The Enchanting Beauty of the Golden Isles in Georgia

This weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Sea Island, Georgia for an event on my recent book, “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.” I was able to drive around the island and the adjoining St. Simons Island. Despite the unusually cold weather, this unique place was spellbinding. I cannot recommend a visit more for our blog community.

Sea Island is a privately owned island in Glynn County. It is part of the Golden Isles, along with St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Little St. Simons Island. The book event was held at the Cloisters resort, a gorgeous, historic property with a wonderful beach.

The Golden Isles are covered in old oaks with Spanish moss. Walking through them is like walking through a movie set of a Southern Gothic.

As will come as no surprise to regulars on this blog, my first stop was the famous British fort on St. Simons Island. The fort and town were built by British General James Oglethorpe, a social reformer with a fascinating history. The town held around 630 regular troops and around 1,000 townspeople. I was struck by the sign on one of the ruins that said that the nicest building on the property was the candlestick maker who exported candles and soaps from the island.

Oglethorpe led the troops in defeating Spanish invaders who landed in the nearby marsh in what became known as the War of Jenkins’ Ear, so named after the ear of British sea captain Robert Jenkins, whose ear was severed in April 1731 as Spanish coast guards searched his ship for contraband. The British destroyed the Spanish force in the marsh.

The fort is a gorgeous stretch of old oaks leading into the marshes with some remaining gun placements (most of the town and fort burned down in a major fire).

I had the pleasure of speaking with historical reenactors who live in motor homes near the fort as they travel to such sites. They came from all over the United States and had a wealth of knowledge of the island and its history.

Karen was baking bread and making a wonderful bean and sausage stew as well as a pie- all on the fire pit. Karen put the rolls on a bed of cinders and then covered it with another cinder layer to create an oven. These volunteers truly bring historical sites to life and their enthusiasm for history is contagious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the fort, Leslie and I went to a local favorite for lunch, Barbara Jean’s on St. Simons Island.

The family restaurant menu seems to have been written by Bubba from Forrest Gump:

However, beyond every type of shrimp, the biggest draw is their different crab cakes.

We started with what was my favorite (the dirty rice) and Leslie had their famous She Crab soup. They also serve four different kinds of fresh bread, including my corn bread with jalapeño.

We then followed with the crab cakes and the shrimp & grits. They were outstanding and we could barely put a dent into the entries. As with everyone on these islands, the staff was incredibly friendly and shared a great deal local information, including such local famous sons as football legend Jim Brown (who was born on St. Simons).

From the history to the beaches to the cuisine, the Golden Isles are a delight that should not be missed. This is only an hour and a half from Jacksonville and worth a visit. Just bring a good amount of time and a healthy appetite.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”