Cumberland Island, Tour

Last fall when we did the long bike ride to Plum Orchard, we were passed by a number of vans. I later found out that there are day tours of the island out of St Marys. We made reservations for today. Mark and Karen have never stopped at Cumberland Island. We have, many times, but have never seen the northern end. We meet the tour group at the ranger station after everyone else gets off the morning ferry.

Our first stop is Plum Orchard one of the "cottages" for the Carnegie children. 

Plum Orchard

 On the bookself of the ladies lounge

   

Kohler Then

Kohler Now

The basement tour of Plum Orchard was very interesting with all of latest the turn of the centry technology
























 

Water powered Otis Elevator

We have a very informative guide and learn a lot about the plantation history of the island. We know a fair amount on the Carnegie’s ownership of the Island during the Gilded Age of the mega-wealthy. The Robert Stafford Plantation was one of the largest cotton plantations. Stafford was unique in his operation of his plantation. He educated his slaves to read and write, against the law in the south. His slaves essentially did piece work, once their designated tasks for the day were done, so many pounds of cotton, they were free to work their own gardens. They were encouraged to sell their excess and Stafford had a bank where he insisted they save their money. He provided hunting guns to the slaves to supplement their diet. At the end of the Civil War a number of hotels opened on the north end of the island and hired all the freed slaves. Because of their education, they were the key employees and managers of the hotels. When offered home building lots loans, they declined and boight them out right with their savings from Stafford’s bank. They were all fully employed for 35 years until the railroads expanded in Florida allowing the wealthy northerners to spend their winters further south.
 


We also visited the Church were JFK Jr. was married from the prying eyes of the press. Even the locals who worked on the island were oblivious to the wedding activities until it was over. 

After the tour group and the last ferry left, we all walked to the beach and have it to ourselves. Shell collecting is pretty good. We head back to boat and I make pizza for dinner.


 

Sand Turtle

Mark & Karen walking back from the beach