Discover the Charm of Kingsland, Georgia

Story and photos
by Kathleen Walsl

Kingsland is a perfect base to explore Southeast Georgia. It's just across the Florida line, so it's an easy drive for me. It's just off I 95, so it's easy to get to from anywhere in the east.

Lodging

I stayed at the Best Western Plus, and it was very comfortable. Plus, they offer a delicious free breakfast.

If you're RVing or want a cabin, Crooked River State Park, on the St. Mary's River, has tent camping, RVing and cabins. Walkabout RV Park, in Woodbine, offers camping with an Aussie twist. Even if not staying there, you can visit their farm animals in their mini-zoo.

Explore Kingsland Area

Start your visit at historic Lee Street and visit Thiokol Memorial Museum to learn about the chemical plant explosion that rocked Georgia during the Vietnam War. The plant manufactured tripflares for the military. This was one of the worst industrial tragedies in US history. The explosion killed 29 and injuring another 50 people, primarily women of color, who did not know how dangerous the material they were using was.

During strawberry season or when any of the other crops Farmer Bob grows, you can do a U-Pick at Merck Farm. I picked some luscious strawberries.

For some nighttime fun, visit the Woodbine Opry where Friday and Saturday night, talented local musicians play some old-time music in the historic Old Woodbine School. The night I visited, I heard many of my favorite old-time songs: "I Still Miss Someone," "Seminole Wind," "Lucille," and the old Ralph Stanley classic "One Drop of Water."

Do stop and see the Veteran’s Memorial Park. It’s a reminder to never forget the brave men and women who serve in our military.

There is no shortage of great dining places in Camden County. Steffens Restaurant, which opened in 1948 as a "Fight House" with a small concession stand specializing in donuts, is a staple in Kingsland. They serve home cooked style meals.

Captain Stan's Smokehouse is set in a gorgeous outdoor setting with an ancient oak tree. It serves fantastic BBQ and has a live band on weekends.

If you have a hankering for fresh seafood, try Ship 2 Shore.

Okefenokee Swamp

Branch out a few miles to the west and see the wildlife and plants that make Okefenokee Swamp unique. Take a boat tour at Okefenokee Adventures. You won't believe the variety of wildlife on the tour. There were more alligators than I could count: lots of water birds, some turtles, and amazing plants that you seldom see anywhere else.

If you're hungry after the boat tour, there's a cafe and a small museum to learn more about the swamp.

Then drive out Swamp Island Drive to the historic Chesser Island Homestead in the midst of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

St. Mary's

Kingsland is just a few minutes away from St. Mary's. Browse the historic homes here. Visit the Submarine Museum, the Cumberland Island Museum & War and 1812 Exhibit, and dine at Riverside Cafe. Southern River Walk Bar & Grill, or Locals Dockside. The Café at Cottle & Gunn combines one-of-a-kind vintage items with food. 

For some watery fun, take a guided kayak paddle around St. Marys Harbor with Adventures up the Creek. Jennifer Koerner, our guide, does a wonderful job.

Cumberland Island

If you have an extra day, take the ferry over to Cumberland Island, one of the small barrier islands on the Atlantic coast that helps protect the mainland when hurricanes strike. Here you can relive the era of the Carnegies, watch feral horses play, and visit historic ruins in a primitive preserved spot where civilization hasn't encroached too much. There are no bridges to the island. The National Park Service provides ferry service for no more than 300 visitors a day. You depart from the dock in St. Marys Georgia.

Inland, the huge oaks sprawl near the ground providing a haven for birds, squirrels and weary hikers. You will note the island grass is kept trimmed by the feral horses and wild deer you will find there. The island's horses are a relic of many cultures, ranging from the abandoned horses of the Spanish explorers to the fine riding horses and dray animals once owned by the Carnegies. In 1882, Thomas Carnegie acquired most of the island and built a replica of a Scottish castle on the site of the original Dungeness ruins built by Oglethorp. When Thomas died in 1886, his wife, Lucy, continued using Dungeness as a seasonal home for many years. Gradually, the magnificent showplace fell into disrepair. A fire ravaged it in 1959, leaving only a skeleton.

There are only a few dirt roads and trails, so expect to hike, rent a bike or bring your own for transportation around the island.

Ice House Museum

Ice House Museum near the Dungeness dock is a good place to start your exploration. It tells the history of the island from the initial English explorers in 1733 with the arrival of James Oglethorpe, who build forts on San Pedro, which he renamed Cumberland Island after William Augustus, the duke of Cumberland.

Shortly after the Revolutionary War, General Nathaniel Greene planned his home on the site of an old hunting camp belonging to General Oglethorpe. Greene died before it could be built. His wife, Catherine, continued with his plans and constructed an elegant four-story mansion she named "Dungeness."  Catherine and her second husband, Phineas Miller, and her children operated a vast Sea Island cotton plantation.

Tabby House

That mansion is long gone, leaving only what is now the oldest standing building on the island. It is called the Tabby House and probably served as the Millers' temporary residence while constructing the mansion. The Tabby House later served as an office for the Carnegie estate. It lies a few dozen yards from the ruins of the Carnegie mansion.

The Carnegies later deeded most of their land to the National Park Service, so today 90% of the island is a national park. Cumberland Island offers a nature lovers' paradise with miles of hiking trails, dirt roads and sandy beaches. The Carnegies specified that the land was never to be developed and remain preserved as a national treasure.

There is a Footsteps Tour, depending on staff availability, that walks you through the Dungeness Historic District. They begin at Dungeness Dock at 10:00am and 12:45pm. Walking tour lasts about an hour and covers about one mile.

Note that there are no concessions or restaurants on Cumberland Island. You must bring food and water for the day. There are places to refill your water bottle on the southern end of the island.

Remember to pack sunscreen and bug repellent. The rule is if you bring it in, be prepared to pack it out. Passengers on the van tours may only bring a small backpack or bag. No hard coolers or camera tripods are permitted. Bicycles can be transported on ferry for a small fee but only a limited number due to limited space. You can rent a bike on the island (first come, first served.)

Cell phone reception is sketchy on the island.

North End of Cumberland

The ferry stops at Sea Camp Dock for those staying overnight on Cumberland Island. Options include Sea Campground, Stafford Beach, Hickory Hill, Yankee Paradise, and Brickhill Bluff campgrounds. All are primitive, and you must carry out all your trash as there are no garbage cans.

Land and Legacies Tour

Another reason the ferry goes to Sea Camp Dock is that Land and Legacy Tours depart from there. It's a five to six-hour tour in a ten-seat van over about 30 miles of unpaved road that takes you to the north end of the island.

Remember, the island is 18 miles long. You can bring a bike or rent one at the dock, but that is a long way to pedal, so if you want to see the north end of the island, take this tour. Not only does the tour take you through many buildings, but your guide gives a detailed history of each place along the route. Frequently, you will stop to see the feral horses on this end of the island and the other wildlife, like turkeys, deer, and armadillos. According to Mike, our guide, there are three separate herds on the island, the south end one around Dungeness Ruins, a herd near Stafford Plantation site, and one near The Settlement.

Greyfield Inn

Greyfield Inn, the only lodging on the island, is a pricier option for spending a night on the island. Greyfield was a wedding gift from Lucy Carnegie to their daughter Margaret. It is still owned and operated by Carnegie descendants, Mitty Ferguson, Margaret's great-grandson, and his wife Mary. The tour doesn't take you inside, but the guide tells its history as you pass outside.

Plum Orchard

Plum Orchard was another wedding gift from the Carnegies to the oldest son, George, and his bride, Margaret. You do tour it on the Land and Legacy Tour. It's a magnificent 30-room Classical Revival style home.

After George died in 1921, his widow sold the furniture and abandoned the house. The youngest Carnegie, Nancy, moved into Plum Orchard. There are many artifacts left by Nancy Carnegie and her second husband, Doctor Marius Johnston. The home had running water and electricity before it was available in most other places. There's a swimming pool and squash court inside the home.

Stafford Plantation

Stafford Plantation predates Carnegie history. Robert Stafford, the largest plantation owner on Cumberland Island, disapproved of slavery and treated his slaves differently. They could earn money after their duties and were encouraged to save it. Stafford insisted they learn reading, writing, and arithmetic, and provided a church and hospital. He had two mixed-race families with large trust funds, and one daughter, Nancy, became one of the first African American doctors.

His plantation was purchased from his heirs by Lucy Carnegie and gifted to her eldest son, William, upon his marriage to Margaret Ely. January 5, 1900, a fire destroyed the original Stafford mansion. A year later, William built another house on the site. He turned portions of the original cotton field into a nine-hole golf course. You will visit the cemetery where Stafford, his mother, and sister are buried. The golf course is now overgrown and all that remains of the slave quarters cannot be seen, as they are on private land currently owned by the Rockefellers.

The Settlement

After the Civil War ended, Stafford's freed slaves migrated farther north on the island and lived in what they called The Settlement. Union Soldiers returned home and told friends about the pleasant southern winters. That created a market for hotels on the island. Hotel developers saw the already-in-place African Americans as an excellent source of hired help. They sold the residents lots for $11, where they could build houses. The Great Depression ended the hotels. African American residents left for jobs on the mainland. 

Today just a few buildings remain at The Settlement. There is the African American Church where JFK, Jr. was married. Kennedy chose this location for privacy. The church and one other building are open for visits.

The other open building was the home of Beulah Alberty, daughter of one of the original homeowners. Beulah was a college-educated schoolteacher. She returned to The Settlement and helped the community with legal matters, started a school for the children, and became known as the Mayor of The Settlement. Her house is unfurnished but has photos and restrooms but no drinkable water.

Next to the church, there is an old red house. It is dilapidated and not safe to enter. It possibly belonged to Beulah's uncle, Rogers Alberty.

The other standing house here is labeled with a large banner stating "Wildcumberland.org" and belongs to Carol Ruckdeschel, a self-taught biologist who opposed the island tours, feral horses, and much of the visitor use of the island. Do not trespass on her property. Carol does not welcome visitors and in the past, shot and killed a supposedly violent ex-boyfriend here.

It's impossible to overrate the charm and mystic of this island where there are few cars, just walkers and bikers. Feral horses, wildlife, and history claim Cumberland as their own.

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