Back to Georgia

Georgia's coast

(Sightseeing)

March 27, 2018 - March 31, 2018

Our goal now is to work our way up the Atlantic coast.  In Georgia we started with Jekyll Island.  It was purchased by a bunch of wealthy friends who like to hunt and fish.  They formed the Jekyll Island Club and built a large clubhouse.  They also wrote up the general rules for how the island was to be developed and used.  As members they were each expected to build a cottage on the property and they did so with a relish.  Here are some of the cozy "cottages" they built!  

These old live oak trees are all over the area where the clubhouse and cottages are found.  I fell in love with them immediately.

Especially beautiful with the azalea's blooming and ferns draping their branches.

Later generations more or less lost interest in their Jekyll Island getaways and the island was sold to the state of Georgia in 1947.  With a 10 mile beach it is now a major resort area complete with big name hotels, golf, fishing, tennis, bike and hiking trails, a water park, etc.  We managed to stay one night at the state campground on the island but it was booked up the rest of the time we were going to be in the area.  

The original members built a non-denominational chapel on the island which was served by various ministers from the mainland.  It has a beautiful Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass window which was installed under the direct supervision of Tiffany himself.

Faith Chapel

Tiffany window in the chapel.

Near the campground at the north end of the island is driftwood beach.  We expected a beach like we have on the Pacific coast but this was totally different.  Seemed less like driftwood and more like trees that died in place and fell over.

Isn't that white sand beautiful?

The island is also the home to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.  It acts as an educational and rehabilitation center.  They have wonderful exhibits including a window where you can watch turtles being cared for by the staff.  Many have wounds from boat collisions or from being entangled with fishing gear.  At the center their wounds are treated until they can be released back into the ocean.  We learned there are 5 types of sea turtles.

This is where the injured and sick turtles are kept during rehabilitation.

This turtle is being placed back in its tank after having a wound treated.

The Sunshine State - Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island

Florida - part 4

(Sightseeing)

March 23, 2018 - March 26, 2018

Acting on a tip from one of my mother's friends, we visited Fernandina Beach.  Very cute town with some great restaurants and some important history of it's own.  We only spent a day here.  It would be much nicer to camp in the state park on the island and stay longer to really enjoy what the town and the island have to offer.

Lots of beautiful homes.

Old Railroad Station.  It's right across from a very nice harbor.

Railroad have played an important role in our history.  I always wish we had a good passenger system like they do in Europe.

Fernandina Beach - center of town. 

Florida wasn't one of our 13 colonies.  It was firmly in British hands until the Revolution.

Lots of nice flowers along the streets.

The Sunshine State - St. Augustine

Florida - part 3

(Sightseeing)

March 16, 2018 - March 22, 2018

Loved St. Augustine. Lots of interesting history here.

Government House Museum - a great place to learn the history of St. Augustine.

Florida's original native tribes.

Side note: Juan Ponce de Leon traveled with Columbus on his 2nd voyage to the "new world."

Menendez established the first settlement which became St. Augustine.

France's Fort Caroline was located where present day Jacksonville is today.

It's always about the riches that might be found.

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

Laura and Juan Ponce de Leon

The spring Juan Ponce de Leon found when he landed in 1513 - still running today.

Nothing much was said about the search for the "fountain of youth" aspect of Ponce de Leon's voyage.  More likely the water was important because they needed to restock the supply on their ship.

Representation of Timucuan village life.

Native dugout canoe.  

By chipping and burning the wood they eventually achieved the shape they desired.

Old anchor and canon.

This large fire baked clay pot weighs about 1000 lbs and is over 300 years old.

A tinajones is a Spanish water urn used to catch rain water.

I found this interesting!  Proof there have always been scoundrels.

The old Alcazar Hotel - now the location of the Lightner Museum.  They have fabulous collections of glass, ceramics, furniture, handiwork and eclectic collections.

Interior courtyard of the old hotel.

Exquisite tile floor in the entrance to the Museum.

Above and below - looking down on the main floor of two of the galleries.

 One half of an incredible collection cut crystal glass.

Beautiful art glass.

Bohemian glass.

Royal Satin Porcelain from England

Belleek Porcelain from Ireland.

Burmese balloon back sofa made of pierced and carved wood!

Very detailed inlaid table 

Examples of crochet handwork.

Sampler from 1867

Match box label collection

Part of their musical instrument collection.

Match safe collection

Collection of lighting devices

Floral wreath made of shells and paper

Button collection and button art.

"All finite things reveal infinitude" from "The Far Field" by Theodore Roethka.

All the letters in this picture are from the wing patterns of butterflies and moths.

Late afternoon at the beach.

A rare selfie!

Barney loves the beach.

Sunset on the eastern shore of Anastasia Island.

The Gonzalez-Alvarez House (the "oldest" house in St. Augustine) - built sometime after the city was burned to the ground in 1702.

Coquina stone used in a private residence.

The original house was one story.  

British occupants added the second story sometime between 1765 and 1784.

One of the two rooms of the original home.

The second of the two rooms of the original home.

Storeroom built on to the original home.

Water filter.  Dirty water from the top seeps through the limestone block and clean water drips into the catch basin.  I wish I could remember the name of this and the country it was from.  The water in the top bowl was filthy.  The water in the bottom bowl was crystal clear.

Main room of the upper floor added during British rule.

Dining area of the upper floor.

Bedroom of the upper floor.

The Ponce de Leon Hotel - now Flagler College

Only the very rich could afford to vacation here.  They would come for the "season" (i.e. November to Easter) at a cost of about $9,000 which included everything.  That is roughly the equivalent of $250,000 in today's money!

Imagine going to college here!  The hotel rooms are used as dorm rooms.

Fountain in the front courtyard.

The carved wood, plaster details and paintings all over the building are just amazing.

Tiffany glass was installed in every window of the enormous dining room.  

The glass is said to be worth in the neighborhood of 6 million dollars.

This was the ladies lounge in the original hotel.  It's now used for special lectures.

Detail of the clock and mantel over the fireplace.

Part of the ladies lounge.

The Fort - Castillo de San Marcos

Model of the fort.  The design allowed every angle to be covered by canon fire.

Painting of how the fort was built.  The domed units were called casemates.

Exterior of the fort.

Looking at the moat which did not contain water.

Inside one of the casemates looking out to the yard.

The British added a second level in the casemates in order to house more people and/or equipment.

The coquina walls were plastered over to make the walls smooth.

Casemate used for soldier's quarters.

Casemate used for storage.

Steps up to the upper level where the canons were located.

Top of the fort looking down onto the yard.

Canon's surrounded the entire top level.

Castillo San Marco was never taken in battle.  

It changed hands only when different countries took control of Florida.