Description
Jekyll Island's Horton House Historic Site contains the State of Georgia's oldest tabby ruins and consists of three tabby structures:
1. The Horton House is the remnant of a two-story tabby home covered by stucco with two rooms on the remaining ground floor, one of which has a fireplace.
2. The du Bignon family cemetery is directly across the street from the Horton House. A covered tabby wall with a wrought iron gate encloses the graves of Amelia du Bignon, Joseph du Bignon, Marie Felicite Riffault, Hector de Liyannis, and George Harvey.
3. A tabby warehouse, well, and brewery ruins lie adjacent to the cemetery. The tabby is exposed (not covered with stucco).
History
The Horton House was constructed by Major William Horton, who served with Georgia founder James Oglethorpe. Horton was granted Jekyll Island in 1735 and began constructing the home after his arrival in 1736. After the Spanish burned his house, he rebuilt it in 1743. Horton also began construction of the warehouse and brewery. Horton died in 1748, and in the 1790s the Frenchman Poulain du Bignon purchased Jekyll and restored the house for his family. The du Bignons owned the island until 1886, at which point they sold it to the millionaires of the Jekyll Island Club, and the Horton site was abandoned.
Location
GPS: N 31°06.129 and W 81°24.87
Address: Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island GA 31527, on the north side of the island facing the marsh. There is no street number assigned to the Horton site. Drive north past the Historic District, airport, churches, and houses to the sign for the Horton House Historic Site.
Accessibility: There is a toll (currently $6) to cross the Musgrove Downing Causeway to enter the island, but the ruins are free and there is a parking lot at the site.
For more information, see the website of the Jekyll Island Authority, which operates the island for the State of Georgia.
Jekyll Island's Horton House Historic Site contains the State of Georgia's oldest tabby ruins and consists of three tabby structures:
1. The Horton House is the remnant of a two-story tabby home covered by stucco with two rooms on the remaining ground floor, one of which has a fireplace.
2. The du Bignon family cemetery is directly across the street from the Horton House. A covered tabby wall with a wrought iron gate encloses the graves of Amelia du Bignon, Joseph du Bignon, Marie Felicite Riffault, Hector de Liyannis, and George Harvey.
3. A tabby warehouse, well, and brewery ruins lie adjacent to the cemetery. The tabby is exposed (not covered with stucco).
History
The Horton House was constructed by Major William Horton, who served with Georgia founder James Oglethorpe. Horton was granted Jekyll Island in 1735 and began constructing the home after his arrival in 1736. After the Spanish burned his house, he rebuilt it in 1743. Horton also began construction of the warehouse and brewery. Horton died in 1748, and in the 1790s the Frenchman Poulain du Bignon purchased Jekyll and restored the house for his family. The du Bignons owned the island until 1886, at which point they sold it to the millionaires of the Jekyll Island Club, and the Horton site was abandoned.
Location
GPS: N 31°06.129 and W 81°24.87
Address: Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island GA 31527, on the north side of the island facing the marsh. There is no street number assigned to the Horton site. Drive north past the Historic District, airport, churches, and houses to the sign for the Horton House Historic Site.
Accessibility: There is a toll (currently $6) to cross the Musgrove Downing Causeway to enter the island, but the ruins are free and there is a parking lot at the site.
For more information, see the website of the Jekyll Island Authority, which operates the island for the State of Georgia.
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