Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
In 1898, the Federal government established the first hurricane warning network, but it could not prepare Coastal Georgia residents for one of the most destructive storms of the 19th century.
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Andy Jones
View the brilliant laser light show presented by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and Castano Group celebrating 150 years of the St. Simons Lighthouse. Thank you to our Minorcan Mullet friend Andy Jones for sharing this video. Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Since September 1, 1872, the current St. Simons Lighthouse has been the steadfast beacon shining over our island home. It provides a bright welcome to those visiting the Golden Isles and it is a shining symbol of home for those of us who live here. Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
David O'Hagan, Sr. served as the last resident lighthouse keeper of the St. Simons Lighthouse. With the automation of the light system in 1954, a full-time keeper was no longer needed to maintain the light. Read more
As part of our retrospective we thought you’d enjoy seeing how our island has changed over the years. This video shows comparisons of vintage and current photos of several familiar locations on SSI. Read more
Postcard image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
In summer, vacationers flock to the Golden Isles via air and interstate. While today’s travelers might think nothing of a long weekend trip to our beaches, it’s interesting to reflect on how difficult those same journeys were 100 years ago. Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
World War II brought Christos Vrionides, an authority on Byzantine music, to the J.A. Jones Shipyard in Brunswick to form an orchestra of musicians employed in jobs at the shipyard. This "Music in Industry" government program was to boost morale Read more
Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Several alumni from the Golden Isles have achieved fame, especially in the field of sports. One remarkable Glynn Academy graduate from the 1930s is Fred Missildine. His international fame in the field of skeet and trap shooting was remarkable! Read more
Courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Though the cooling breezes and beaches of the Golden Isles had attracted regional visitors for decades, the building of the Atlantic Coastal Highway from Calais, Maine, to Miami, Florida, transformed local tourism. The Georgia section opened in 1927. Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
This month we learn more about Alfred S. Eichberg, a leading Victorian era architect that was active in Brunswick. He designed Old City Hall, among other buildings downtown. Read more
Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Lt. William DeVoe Coney was the first person to successfully complete a solo transcontinental flight in under 24 hours. In February 1921, Coney made the 2,070-mile flight from San Diego to today’s Jacksonville Beach in 22h 27m, breaking records! Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives
An impressive monument erected in 1926 in downtown Brunswick recalls one of the most prosperous periods in city history and serves as a memorial to Columbia Downing, Jr. Downing’s company put Brunswick on the map at the turn of the 20th century. Read more
Image Courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
This month's entry of SSI Archives features a Christmas card from 1975 that makes a connection to James Edward Oglethorpe's church in Surrey, England. The founder of the colony of Georgia spent most of his life in England. Read more
Photo courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Many who lived in the South in the 1950s and 60s remember encountering Charles “Ches” McCartney, more commonly known as the “Goat Man.” McCartney became a folk legend as he travelled the country with a small herd of goats and all his belongings. Read more
Image Courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
During World War II, many American artists contributed to the war effort by creating artwork for posters that would help galvanize public support for Federal programs, such as rationing and civilian defense. Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
There’s a long legacy of shipbuilding in Brunswick. The Brunswick Marine Construction Corporation was a local shipbuilding and repair facility that supplied ships for both World Wars, operating through the mid-twentieth century. Read more
Photo courtesy of the Beaches Museum in Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Historians sometimes hear about treasure troves long forgotten which, once discovered, reveal information about the past. The Coastal Georgia Historical Society recently found a hidden treasure in another museum’s collection. Read more
Image courtesy of Tyler Bagwell.
If you want to travel the streets of downtown Brunswick quickly these days, you’ll most likely hop in a car and drive to your destination. But there was a time, before cars, when you would hop onto a streetcar instead. Read more
Photo courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
The first Sunshine Festival on St. Simons Island was held in 1955, and was sponsored by the St. Simons Jaycees as a fundraising event. Unlike recent years, the Festival took place in June rather than over the 4th of July holiday. Read more
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society.
While the lighthouse tower is the shining star of what used to be the St. Simons Island Light Station, there is a small building on the property that, though easily missed, served an important purpose in keeping its light shining: the Oil House. Read more
Photo courtesy of the City of Brunswick/Emil Kratt Family/J.A. Jones Construction Co.
When the Allies desperately needed cargo ships, women did their part to supply them by working at shipyards across the country, including at the J.A. Jones Shipyard in Brunswick. Nanelle, Carobeth, and Lauree Surrency were just three of those women. Read more
