Designed in the Queen Anne style by Chicago architect Charles A. Alexander,
the Club exuded the fine appointments and exquisite taste to which its
clientele was accustomed, but was marketed at first as a kind of
hunting club, encouraging both men and their wives to enjoy outdoor
pursuits like bird and game hunting, golf, tennis and boating far away
from the rush and crush of the bustling financial capitals.
During the Club's 54 years of operation, it hosted the top tier
of high society, and was the setting for several important moments in
history. This is where Captains of Industry would meet in secret to
make deals that would affect the fundamental structure of the American
economy. The first transcontinental phone call was placed from the
Club, by AT&T president Theodore N. Vail to none other than
Alexander Graham Bell and Woodrow Wilson.
The Club suffered a bit from the ripple effect of the Great Depression,
felt even by the richest of the rich, who cut back on some of their
more extravagant expenses, and World War II finally brought an end to
the Club entirely. The state of Georgia purchased the island from the
investors in 1947 and incorporated it as part of the State Park system
in 1950.
Today, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel is still a fantastic, and
far more accessible, place to stay, learn about the island's history
and enjoy the same fantastic natural environment that drew its previous
visitors down from the North. Every Monday through Thursday the hotel
conducts tours of its historic facilities, including the private
cottages that some of the families built on and around its grounds.
If you have an interest in the architecture and culture of the
Belle Epoque and beyond, you'll want to check out all of these amazing
mini-mansions, many of which are not on the hotels grounds but most of
which are restored and open for touring. Visit the Hotel's website www.jekyllclub.com for more details.
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