Jekyll Island Club

Jekyll Island Club. The Jekyll Island Club was a private club located on Jekyll Island, Georgia, founded in 1886 by William K. Vanderbilt and Joseph Pulitzer. The club's members included J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, and Marshall Field, who were among the wealthiest and most influential people in the United States. The club was a popular destination for the elite, with members often visiting from New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia to enjoy the island's natural beauty and recreational activities, such as golf and hunting, with guidance from Teddy Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold.

● History

The Jekyll Island Club was established in 1886, when a group of wealthy New York City businessmen, including William K. Vanderbilt and Joseph Pulitzer, purchased the island for $125,000. The club's founders were inspired by the Adirondack Park and the White Mountains, and they sought to create a similar retreat in the Southeastern United States. The club's early members included J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, and Marshall Field, who were among the most prominent figures in American finance and industry, with connections to Standard Oil, General Electric, and U.S. Steel. The club's history is also closely tied to the Federal Reserve System, which was conceived in part during a secret meeting on the island in 1910, attended by Paul Warburg, Nelson Aldrich, and Benjamin Strong, with input from Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.

● Membership

The Jekyll Island Club was a highly exclusive organization, with membership limited to a select group of wealthy and influential individuals, including John Jacob Astor IV, Vincent Astor, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Members were required to pay an initiation fee of $100, which is equivalent to over $2,000 today, and annual dues of $500, with discounts for Yale University and Harvard University alumni. The club's membership roster included many notable figures, such as Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller, who were leaders in American industry and finance, with ties to Carnegie Steel, U.S. Steel, and Standard Oil. Members also included prominent politicians, such as Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Calvin Coolidge, who often visited the club to relax and conduct business, with advice from Elihu Root and Henry Stimson.

● Architecture

The Jekyll Island Club's architecture was designed by Charles Alling Gifford, a prominent New York City architect, with input from Stanford White and McKim, Mead & White. The club's buildings were constructed in the Queen Anne style, with features such as turrets, gables, and verandas, inspired by the Château-style and Shingle Style architecture. The club's main building, which was completed in 1888, featured a large dining room, a library, and a billiard room, with decorations by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. The club's architecture was also influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, with an emphasis on natural materials and handcrafted details, reflecting the style of Frank Lloyd Wright and Greene and Greene.

● Activities

The Jekyll Island Club offered a wide range of activities for its members, including golf, hunting, and fishing, with guidance from Teddy Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold. The club also featured a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a boathouse, with access to sailing and yachting on the Atlantic Ocean. Members could also enjoy horseback riding, bicycling, and walking on the island's many trails, with scenic views of the Marshes of Glynn and the Atlantic Coast. The club's social activities included dances, parties, and dining events, with entertainment by John Philip Sousa and the New York Philharmonic, and cuisine by Delmonico's and The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

● Preservation

In 1942, the Jekyll Island Club was sold to the state of Georgia for $675,000, and it was subsequently converted into a state park, with management by the National Park Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The club's buildings were restored and preserved, and they are now open to the public for tours and events, with support from the Jekyll Island Authority and the Historic Preservation Society. The Jekyll Island Club is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated National Historic Landmark, recognized for its significance in American history and architecture, with connections to Monticello, The Breakers, and Biltmore Estate. Today, the club is a popular destination for tourists and history buffs, who come to experience the island's natural beauty and learn about its rich history, with insights from David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin. Category:Historic sites in Georgia