St. George Island is a place of rare & unusual natural beauty. Beaches stretch out in a broad white expanse for miles along the Gulf of Mexico. The bay side has beautiful small thickets of Palm trees, Live Oaks & Pines & some areas on the bay have white sand border beaches.

From the early days of Spanish exploration, this barrier island has provided a sheltered cove where shellfish and salt water fish could thrive. The port of Apalachicola was once one of the largest on the Gulf Coast.

The Island was first inhabited by the Creek Indians around the 10th century. Upon the arrival of the first European colonists in the late 1700s, the Island was the focal point of an intense struggle which resulted in the settlers obtaining the area from the Creeks around 1803. As part of this succession, known as the Forbes Grant, St. George Island was born.

The lighthouse, built in 1833 was on Little St. George - the last 8 miles of the island now separated from the main Island by the Bob Sikes Channel.

Lighthouse before the Fall...         October 21, 2006

Bob Sikes Cut with Little St George to the right.

During the early and middle 1900's, the Island's pine forests were turpentined. On many of the Island's larger pine trees you can still see the "V" shaped scars from this activity and you can find shards of the clay turpentine pots that still hide in the sandy thickets. Occasionally over the years whole turpentine pots have been found and archived.

The Island was also the location of numerous training exercises during World War II. The Western end of the Island and all its natural beauty is being preserved by the St George Plantation. There are homes and gorgeous home sites in this very unique private development.

The original bridge/causeway to the Island was completed in 1965 and a new bridge constructed to take its place in 2004.