Stay at Home, but Dream of, and Plan, Future Travels! The time of staying at home, being safe and flattening the curve continues, but that doesn’t mean you cannot dream of future travel!
[Read more…] about Stay at Home, but Dream of, and Plan, Future TravelsSt Simon’s Island Hotels on the Beach include Luxurious King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort! My favorite hotel on the island!
June 2019 ~ Southern Living Says:
“Want Real Southern Charm? Plan a Trip to St. Simons Island Now. It’s a coastal gem”
“You’ll find many lodging options on St. Simons, but The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, a member of the Southern Living Hotel Collection, is one of the only oceanfront hotels. Perched on East Beach, a stretch of the island’s finest waterfront, the elegant, over-80-year-old venue is also near Mallery Street, one of the area’s two main drags (the other is Redfern Village)”. https://www.southernliving.com/souths-best/beach-towns
St Simon’s Island Hotels on the Beach include Luxurious King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort is the epitome of southern hospitality in an island setting!
Being on the wrong side of history isn’t unusual, and there are many examples of it in the United States (and around the world). Learning about such circumstances can be very enlightening, and when the wrong is clearly acknowledged I am so appreciative. Not long ago I paid a visit to beautiful St Simon’s Island in the state of Georgia, and learned so much about the history of the area! One of my favorite experiences was our visit to The Harrington School, and meeting Amy Roberts.
My group toured with Cap Fendig’s Lighthouse Trolleys and Tours, and he obtained permission to visit The Harrington School off hours. The school was founded in the 1920s by emancipated slaves on St Simon’s Island. The school provided education for children through 7th grade until the Georgia schools were desegregated in the 1960s. The school became the focal point of African American communities on St Simons Island. Apparently, Gullah Geechee heritage is simply being an American whose origins are in Africa and whose ancestors were slaves. At least that is what I gathered from Amy Roberts, our lovely guide at The Harrington School, which is open to the public.
Amy Roberts was a thoroughly enjoyable personality who attended the Harrington School in the 1950s. Her stories of the school and the community of former slaves and their families was riveting. I learned that Eugenia Price, a southern author, wrote a trilogy about the history and lives of the plantations of St Simons Island. From Amy, I also learned about an incident in St Simons that ought to have tremendous historical influence on us as Americans. The story as I heard it from Amy is that slave catchers “conned” a group of Igbo (now Nigeria) Africans to come to the United States to participate in agricultural endeavors. When they boarded the ship they were chained and learned what their fate was going to be: slavery. The Wanderer, the ship that carried them to America, docked in Savannah where most of the people were bought for about $100 per person by slaveholders John Couper and Thomas Spalding of St Simons’ Island. These poor people were crowded onto the York, a coastal vessel, in chains and transported to Dunbar Creek on St Simons. During the trip, led by their chief, the Igbo rebelled, took over the ship, and drowned their captors. Rather than endure slavery, several of the Igbo people committed suicide by drowning themselves in Dunbar Creek. The story grabbed my heart and I felt this sacrifice in my bone marrow. The event is known as the Igbo Landing Mass Suicide and even though there are accounts that differ regarding the event, the power of this story has a huge impact.
I love the South, but its past is on the wrong side of history. The Harrington School and the stories of “slaves” and their “owners” help to give us a view into the actual humanity of the individuals, and the redemption of the evils of slavery. I feel the same way about Confederate flags and statues, they should be displayed as artifacts of a time in history that must be remembered because of the great wrongs committed, not in honor of their “lost cause”. The idea of the demise of a society based on slavery being “romantic” doesn’t sit right with me. For me, it is an unfathomable evil to “own” people. Glorifying the antebellum society pre Civil War is something people tend to do, without recognizing exactly what they are glorifying. I found the history of St Simons and the birth of an African American community around The Harrington School to be a story of hope, perseverance and honesty on the part of the island, and the people of the island.
A visit to St Simon’s is many things, but among the many activities and quaint streets, there is a history worth knowing.
You should visit amazing St Simons Island if you love animals! I was overjoyed to find different types of interesting animals in and near St Simons. My son in law once asked my daughter why our family always spent our vacations looking at animals. The answer is animals are endlessly fascinating, and important to our ecosystems…. I love them, and since I planned the trips,we traveled to see animals. [Read more…] about Visit Amazing St Simons Island if you Love Animals!
I loved my recent visit to St Simon’s Island and enjoyed the authentic southern history and charm of the place! It truly is like stepping back in time because the island does not allow buildings over four stories, so there are no big name hotels (the Supreme Court ruled that the island could keep their zoning regulations!). No big chain restaurants. Everything is small, authentic, one of a kind. It is very hard to find places like that anymore! Welcome to St Simon’s!
Captain Fendig’s Lighthouse Trolleys and Tours is the best company on the island to get the real scoop and stories. Cap is island born and bred, and he makes sure his tour guides are the real deal.
The Bloody Marsh Battle Site
The end of Spain’s designs on Georgia came on July 7, 1742, when British troops ambushed the Spanish and ended Spanish claims on the colony forever. James Oglethorpe colonized Georgia for Great Britain, but there were many disputes over the Georgia and Florida borders between Spain and Britain. The fight found the Spanish taking cover in the forest….but the outnumbered British caught them by coming across the marsh (swamp) and over 200 Spaniards died. (Want more info? Click on https://www.goldenisles.com/listing/bloody-marsh-battle-site/210/) Cap Fendig took us to the site, and like a true history buff, he had one question for us: what if the Spanish had won? My bet is that everyone would be speaking Spanish on St Simon’s, and probably the whole Eastern seaboard!
