A Visit To Cumberland Island
Do you remember where John Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Bessette were married?
Answer: Cumberland Island off the Georgia coast. Cumberland Island is the most accessible of Georgia’s “wild” barrier islands and offers an unforgettable adventure for anyone who makes the journey.
If you have the time to spend three days on a national treasure full of historic ruins, wild horses, and deserted beaches and stay at the Greyfield Inn (an excellent top-tier bed and breakfast inn), you need to visit Cumberland Island.
History of Cumberland Island
One of the most famous estates on the Georgia coast was Dungeness, owned by Revolutionary War hero Gen. Nathanael Greene, who commanded the Southern Department of the war. While he owned Mulberry Grove Plantation near Savannah, he also planned to build a massive mansion on Cumberland Island near the site of Oglethorpe’s Dungeness hunting lodge. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to complete his plans. His wife, Catherine, remarried ten years later to Phineas Miller, and they followed through on Greene’s designs, building a vast, four-story tabby mansion on top of an Indian shell mound. With 6-foot thick walls at the base, the estate featured four chimneys and 16 fireplaces and was surrounded by 12 acres of gardens.
When the island was briefly occupied during the War of 1812, the British used Dungeness as their headquarters. Here a British captain named John Fraser met and eventually married a southern belle named Ann Couper, a family member that owned Cannon’s Point plantation on St. Simons.
It is believed that the wild horses came to the island during the British occupation. Currently, there are about 150 horses on the island.
When the island was briefly occupied during the War of 1812, the British used Dungeness as their headquarters. Here a British captain named John Fraser met and eventually married a southern belle named Ann Couper, a family member that owned Cannon’s Point plantation on St. Simons.
It is believed that the wild horses came to the island during the British occupation. Currently, there are about 150 horses on the island.
After the Civil War
The plantation economy dealt a death blow with the Civil War, Dungeness deteriorated, and the family moved away. Enslaved people were rounded up by the Union Army and moved to Amelia Island, but some returned to Halfmoon Bluff on the northern end in an area known as The Settlement. Formerly enslaved people may have been the cause of the fire of 1866 that destroyed the historic mansion. Another legend tells the story of Cumberland plantation owner Robert Stafford burning the quarters of his former slaves after they refused to work for him after gaining their freedom.
The island remained abandoned until the 1880s, when Pittsburgh millionaire Thomas Carnegie, brother of Andrew, acquired the Dungeness property for use as a winter retreat. On the foundations of the Greene-Miller-Shaw Dungeness, the Carnegies built an even grander mansion in 1884. The third Dungeness, at its peak, was a 59-room turreted Scottish castle with a pool house, squash court, golf course, and 40 other buildings that accommodated a staff of 200. Thomas died before the mansion was finished, but his widow, Lucy, and their nine children continued to develop Cumberland. Lucy purchased 90 percent of the island, and she and her heirs built Cumberland’s most famous buildings, including Greyfield, Stafford, and Plum Orchard. Dungeness remained occupied off and on until 1959 when it tragically burned. Greyfield is a private inn, and Plum Orchard, an 1898 Georgian-revival mansion, is administered by the National Park Service. President Richard Nixon signed the bill on October 23, 1972. The Carnegie family sold the island to the federal government. With donations from the Mellon Foundation, Cumberland Island became a national park.
The island remained abandoned until the 1880s, when Pittsburgh millionaire Thomas Carnegie, brother of Andrew, acquired the Dungeness property for use as a winter retreat. On the foundations of the Greene-Miller-Shaw Dungeness, the Carnegies built an even grander mansion in 1884. The third Dungeness, at its peak, was a 59-room turreted Scottish castle with a pool house, squash court, golf course, and 40 other buildings that accommodated a staff of 200. Thomas died before the mansion was finished, but his widow, Lucy, and their nine children continued to develop Cumberland. Lucy purchased 90 percent of the island, and she and her heirs built Cumberland’s most famous buildings, including Greyfield, Stafford, and Plum Orchard. Dungeness remained occupied off and on until 1959 when it tragically burned. Greyfield is a private inn, and Plum Orchard, an 1898 Georgian-revival mansion, is administered by the National Park Service. President Richard Nixon signed the bill on October 23, 1972. The Carnegie family sold the island to the federal government. With donations from the Mellon Foundation, Cumberland Island became a national park.
Our Visit
We had taken a 3-day side trip to Cumberland Island when we were staying on Amelia Island for a couple’s weekend with friends from Atlanta. Amelia Island is north of Jacksonville on the border of the Florida-Georgia line, which is another excellent place to visit if you haven’t already.
The only way you can get to Cumberland Island is by boat. However, a ferry service from Amelia Island to Cumberland Island or St. Marys in Georgia. The ferry ride from Amelia was only 40 minutes long and very lovely.
