Jean Ribault, leader of one of the first groups of Europeans to explore Coastal Georgia, arrived in the area in 1562. In an account of his voyage, he noted the salt marshes and rivers for both their beauty and their bounty. Ribault wrote that the area was “a country full of havens, rivers, and islands of such fruitfulness as cannot be expressed,” filled with “great islands and small … and everywhere such abundance of fish as is incredible.”
He wasn’t the first to discover or make use of the coast’s natural resources. On islands like St. Simons and Jekyll, the native people—the Timucua—lived comfortably from the crops they planted, the animals they hunted, and the fish and shellfish they drew from nearby rivers. Centuries later, author, lawyer, and artist Vara Majette would paint a series of vignettes of Timucuan traditions, including the drying of meat and fish, which Ribault’s party noted was done “thoroughly and meticulously, so that [the food] can more easily be kept from going bad.”
Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Vara Majette painting
At the turn of the twentieth century, fishing remained vital to the diets of local families, but also started to become an attraction to visitors. The Jekyll Island Club’s 1901 constitution described it as “a hunting, fishing, yachting and general sporting resort.” Ferry and pilot boats that navigated the St. Simons Sound, bringing visitors to the islands, sometimes doubled as fishing charters. On the islands, the craft of netmaking was alive and well, especially among African American residents.
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Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Netmaking
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Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Jekyll Fishing Pier
Fishing remained a beloved pastime even as Coastal Georgia grew during the mid-twentieth century. Jekyll Island constructed a modern fishing pier in 1969 at Clam Creek, on St. Simons Sound, that is still in use today. And, in addition to the popular St. Simons Island Pier, the F.J. Torras Causeway was reported by a local newpaper in 1973 to be “filled with fishermen, young and old … and they are really catching fish! Lots of them!”
Coastal Georgia Historical Society
1973 newspaper clipping
This month’s featured images are from the archives of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, including the Vara A. Majette Paintings and Photograph Collection, the Margaret Davis Cate Collection, and the Mrs. F.J. Torras Collection.
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.