St Simon’s Island Lighthouse
There are only five remaining lighthouses in Georgia, and you guessed it, St Simon’s is one of them. It is still in operation, assisting traffic entering St Simon’s Sound. The historic site is beautiful, it houses a fascinating museum, gift shop and yes, you can climb the 129 steps to the top of the lighthouse! For more information go to www.saintsimonslighthouse.org.
Christ’s Church, Frederica
The church was built in 1820 and destroyed by Union soldiers during the Civil War. It is the 3rd oldest Episcopalian Church in the USA. The cemetery was the most fascinating part of the tour…Cap Fendig had a Union Soldier waiting for us at the entrance to the grounds, and the family histories of those buried there were riveting. Many famous Georgians have been laid to rest at Christ Church, including southern novelist Eugenia Price, who wrote the St Simons Trilogy.
One of the most interesting stories is that of Lordy King and Neptune Small. The King family owned Retreat Plantation on St Simon’s Island, and each child of the family had a companion slave with whom to grow up. Henry Lord Page King, called Lordy, had a slave, Neptune, who was only five months younger. They grew up together and all of the children and their companion slaves were taught to read and write by Anna Mathilda Page King, Lordy’s mother. It was not uncommon for slaves to accompany their owners to war, and Neptune went with Lordy when Civil War broke out. Lordy was shot and killed during the Battle of Fredericksburg, VA, in 1862, and Neptune found his body on the battlefield. He enlisted help from the officers to make a simple pine box to carry Lordy’s body, and in Richmond Neptune bought a casket and started home. The story says that Lordy’s siblings met Neptune in Savannah and they buried Lordy in a temporary grave because Union soldiers had taken St Simon’s Island for their headquarters. Neptune then went with Tip King, the youngest brother, when he went to the war, and stayed with him until the surrender. Neptune was free, but he chose to return to Savannah to disinter Lordy and take him home to be buried at Christ Church on St Simons, with his family. The King family gifted a small piece of land on their plantation to Neptune, and he took the name “Small”, apparently because he was a smallish man. He built his house, married, and raised his children there, working for the King family until he died. He was buried in the Retreat Plantation slave graveyard. Now, I am not a person to idealize the antebellum or war time South, and I’m not fond of the display of the Stars and Bars unless it is in a historical context, but I did find the story touching, that a slave who could have been free would have taken his companion home for burial. It speaks to a love or fondness for Lordy on the part of Neptune Small.
Stay tuned for more fascinating stories and blogs about St Simon’s Island and the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort where I stayed in historical and casual splendor! Casual luxury is my favorite kind!
Speaking of casual luxury, be sure and check this out:
http://tamtravels.wpengine.com/at-the-king-and-prince-beach-and-golf-resort-you-can-relax-in-luxury/
Did you know I love to do yoga? I have practiced yoga for many, many years. It keeps me moving physically, and helps clear my head and get into the moment. This fantastic yoga retreat sounds amazing!
St. Simons Island, GA (January 25, 2018) Plan for a ‘Weekend of Living’ at the historic King and Prince Hotel and refresh your soul with ocean breezes + Hatha + Vinyasa + Yin Yoga. Come to stay, practice and play while enjoying classes for all levels of student.
WHEN???? Friday, March 9, 2018 4:00pm ~ Sunday, March 11, 2018 11:00am
The www.Sault108.com residency at The King and Prince is on the books for the quarterly weekend yoga and wellness immersion on St. Simons Island, Georgia. The resort is located on an expanse of beach along the Georgia coast, featuring lush marshes and perfect sunrise views. It’s the perfect backdrop for doing transformational work, connecting with friends and settling into deep relaxation.
The weekend offers a mixture of fiery Vinyasa ~ traditional Hatha ~ and gentle yin yoga PLUS meditation ~ enjoy all five classes or just a few. The event features Traci Jo Lee E-RYT, Christena Devlin RYT and Paige Williamson RYT. They are mindful to teach with attention to sharing modifications for each level from beginner to experienced students.
The Residency includes a choice of accommodations:
All reservations through www.Sault108.com ~ Call Traci at 706-474-1555 to book the Weekend of Living at the King and Prince Hotel.
The weekend includes:
Yoga Only?
Yes, please join us
Drop-in $20.pp
Weekend Pass $108.pp
Snapshot of Weekend
Friday March 9 ~ Check-in 4:00pm
Leisurely check-in, unpack, freshen up, dress for practice
5:00pm Orientation ~ meet in resort lobby
5:30 – 7:00pm ~ Opening practice: Choosing Perspective
Evening Social Hour ~ Adult Beverages ~ Vision Boards
Saturday March 10
7:30-8am ~ Surya Salute + Meditate: sun salutation A + meditation
9:00-10:30 ~ Vinyasa Practice: Part One: Rooting
11:00am-12:15pm ~ Brunch
1:00-2pm ~ Hatha Practice: 7 Core Actions for a Stable Spine
4-5:30pm Yin Practice
Free Time – go enjoy fresh eats on the island!
Sunday March 11
7:15-7:45am ~ Meditate
8:30-10am ~ Vinyasa Practice: Part two: Expanding
10:00-11:00am ~ Brunch
11:00am ~ Check Out
