Until the late 1920s, the roads on St. Simons Island were unpaved and covered with shell. Maintaining these roads was expensive, and driving conditions were often unpleasant. According to a 1927 notice to Glynn County voters, preserved in the Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives, Glynn County Commission Chairman Malcolm McKinnon reported that between 1924 and 1926, the county had spent $50,000 renewing and maintaining the roads. He wrote that even with this expenditure, “the public at certain times during the dry periods could not use the roads in any comfort.” To address this problem, the County Commission called an election on January 26, 1927, to approve the issuance of $250,000 in bonds for paving the main roads on the island. According to a Brunswick Pilot newspaper article dated January 28, the issue “passed by a large majority.” Later articles followed the progress of the project, which was completed by the end of the year.
Provided by Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Postcard showing entrance to St. Simons Island circa 1930
With the opening of the causeway from Brunswick to St. Simons in 1924, more and more people were travelling to the island by car. The paving project anticipated growth in tourism, as well as more development on the island. Sea Island Company, for example, was building a golf course on the south end of St. Simons and working on plans for a resort hotel.
A July 1928 map shows that the main roads on the island had been paved. The bond proposal also included a new road between the end of the causeway and the pier. As indicated on the 1928 map, the new “Kings Road” appreciably shortened the distance between the two points, compared to “Lighthouse Road,” which generally followed the route of today’s Demere Road.
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
1928 map of St. Simons Island
This month’s images from the Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives include the July 1928 map of St. Simons Island and a postcard showing the entrance to the island dated around 1930.
Coastal Georgia Historical Society presents this article and images from our archives as part of our mission “to connect people to Coastal Georgia’s dynamic history.” The Society operates the iconic St. Simons Lighthouse Museum and the World War II Home Front Museum, housed in the Historic Coast Guard Station at East Beach. To learn more about the Society, its museums, diverse programs, and membership, please visit coastalgeorgiahistory.org.
