2020 August

Tabby House On Jekyll Island

Built of tabby around 1743, this sturdy structure was the home of Major William Horton. Horton was granted Jekyll Island by the Trustees of the colony of Georgia in 1738 and he made a name for himself as the leader of the struggling colony. As one of General Oglethorpe's top military aides, Horton was responsible for the troops at Fort Frederica on nearby St. Simons island.

Horton is said to have "found the land [of Jekyll Island] exceedingly rich" and grew a variety of crops to feed those on the Frederica Settlement. He also brewed Georgia's first beer on his Jekyll Island plantation. Alright, Willy!!!

Horton's first home on Jekyll Island was destroyed by a Spanish attack. He rebuilt his second house out of tabby, a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to create lime, then mixing it with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells. The mixture was used in present-day Florida and North Carolina and then later on by British colonists in the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina. You can see the shards of seashell in the walls. Obviously, this stuff withstands the test of time.

Know before you go:

• Load up on the bug spray (skeeters are love a tropical environment)

• Don't touch the Spanish moss (full of itch-inducing chiggers)

• Watch where you step (snakes hang out here sometimes)

• Experience the Horton House at night via a Lighthouse Trolleys ghost tour