by Patrick Carmody, Museum Educator
Meet the latest addition to the Jekyll Island Museum’s fleet: a bright red Jeep that has been improving the museum’s trolley offerings since October! This vehicle is a 2016 Jeep Wrangler that has proven incredibly helpful in everything at the museum—from Landmark District tours to the October program, Gilded Age Ghosts and Ghouls.
The museum is well known for its iconic trolley tours of the historic district as part of the daily offerings and educational programs provided, with this vehicle enhancing the experience for guests and museum tour guides alike. The Jeep delivers a smooth ride each and every day, making it a favorite among tour guides.
The museum’s fleet of vehicles now includes five trolleys ranging from one car to three cars, two of the Millionaire Motorcars, and one golf cart—all supporting tour guides and museum staff in increasing awareness of Jekyll Island’s dynamic history. These vehicles are critical to day-to-day operations as well as more specific offerings, such as the Holly Jolly Light Tours, being offered on select evenings from November 28 through January 4.
With the addition of this new trolley, the Jekyll Island Museum has increased capacity to offer guests a memorable visit while staying true to traditions established in previous years.
This addition is part of ongoing upgrades to the museum’s trolleys, following previous improvements to speaker systems across the fleet that began in 2024. Will Wagner, Director of Historic Resources, envisions continued growth in trolley enhancements, aiming for a more reliable and easily repairable group of vehicles for tour guides to utilize. Wagner anticipates that within a few years, the museum will operate five Jeeps with three cars each, creating a strong backbone for transportation needs.
The need for trolley improvements was identified when Wagner first joined in spring 2024, and upgrades have been spearheaded ever since. Future trolley vehicles will maintain the iconic red coloring, with the newest addition featuring a vinyl wrap to align with the museum’s established theme.
The future looks bright for the museum’s offerings as a smooth-running fleet of vehicles comes within reach. This progress would not have been possible without support from the Jekyll Island Foundation, who’s generous donors provde financial resources to acquire this vehicle and initiate the process of improving the museum’s trolleys.
To partner with the Historic Resources team, helping to preserve these unique spaces for future generations, click HERE.
