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St. Simons Island, Georgia is a popular resort area and retirement community.

St. Simons Island GA History

The first inhabitants of St. Simons Island were Mocama, Timucua and Guale Indians who arrived in 2,000 b.c. Ponce de Leon claimed the region for Spain in 1513. Hernando de Soto later explored western Georgia in 1540. Jean Ribault led a French expedition that traveled up the coast from Florida in 1562. He called St. Simons Island the "Ile de Loire."

From 1606 to 1655, Spain established 70 missions along the coast. The Franciscan mission San Buenaventura de Guadalquini was one of three on St. Simons. In 1684, English pirates ransacked and burned San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, causing the Timucuan Indians to abandon the island.

The first permanent English settlement on St. Simons came in 1736. James Edward Oglethorpe founded the town of Frederica on the island. Oglethorpe returned to England in 1745 and the town was eventually destroyed by a fire.

By the 1790’s, the island was filled with large, prosperous plantations run with slave labor. During the Civil War, most of the plantations were destroyed, houses ransacked and buildings were burned. The island’s economy did not recover until 1874 with the start of a lumber mill and the resort industry.

St. Simons Island Georgia – Friendly Island Atmosphere

St. Simons Island, Georgia is known today for its many resorts. Its pleasant climate and friendly atmosphere make the Island a wonderful place to visit and to live.