By Stephanie Jackson
JIA Museum Educator
The preservation of Hollybourne has been a project near and dear to many hearts for over twenty years. The Bridge Builder’s Cottage, as it is often referred to, is unique among the many cottages on Jekyll Island. This project, while long from complete, is allowing us to preserve the beauty of the cottage for future visitors to the island. Many volunteers have donated their time to the project over the years, and many groups such as the Jekyll Island Foundation have helped to fund renovations for the cottage. In recent years, Jekyll Island has brought on a preservationist to oversee the project and to assist our wonderful volunteers. Taylor Davis, Jekyll Island’s historic preservationist, began his preservation journey at Hollybourne. He has been involved with projects on the island since 2004, back when he was an intern here on the island. Taylor’s appreciation for Hollybourne is evident the moment you ask him about the building:
“The incredible thing about Hollybourne is that it was shuttered since the beginning of the state era. The fortunate thing about this is that because it was shuttered, there are no changes from the mid-century such as painted wood trim that we have had to correct. Now that we are in the process of preserving the cottage, we are very thankful for our dedicated volunteers and the Foundation. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, we are able to return the cottage back to its original state.”
But there is a lot more work to be done. If you are looking for a small way to help support this project, while getting a chance to see the interior of the cottage, then join us for a special tour of the Bridge Builder’s Cottage! Tours will take place every Saturday during the month of May. Each tour will be led by one of our knowledgeable guides and provide an opportunity to see the beauty of this unique cottage. As tours are only offered at special times during the year, they fill up fast. Sign up today in order to reserve your spot on this special behind-the-scenes opportunity! Register on Ticketleap.