Upon arriving at the dock, we were met by folks from the Greyfield Inn who took our luggage, and we walked to the inn. Except for service vehicles from the inn or the National park service, no cars are allowed.
We got checked in, grabbed a boxed lunch already prepared for us, and took off on bikes to explore the island.
The only way you can get to Cumberland Island is by boat. However, a ferry service from Amelia Island to Cumberland Island or St. Marys in Georgia. The ferry ride from Amelia was only 40 minutes long and very lovely.
Upon arriving at the dock, we were met by folks from the Greyfield Inn who took our luggage, and we walked to the inn. Except for service vehicles from the inn or the National park service, no cars are allowed.
We got checked in, grabbed a boxed lunch already prepared for us, and took off on bikes to explore the island.
Greyfield Inn
The white, Colonial-style home with a broad, covered veranda was built in 1901 as a vacation retreat for Margaret Ricketson, the daughter of Lucy and Thomas Carnegie. In the ’60s, Margaret’s daughter, Lucy Ferguson, turned it into an inn.
 |
| Mitty and Mary Ferguson |
Mitty Ferguson, great-great-grandson of Thomas Carnegie, and his wife Mary run Greyfield Inn. Also, Mitty often pilots the inn’s ferry, which brings guests to the island from the dock in Fernandina Beach, Fla.
The Fergusons and Mitty’s sister Gogo, a jewelry designer, still live on the island. They live in a house with a wraparound porch, seen from the Greyfield veranda. Gogo’s house and attached jewelry shop are next to the Greyfield barn. Several other Carnegie homes are nearby.
The Fergusons and Mitty’s sister Gogo, a jewelry designer, still live on the island. They live in a house with a wraparound porch, seen from the Greyfield veranda. Gogo’s house and attached jewelry shop are next to the Greyfield barn. Several other Carnegie homes are nearby.
 |
| GoGo Jewelry |
I had the opportunity to meet Gogo back in 2016 when she was lecturing at ADAC and displaying her beautiful jewelry collection.
 |
| Greyfield Inn |
I should mention that there is limited cell phone service and no Wifi at Greyfield Inn (however, for guests who require Internet, data service is generally available through most cell phone carriers). So instead, old-fashioned reading and good conversations with the people you meet at the inn are recommended. The food is exceptional, and you dress up for dinner.
Wild horses are everywhere on the island, and many spend time close to the inn.
Here I am reading the map on the deserted beach. Not a human insight to give me directions…
These birds are called Oyster Catchers and were my beach companions.
You may not see humans, but horses will join you on the beach. They are used to seeing tourists but they never approached us. You are not allowed to feed them which is probably why they ignored us.
We rode bikes to the ruins, an easy 2-mile trip from the inn.
Dungeness as it looked before the fire in 1959. A fire destroyed the deserted castle, some say by poachers hell-bent on destroying “this forbidden land” flourishing with the game and modern conveniences. Seen from as far away as St. Marys, Dungeness burned for three days.
 |
| Dungeness before the fire in 1959 |
The Dungeness ruins today.
The Dungeness ruins and the wild horses on the property.
This horse skeleton hangs by Gogo Ferguson’s home and jewelry shop by Greyfield Inn.
Here we are biking on the Live Oak-lined trails of Cumberland Island.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my trip to Cumberland Island.
It’s a beautiful place to experience for yourself!!
Until next time.
Thanks for stopping by!
It’s a beautiful place to experience for yourself!!
Until next time.
Thanks for stopping by!
As a native of Northeast Florida whose family’s roots date back to the 1870’s along Trout River I truly appreciated your article on one of my favorite places to roam. I was fortunate to become acquainted with Mary and Mitty first as guests and then friends during the 90’s. While it’s been a few years since my last visit to their oasis the memories of the beauty and hospitality found in and around Greyfield remain fresh in my mind. Thanks for awaking those wonderful memories.
Looks really amazing. Wild.
I promise I will take you there if you ever come to the states.
Bring GG!
XXOOXX
Cumberland Island looks like a wonderful spot to visit. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos with us. It is definetly worth a road trip!T
Maybe we should do a girl’s trip to Jacksonville or Amelia Island and meet up with our Florida friends.
We can easily spend a day on Cumberland Island from there!
This will have to be the list of places to visit list next time we’re on road trip in the states. Such an interesting post it’s almost liberating to be without Wi-Fi on occasions .
Susan,
I hope you do get a chance to visit Cumberland island. It’s truly beautiful and the wild horses are amazing! It was so much fun to see them everywhere on the beach and on our bike ride!
That sounds like such a wonderful place to visit!