Category Archives: Jekyll Island GA

Villa Marianna, 1928, Jekyll Island

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Though Edwin and Sarah Gould essentially severed their ties to Jekyll after the death of their oldest son, Frank Miller Gould had fond memories of past winters spent on the island and commissioned architect Mogens Tvede to construct this cottage, among the last built during the club era. He named it for his daughter Marianne.

Villa Marianna was one of the first large-scale renovations in Jekyll Island’s National Historic Landmark district and once housed the offices of the Jekyll Island Authority.

The courtyard at Villa Marianna is its most inviting feature and is a great spot for quiet reflection.

As the nameplate suggests, the house was completed in 1928, though the official marker outside the house dates it to 1929. Gould didn’t move in until 1929, but according to The Jekyll Island Club:Southern Haven for America’s Millionaires (William Barton McCash & June Hall McCash, Athens, UGA Press, 1989), the standard reference on the Jekyll Island Club, the home was “essentially complete” by October 1928.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Solterra Dovecote, Circa 1890, Jekyll Island

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Solterra Cottage, the retreat of Frederic and Frances Baker, was built in 1890 and became known for its lavish parties, even hosting the newly-elected President William McKinley, along with his wife and the Vice-President’s family, in 1899. A fire consumed the cottage in 1914, but this dovecote survived. Over the years, it was moved several times but has finally been placed between the ruins of Chicota and Hollybourne Cottage, near its original location.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Gould Casino Auditorium, 1902, Jekyll Island

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A multi-structure recreational complex, known collectively as the Gould Casino was built by Edwin Gould for the enjoyment of Jekyll Island Club members and guests around 1902. These structures included a conservatory, a playhouse with bowling alleys and an indoor shooting gallery, The playhouse was destroyed by fire in 1950. This structure, originally the Gould tennis courts, was remodeled in 1957 and became known as the Gould Casino Auditorium. It’s now in a serious state of disrepair.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Chicota Cottage Lion, 1897, Jekyll Island

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A pair of Corinthian lions guarding an empty foundation and swimming pool are all that remain of Chicota Cottage, the beloved retreat of Edwin Gould, son of railroad financier Jay Gould. After Gould’s son Edwin II was killed in a hunting accident on Jekyll in 1917, Mr. Gould rarely returned to the island (his wife never returned). Frank Miller Gould used the house occasionally but when he built Villa Marianna, Chicota went into decline. The cottage was eventually razed.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Indian Mound, 1892, Jekyll Island

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Gordon McKay of Massachusetts built Indian Mound and so named it for a mound on the lawn, then thought to have been a burial site of the Guale Indians but later found to be a shell midden. William Rockefeller purchased it in 1905 and it remained in the Rockefeller family until 1947.

It was the first of the club cottages to be restored. It has long served as a house museum.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Mistletoe, 1900, Jekyll Island

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Charles Alling Gifford built Mistletoe in the Dutch Colonial Revival style for Pittsburgh manufacturer and U. S. Congressman Henry Kirke Porter. Upon Porter’s death, John Claflin purchased Mistletoe. Claflin was an original member of the Jekyll Island Club.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

DuBignon Cottage, 1884, Jekyll Island

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Built as a farmhouse for John Eugene DuBignon before he sold the island, this Stick Style Victorian seems out of place among the grander cottages built later by members of the Jekyll Island Club. It was used as the superintendent’s residence and housed overflow guests of club members in the early days of the organization. It originally stood on the location of the Sans Souci Apartments but was moved to its present location in 1896 to accommodate construction of that structure.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Goodyear Cottage, 1903, Jekyll Island

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Built for Frank H. Goodyear of Buffalo, New York, this cottage was restored in 1973 and now serves as a gallery space.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Sans Souci Apartments, 1896, Jekyll Island

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J. P. Morgan headed a corporation of six club members including James J. Hill, Pierre Lorilard, William Rockefeller, J. A. Scrymser, and Frederick G. Bourne that built Sans Souci and held joint ownership. Each of the three floors contained two apartments. Sans Souci (meaning “no worries”) is considered to be one of the first condominiums ever built in the United States.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark

Walter R. Furness Cottage, 1890, Jekyll Island

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Also known as the Old Infirmary, for its later purpose, this Shingle Style Victorian was designed by the prominent architect Frank Furness for his nephew, Walter Rogers Furness, who later became an architect himself. The younger Furness was one of the founding members of the Jekyll Island Club and wintered here for several seasons. He sold the cottage to Joseph Pulitzer in 1896 and after three moves and several subsequent owners, it served as the Jekyll Island Club Infirmary. Today, it’s home to the beloved Jekyll Books, a must-see shop for regional literature and unique gifts.

Jekyll Island Historic District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark District