James Oglethorpe 1773
"The river is wide, the water fresh, and from the key of the town you
can see its whole course to the sea, with the island of Tybee which
forms the mouth of the river... The landscape is very agreeable." |
John Wesley 1776
"We cast anchor near Tybee Island where groves of pines running along the shore made an agreeable prospect, showing as it were, the bloom of spring in the depth of winter." |
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The Origin of the name "Tybee," like the history
of the Island itself has many interpretations. Most historians believe "Tybee"
derives from the Native American Euchee Indian word for "salt" which was one of
many natural resources found on Tybee.
Those resources have played an important role throughout the Island's history
including Spanish exploration for riches from the new world in 1520 by Lucas
Vasquez de Ayllon who laid claim to Tybee as part of Spain's "La Florida" which
extended from the Bahamas to Nova Scotia.
In 1605, the French were drawn to Tybee in search of Sassafras roots which at
the time were considered by Europeans to be a miracle cure. The Spanish would
fight the French in a naval battle just off shore to Tybee to regain control
over the area.
For many decades pirates visited the Island in search of a safe haven and hiding
place for treasure. Tybee and remote islands like it would also be a source for
fresh water and game to replenish supplies.
Spain would be forced to give up their claim to Tybee and other extremities due
to superior French and British settlements. In 1733 General James Oglethorpe and
a handful of settlers came to the area. They called it Savannah, because of the
vast marshlands and tall grass. Here they established the new colony which would
be named to honor King George. Tybee was considered to be extremely important to
the development and future of Savannah and the colony because of its location at
the mouth of the Savannah river. General Oglethorpe ordered a lighthouse
constructed to mark the entrance to the river in 1736 and a small fort to be
constructed to insure control over access to the river. In 1736 John Wesley, the
"Father of Methodism," said his first prayer on the American Continent at Tybee.
Tybee would play a significant role throughout Georgia and U.S. history,
including the Revolutionary War when Tybee served as the staging area for French
Admiral D'Estaing's ill fated 1779 "Siege of Savannah" when combined
multinational forces attempted to defeat the British held Savannah.
During the War of 1812, the Tybee Island Lighthouse was used as a signal tower
to warn Savannah of possible attack by the British. Though no such attack took
place, a "Martello Tower" was constructed on Tybee to provide protection in
guarding the Savannah River. On the western end of the island, an area known as
a "lazaretto", a variation of an Italian word meaning 'hospital for the
contagious', was established to quarantine slaves and other passengers who might
be carrying diseases. Mass burial on Tybee would be the final port of call for
many of those quarantined there.
By the outbreak of the American Civil War, Tybee would again play an important
military role in U.S. history. First Confederates occupied the Island. In
December of 1861, the Rebel forces would withdraw to Fort Pulaski under orders
from Robert E. Lee to defend Savannah and the Savannah River. Union forces under
the Command of Quincy Adams Gilmore took control of Tybee and began constructing
cannon batteries on the west side of Tybee facing Fort Pulaski about one mile
away. On April 11th, 1862, those cannon batteries would fire a new weapon called
"Rifled Cannon" at Fort Pulaski and change forever the way the world protected
its coastal areas. Within 30 hours, the rifled guns had such a devastating
effect on the brick fort that it was surrendered and all forts like Pulaski were
considered obsolete.
After the Civil War, Tybee began to grow as a resort area for local Savannah
residents who wanted to escape the heat of downtown for the cooling breezes of
Tybee Island. There were very few year around residents before the 1870's but by
the 1890's there were over 400 beach cottages and other buildings built for the
"summer" residents.
In 1855, Fort Screven was ordered built on the North end of Tybee to provide a
more modern system of seacoast defenses. Six poured concrete low profile gun
batteries and a minefield were ordered for Tybee along with hundreds of other
military buildings. Gun Batteries, such as Battery Garland would be named to
honor America's war heroes. From 1897 to 1947, Fort Screven would be an integral
part of America's Coastal Defense system. Troops would train and stand guard on
Tybee through the Spanish American War of 1898, World War I, and World War II.
In 1947, the Fort was closed and sold to the Town of Tybee and Tourism returned
as a major part of Tybee's history.
In 1961, Battery Garland, the former gun battery and magazine for a 12 inch
long-range gun, became the Tybee Island museum. Rooms which once stored six
hundred pound projectiles and two hundred pound bags of gun powder, now hold the
collections and exhibits of over four hundred years of Tybee Island history. |
