St. Catherines Island
has basically the same topographical attributes,
flora and fauna that Georgia's other barrier islands possess, except for
its most prominent and distinguishing feature; a high, beautiful
promontory on the eastern side of the island overlooking the beach and
ocean. It was here that one of the largest Creek Indian Village
headquarters was located with a number of smaller settlements scattered
throughout the island below.
After founding St. Augustine, Florida, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles
traveled northward up the coast where he landed on St. Catherines
Island. There, he and his crew were warmly welcomed by the friendly Creek
Indians who inhabited it. In 1566, Santa Catalina, the first island
mission was established and it became the most important mission of the
region. Although initial relations were amicable, the island
natives soon grew hostile towards the missionaries, ravaging their
churches and killing the monks, eventually forcing those monks who
survived to evacuate.
As time passed, St. Catherines Island was settled by colonists
and eventually sold to Button Gwinnett, a statesman and staunch
supporter of the Patriots during the Revolutionary War, and one of
Georgia's three signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Today, the Button-Gwinnett House in which he lived remains intact, and
the island is privately owned and administered by the St. Catherines
Island Foundation, Inc. The island is closed to the public due to the
critical nature of the rare and endangered wildlife breeding and
zoological research programs which are conducted on the island by the
American Museum of Natural History through the Edward John Noble
Foundation.
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