 1776, and to the very earliest days of St. Simons Island. However, the first religious services were held on the site of the church some forty years earlier.
It was here that John and Charles Wesley, two brothers from England considered the fathers of Methodism in America, first preached to natives beneath the limbs of an enormous oak tree.
The first church structure was built in 1820, but was partially destroyed by occupying Union troops during the War Between the States. In 1884, Anson Phelps Dodge, Jr., built the present structure in memory of his wife, Ellen, who died during their 'round-the-world honeymoon. The church is constructed of wood in the cruciform design with a trussed Gothic roof and steeple.
Today, the beautiful church with its magnificent stained glass windows and heavily wooded grounds that include a cemetery with graves of early settlers, is one of St. Simons Island's most treasured landmarks.
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Sand Dunes
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 The lovely sand dunes that lie along the ocean shore are a beautiful sight, but not many people know that these dunes actually have their origin on the opposite (marshland) side of the islands.
Dead marsh grass from these areas between the barrier islands and the mainland are loosened and carried out toward the sea by the force of receding tides. The grasses then wash up on the beaches where they provide shelter for very hearty species of grasses to grow. These plants hold the sand and make it less susceptible to movement by wind and surf. Eventually, small ridges of sand form and as the process continues, new generations of plants hold more and more layers of sand. As a result, dunes slowly grow larger and larger.
The sea oats you find in mature dunes are ital to dune and seashore stabilization. That's why picking sea oats is prohibited by law-despite their beauty.
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Avenue of Oaks
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 From 1760, until the outbreak of the War Between the States, cotton and rice plantations flourished in this area. The Sea Island cotton grown here became famous the world over for its outstanding quality.
One of the most prosperous plantations named, Retreat, was located on the southern tip of St. Simons Island. Anna Page King, who had inherited the land in 1826, planted the famous Avenue of Oaks that highlights the entrance to the sea island golf club (available to cloister guests and sea island members).
It is said that Anna grew such a perfuse abundance of flowers at Retreat that sailors nearing St. Simon's Island could smell the flowers fragrance before they saw the Island shores. Visitors may view the Avenue of Oaks by driving towards the lodge at Sea Island Golf Club and circling back.
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The St. Simons Lighthouse
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 The St. Simons Lighthouse is the oldest brick structure in the area and is still maintained as an operational light by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The 104-foot lighthouse sits on the site of long-vanished Fort St. Simons, a British stronghold captured by the Spanish in 1742, prior to their defeat at the fateful Battle of Bloody Marsh.
The historic site includes an 1872 brick lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling, an 1880 oil house and a Victorian gazebo. A museum in the keeper’s dwelling features exhibits on the history of the lighthouse and the way of life of a lighthouse keeper and his family. Climb the 129 steps to the top of the lighthouse for a spectacular view of the ocean, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Brunswick.
COMING SOON! A new, 10,000 square-foot Heritage Center on the Lighthouse Museum campus. You’ll enjoy galleries featuring information about the 2004 Sea Island Group of Eight (G8) Summit, exhibits using Historical Society collection items to tell the stories of the area’s people and their accomplishments, and traveling exhibitions. An expanded museum shop and coastal Georgia history archives will be open to the public. A 150-seat meeting room will be available for public functions. The Heritage Center will be built following successful completion of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society’s “Lighting Our Way” capital campaign.
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FORT FREDERICA
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 When General James Oglethorpe laid claim to the Georgia territory for England, it was important to build settlements and establish defenses. He found the ideal site for both along the river banks on the western edge of St. Simons Island. He named it Frederica.
In 1736, 44 men and 72 women and children arrived to build the fort and town, and by the 1740s Frederica was a thriving village of about 500 citizens. When Spanish troops sought to capture St. Simons Island in 1742, Oglethorpe's men won a decisive victory in what is now called The Battle of Bloody Marsh. For a time, Frederica prospered and grew.
However, the declining military threat to the Georgia coast saw the Fort's regiment disbanded in 1749. Today, you can visit the site of Fort Frederica, a national park, and see the ruins of the fortifications, barracks and homes. A museum, film, dioramas, tours and demonstrations bring the settlement vividly back to life.
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Ghosts Of The Golden Isles
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Mary The Wanderer
Long ago, it is said, a beautiful young woman was to be wed to her true love. Alas, the young man drowned when his boat capsized near shore. Forlorn, Mary killed herself. Late at night you may see her still, lantern held high, walking the beaches and forests of St. Simons Island in search of her lost love.
The Light in Christ Church Cemetery
If you dare, stand outside the walls of the cemetery at Christ Church on St. Simons Island at night. Legend holds that a young women with a fearful dread of the dark is buried there. After she died, her husband brought a lighted candle each night to her grave. He too died, but there are those who say a flickering light can be seen there still.
The Ghosts of Ebo's Landing
Tradition has it that during St. Simons Island's plantation era, many slaves were brought ashore along Dunbar Creek. It was here that the leader of the Igbos (pronounced ee-bow, the "g" is silent)-a proud and noble tribe from Nigeria-led his people into the waters of the creek rather than submit to slavery. The general area of Ebo's Landing, now on private property, can be seen from a distance when traveling east on Sea Island Road by looking north just before crossing the small bridge at Dunbar Creek.
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Live Oaks
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 Visitors are invariably captivated by the beautiful and natural canopy provided by the countless live oaks that grow for so long and so large in the area. So named because their deep green leaves retain their color throughout the year, live oaks are known for their enormous size and vast networks of twisting, winding limbs.
In the early days, St. Simons Island was home to a thriving lumber industry, famed throughout the world. In fact, rock-hard oak timbers, cut from Cannon's Point on the Island's north end, were used in 1794 to build the frigate U.S.S. Constitution - cause, in part, for its nickname as "Old Ironsides."
In 1874, timbers from the Island were also cut for use in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. While many trees in this area are much older, legend holds that the average life span of an oak is 300 years - 100 years of growth, 100 years of mature existence, and 100 years of decline. |
The Tree Spirits of St. Simons
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 In exploring St. Simons Island, it's possible, when looking closely at certain of the majestic oak trees that cover the island, to find one actually looking back at you. There, peering out from the trunk, from between two huge branches, or from the stub of a long-vanished branch, you may see the unmistakable image of a weathered face.
These are the Tree Spirits of St. Simons Island-lovingly carved faces emerging from the trees. The images, created by skilled hands, immortalize the countless sailors who lost their lives at sea aboard the mighty sailing ships that were once made from St. Simons Island oak. Their sad, sorrowful expressions seem to reflect the grieving appearance of the trees themselves with their drooping branches and moss.
If you would like to see a Tree Spirit, look among the trees in these locations: - Demere Road at Skylane Drive - 2012 Demere Road, across from the farmer's market - Redfern Village (off Frederica Road) at the Wine & Cheese Cellar - 3305 Frederica Road.
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Maritime Center at the Historic Coast Guard Station – Opening in Spring 2006!
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The Historic Coast Guard Station at East Beach on St. Simons Island was built by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1936 as a lifesaving station and remained in active use until 1995. The landmark structure was totally renovated in 2005 and is being converted into a center for maritime and natural history programming. It will feature seven galleries filled with exhibits on the maritime and nature history of the region, an education building including touch tanks and hands-on learning activities for school groups and families, and a museum shop. The building includes a kitchen, a space will be available for group functions. It will be handicap accessible.
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