My family began vesting Jekyll Island back in the mid-1980. Since that first visit, it has become the primary affordable vacation/beach location we go to. I would also like to mention that we travel 8-9 hours from out of state to reach it. I've visited other vacation areas along the Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and even the Pacific, but I find I'm always comparing them to and finding them short of Jekyll.
I believe that the essence of Jekyll's allure lies in its underdeveloped, affordable state. It is truly a park in the sense of the word "park"- a natural, accessible and undeveloped area where the visitor can find relative quiet and privacy. I live just a short drive away from the most-visited park in the state of Tennessee as well as the 2nd or 3rd most visited in the nation- The Smoky Mountains National Park. Please believe me when I say that it is the furthest thing from a "park" that you can find. If a visitor wishes for the "heavy-cash" retail vacation, focused upon numerous activities diverting attention from the natural resources which drew them thither in the first place, that visitor would best be served frequenting this type of location.
Development is so intense that the motels, condos and tourist attractions block the view of the actual mountains people come to see. Traffic is irritating, lengthy and pollutive to the very forests widely advertised. I dare say many of the visitors to the mega-developed towns along the park border never actually enter the park or hike its trails. They are absorbed in the vapid, retail-heavy attractions along the way. This must not be allowed to take a foothold in Jekyll.
This is not to say that some "revitalization" of existing structures in Jekyll would not be appreciated. Updating existing amenities could help with the overall appearance as well as diminishing ecological impact upon the area. It is just important to remember in all actions to retain the natural, primitive scope of the area.
A jewel finds its worth in beauty and most importantly, rarity. The less available a gem the higher its value. That is why Jekyll is indeed a true jewel of the state. It is rare in its natural wildness, in its privacy and seclusion. And paradoxically it is financially accessible to large number of hard-working constituents - a true scarcity in this age. Don't let this precious gem be bought-up by the affluent, as so many jewels are, and kept away from the very citizens of the state whose taxes wrought, cut and polished it to so brilliant a hue.
Alfred Ludwig
Knoxville, TN
