Little St. Simons, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Virtually untouched for centuries, Little St. Simons Island is a barrier island located on the coast of Georgia (U.S. state)
, and is one of the least developed of Georgia's Golden Isles. The island covers an area of 10000 acres (40.5 km²) and boasts 7 miles of beaches. Little St. Simons Island is located slightly east and north of St. Simons Island and Sea Island
. It is separated from these islands by the Hampton River
and from the marshes of the mainland by Buttermilk Sound. The mouth of the Altamaha River
opens directly north of the island. The island's continuous growth can be attributed to sediment deposited by the undammed Altamaha.
The island has been privately-owned since 1760, and was the Berolzheimer family’s private retreat from 1908 until the late 1970s when they opened the Lodge on Little St. Simons. Today, the island remains accessible only by boat, and anyone wishing to visit the island must make arrangements through the Lodge Office. The Lodge on Little St. Simons provides all-inclusive, overnight accommodations for up to 32 guests. Naturalists offer guided fishing, kayaking, hiking, biking, birding, history and ecological tours. Day Trips may also be arranged.
The majority of the island's acreage is composed of salt marsh
. The island's maritime forest
features cabbage palm
, Southern Live Oak
, Red Cedar
, Red Bay
, Southern Magnolia
and pine
s; often draped in Spanish Moss. Little St. Simons is host to more than 280 species of birds; some are temporary residents who include the island in their migrations, while others are permanent residents. Species of note include: Bald Eagles, Red Knots, Painted Buntings, Roseate Spoonbills, Black-necked Stilts, and Wood Storks.
Backing the island's beaches are pristine dunes which provide nesting habitat for various shorebirds such as: Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers. From May to September, Little St. Simons Island's beaches are patrolled daily and signs of Loggerhead Sea Turtle
nesting are documented.
Several freshwater ponds provide habitat for tree frog
s, alligator
s; and supply drinking water for other animals including the European Fallow Deer. Fallow deer
were introduced for sport in the early 20th century, and may be seen in three colors: solid white, dark chocolate, and tan with white spots.
Sport fishing in the tidal creeks and surf can be very productive for those in search of redfish, black drum, flounder and speckled trout. Off the shores otter
s, dolphin
s, and right whales
swim in the inlets and open waters of the Atlantic Ocean
.
The island's first owner was Samuel Ougspourger, a Swiss colonist from South Carolina
, who purchased the island from King George II
, in 1760, and eight years later sold it to his grandson Gabriel Maniqualt. Little St. Simons Island was eventually acquired by Pierce Butler
, who ran a rice plantation located in the island's extreme northwestern marsh along the Altamaha River
. Today the island is owned by the relatives of Philip Berolzheimer, a wealthy New Yorker who acquired the island in 1908, and by the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson
, and his wife Wendy.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and is one of the least developed of Georgia's Golden Isles. The island covers an area of 10000 acres (40.5 km²) and boasts 7 miles of beaches. Little St. Simons Island is located slightly east and north of St. Simons Island and Sea Island
Sea Island, Georgia
Sea Island is an affluent resort island located in the barrier islands just off the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia in the United States. The resort complex is located in an unincorporated Glynn County....
. It is separated from these islands by the Hampton River
Hampton River (Georgia)
The Hampton River is a tidal river in Glynn County, Georgia. It forms the channel between Saint Simons Island and Little Saint Simons Island on the Atlantic coast.- References :*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Georgia...
and from the marshes of the mainland by Buttermilk Sound. The mouth of the Altamaha River
Altamaha River
The Altamaha River is a major river of the American state of Georgia. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles from its origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it empties into the ocean near Brunswick, Georgia. There are no dams...
opens directly north of the island. The island's continuous growth can be attributed to sediment deposited by the undammed Altamaha.
The island has been privately-owned since 1760, and was the Berolzheimer family’s private retreat from 1908 until the late 1970s when they opened the Lodge on Little St. Simons. Today, the island remains accessible only by boat, and anyone wishing to visit the island must make arrangements through the Lodge Office. The Lodge on Little St. Simons provides all-inclusive, overnight accommodations for up to 32 guests. Naturalists offer guided fishing, kayaking, hiking, biking, birding, history and ecological tours. Day Trips may also be arranged.
The majority of the island's acreage is composed of salt marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
. The island's maritime forest
Maritime forest
A maritime forest is an ocean coastal wooded habitat found on higher ground than dune areas within range of salt spray. They can be found along the Atlantic coast of the United States...
features cabbage palm
Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, palmetto palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm . It is native to the southeastern United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas...
, Southern Live Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
, Red Bay
Persea borbonia
Persea borbonia has a variety of common names, among them are redbay, scrubbay, shorebay and swampbay. It is related to Persea americana or the avocado tree. It is an evergreen tree that is native to North America, north of Mexico.-Description:...
, Southern Magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
s; often draped in Spanish Moss. Little St. Simons is host to more than 280 species of birds; some are temporary residents who include the island in their migrations, while others are permanent residents. Species of note include: Bald Eagles, Red Knots, Painted Buntings, Roseate Spoonbills, Black-necked Stilts, and Wood Storks.
Backing the island's beaches are pristine dunes which provide nesting habitat for various shorebirds such as: Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers. From May to September, Little St. Simons Island's beaches are patrolled daily and signs of Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle , or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to have been discovered...
nesting are documented.
Several freshwater ponds provide habitat for tree frog
Tree frog
Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semi-aquatic.-Characteristics:...
s, alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s; and supply drinking water for other animals including the European Fallow Deer. Fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
were introduced for sport in the early 20th century, and may be seen in three colors: solid white, dark chocolate, and tan with white spots.
Sport fishing in the tidal creeks and surf can be very productive for those in search of redfish, black drum, flounder and speckled trout. Off the shores otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s, dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s, and right whales
Right whale
Right whales are three species of large baleen whales consisting of two genera in the family Balaenidae of order Cetacea. Their bodies are very dark gray or black and rotund....
swim in the inlets and open waters of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
The island's first owner was Samuel Ougspourger, a Swiss colonist from South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, who purchased the island from King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, in 1760, and eight years later sold it to his grandson Gabriel Maniqualt. Little St. Simons Island was eventually acquired by Pierce Butler
Pierce Butler
Pierce Butler was a soldier, planter, and statesman, recognized as one of United States' Founding Fathers. He represented South Carolina in the Continental Congress, the 1787 Constitutional Convention, and the U.S. Senate...
, who ran a rice plantation located in the island's extreme northwestern marsh along the Altamaha River
Altamaha River
The Altamaha River is a major river of the American state of Georgia. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles from its origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it empties into the ocean near Brunswick, Georgia. There are no dams...
. Today the island is owned by the relatives of Philip Berolzheimer, a wealthy New Yorker who acquired the island in 1908, and by the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson
Henry Paulson
Henry Merritt "Hank" Paulson, Jr. is an American banker who served as the 74th United States Secretary of the Treasury. He previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs.-Early life and family:...
, and his wife Wendy.