The Growth of Fort George Island
Marsh - Clapboard Creek
Fort George Island
Once proclaimed “The Garden of Florida,” Fort George Island’s rugged roads yield a sense of wild landscape where you can get lost in the adventure of time and space.
“The peculiarity of Fort George Island is, that, more than any other spot I have seen in our country, it seems to unite the vegetation of two zones. The pine and the oak assume a form and a richness that ally them to the rank vegetation of the jungles of the Amazon.”
“The Avenue of Palms” along the Saturiwa Trail
Saturiwa Trail
There is no better way to explore all of the attractions on Fort George Island than traveling along the Saturiwa Trail. Drive, hike, bike, or walk this 4.4-mile loop where you’ll learn more about the island’s rich 5,000-year history.
If you’re driving, there is an audio tour option that takes about 2 hours, but you can stop and go at your own pace. Along the Saturiwa Trail (sa-chur-EE-wa), there are 23 points of interest, each of which has natural, cultural, and historic significance. In the environment that surrounds, you’ll be immersed in lush canopies of live oak blanketed in resurrection fern, palmetto groves, and cedar draped in Spanish moss.
The trail officially starts at the Ribault Club, but on your way to or from this historic landmark, be sure to take a slight detour. About 0.4 miles along Fort George Road from its entrance at Heckscher Drive, you will encounter a large tabby structure with no roof.
Thompson Tabby House (present day)
Thompson Tabby House
The tabby ruins on Fort George Island are a fragile cultural phenomenon. Built in 1854 by Charles Thompson, but never completed, this white tabby home was made of crushed oyster shells, sand, and water plastered together. Thompson owned the island at the time, but there is some debate that the house was actually given to the Muncillna-McGundo family by Zephaniah Kingsley back in 1831 (before Thompson ever would have built it).
Today, the remains reveal window openings, a fireplace area, and rectangular holes from where two pieces of wood were braced together to pour in the tabby. The outer walls fade from bright pink, red, and orange hues of protruding shells to a stoic white flat surface with dark black rimmed edges. Overgrown grass seeps up through the rock and blankets the foundation. Mounds of oyster shells (“middens”) surround the structure. Marsh crabs scurry around the perimeter, diving into crevices of secrets within the cracked foundation.
Saint George Episcopal Church (present day)
Saint George Episcopal Church
Saint George Episcopal Church spearheaded the growth of the island’s population around 1877. This “carpenter gothic” style one-room church with green framed windows and a bright red door still welcomes all for Sunday morning worship services.
Behind the church awaits a small concrete seating area, playground, and walkway to the congregation hall where Bible school and other events are held.
Fort George Hotel - circa 1888 (Florida Memory)
Recreation Era
(1870s - 1929)
During the late 19th century, Fort George Island became a highly desired vacation destination. Only reachable by boat, the island drew wealthy families to the Fort George Hotel, constructed in 1875.
“Almost every room overlooks the ocean and magnificent tropical scenery. The location is called by visitors the most romantic in all Florida.”
Fort George Golf Course - circa 1920 (Florida Memory)
The hotel was a raving good time until 1889 when it burned to the ground. This event, along with the extension of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad and a yellow fever pandemic brought a dreadful end to the tourist era for nearly 40 years.
The Ribault Club, a symbol of optimism, was constructed during the roaring twenties as an exclusive winter resort. Named for the French explorer Jean Ribault, this architectural gem was built in 1928 on the site of the former Fort George Hotel.
Inside this porcelain white, green-shuttered alabaster Neoclassical Revival building, you might have met Winston Churchill and other affluent guests. Winter recreation activities included hunting, fishing, and swinging clubs on a 9-hole Scottish style golf course, a playground for the rich and famous until the Great Depression. The old Fort George Golf Course can still be explored today via the Fairway Loop Trail.
Ribault Club (present day)
Today’s Preservation
(1989 - present day)
In 1989, the State of Florida purchased 581 acres of the island, what is known today as Fort George Island Cultural State Park. The Ribault Club was restored in 2003 as the park’s Visitor’s Center with interpretive educational exhibits and a waterfront venue for special events. There is also a launch behind the club for boats, kayaks, and canoes. This scenic spot offers views of the inlet between the Talbot Islands State Parks.
The island is part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, 46,000-acres of undisturbed coastal wetlands. Whether driving, hiking, or biking the Saturiwa Trail, you’ll travel back in time through major historical milestones of the island’s history and learn more about our native land.
Be sure to check out the other stops along the Fort George Island audio tour, which are designated by brown signs along Fort George Road and Palmetto Avenue. Each landmark has a unique story, leaving you wondering and speculating more about the rich cultural history of this beautiful island.
Pick up an audio CD at the Little Talbot Island State Park Ranger Station or find the MP3 audio and full transcript here.
Explore More:
Learn about the Native American and European settlers on Fort George Island:
Travel back in time on a 4-mile hike along the old Fort George Golf Course: