Cumberland Island

Plum Orchard February 2007

Pool House Forward

Pool House Introduction

Pool House General Description

Pool House Hunting Lodge

Pool House Dressing Rooms

Pool House Pool Chamber

Pool House Squash Court

Pool House Game Rooms

Pool House Utilities

Pool House Surroundings

Pool House Drawings

Pool House Photographs

Cumberland Island is a National Seashore located just off the South Georgia Coast.  It is part of a chain of off-shore islands called "the Golden Islands" because of the color of the reeds and grasses at sunset.

Occupied by the Indians, then the Spanish, then the British, then the U.S. this island was part of the "Debatable Lands" between the British and Spanish colonial forces.  After the American Revolution, General Greene's widow built the 1st Dungeness on the Island.  A 4 story tabby construction, it withstood hurricanes and floods, but was burned at the end of the Civil War.

Before the Civil War, Cumberland Island was the home to several cotton plantations growing sea island cotton; one of the finest cotton fibers in the world.  Plantation owner Stafford was the primary land owner at that time.  After the Civil War, most of the island fell into a certain degree of lawlessness with the exception of the North End.

The economic boom that the Civil War brought to Northern manufacturers also started a boom of wealthy northerners seeking warmer climates during the winter.  The North End of Cumberland Island had a large hotel and staff that serviced the steam boats carrying tourists from the North to warmer, winter weather. With the arrival of the railroads and passenger cars, this business soon dried up.

In the 1880's the Carnegies decided the island would make a good place to winter and proceeded to buy most of the island.  They constructed another Dungeness since the original had burned.  They also built or remodeled 4 other mansions on the island for their children.  Those mansions were Plum Orchard (owned by the National Park Service), Greyfield (now a private bed and breakfast), Stafford (privately owned), and The Cottage (which burned).

I hope you will tour some of the pages and photographs I have taken of this wonderful island.  Enjoy.

If you have any suggestions or corrections that need to be made to these pages, please let me know.

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