Tybee Island

James Mack Adams

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2000
• ISBN:
  9781439627679
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Tybee Island is a tiny piece of land, only-two-and-a-half miles long and two-thirds of a mile wide; however, its strategic location near the mouth of the Savannah River assigned to it an important role in the birth and history of the state of Georgia.

Over this coastal community five flags have flown, representing Spain, France, England, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America. Using numerous vintage photographs from the archives of the Tybee Island Historical Society, Tybee Island guides the reader through over two hundred years of history. Although much of its history is linked to nearby Savannah, Tybee is singular among Georgia's coastal islands, and has a history and lore that is uniquely its own. This visual journey begins with the building of Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse, and continues through Tybee's involvement in the Civil War. Also covered are the island's later roles as a military installation, a popular coastal resort, and a residential community. Vintage photographs recall earlier days on Tybee, when the island was known as "Ocean City, " "Savannah Beach, " and, to some, "the best kept secret on the East Coast."

Six

ISLAND LIFE

Better accessibility to Tybee Island as a result of the opening of the Tybee Road enabled more people to establish both summer homes and year-round residences on the island. This scene shows typical beach cottages in the background.

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, part-time residents seeking an escape from the summer heat of the city built beach cottages along Tybee’s shore line. The cottages were designed by their owners to take full advantage of the ocean breezes, and also to survive the often brutal forces of nature that are typical of Tybee and other low-lying coastal areas.

The elevated design of the typical beach cottage protected it from rising flood waters and tides. The design also improved air circulation that cooled the home. The air circulation also had a drying effect that deterred rotting of the wood structure. Heart pine was a favorite building material because it was hard and dense and filled with sap. These characteristics were said to be an impediment to termites.

Some recognizable architectural features of a typical Tybee beach cottage are its wraparound porches and large windows and doors that work together to provide natural air conditioning. Louvered shutters on the windows could be closed to protect against the elements, while still providing for air flow about the house. The high pitch of the hipped roof also played a role in cooling the home’s interior. Historic preservationists have pointed out that this beach cottage architecture may no longer exist anywhere but Tybee Island. Several of the unique beach cottages have been restored and continue to echo back to Tybee’s early days as a residential island.

These photographs illustrate two examples of other types of beach architecture that could be found on Tybee Island during the early 1900s. Examples of early island architecture still exist on Tybee, but many of the older homes have been replaced by more modern single or multi-family dwellings.

A popular commercial and pleasure activity for Tybee residents is fishing in the ocean or the many rivers and creeks that border the island. A large sea bass was caught by this lucky angler from the early 1900s while fishing off the sea wall.

Fishing success is all a matter of perspective. Young David Doyle is shown here displaying his catch. Could that be a look of disappointment and not pride on his face? Perhaps he was a little unhappy about being photographed. David later served at Fort Screven in the 72nd Co. CAC.

The early 20th century saw the establishment of several private clubs on Tybee Island. Two of the most popular were the Atlantic Club and the Amfico Club. The two photographs on this page are of the members and clubhouse of the Atlantic Club. As the sign indicates, the private clubs were open to members and guests only, and undoubtedly offered to their members some amenities that were not available to the average resident or weekend visitor. The heavier clothing worn by some of the people indicate the photos may have been taken during the late fall or winter. (Courtesy Margaret Trexler.)

Tybee Island has always been a favorite place for hosting house parties and family gatherings, traditions that continue to the present day. The saying is that if you have a house at the beach, you will surely have a lot of house guests. This 1890 photograph is typical of a family reunion of the time. A family day o...