The Cumberland Island National Seashore Visitor Center (on the mainland in St. Marys) occupies the second floor of an attractive blue frame building.
Southend Loop Area Hiking Map. Photo Credit National Park Service Brochure
Cumberland’s rich and varied history. Exhibits reflect the island’s shifting population over four centuries, including prehistoric Timucuan Natives, European missionaries, African American slaves, and affluent industrialists. Rough-hewn Timucuan pottery and décor from the colonial period are presented. Displays contain artifacts from Cumberland’s original Greene-Miller plantation and examples of steel magnate Thomas Carnegie and his wife Lucy’s affluent lifestyle at Dungeness. Details about the famous 1815 Skirmish at Point Peter and the heroic efforts of African American Freedom Fighters are explained. And there are full-scale horse-drawn touring carriages, antique furnishings, and fancy clothing dating back to the early 1900s. The museum is open daily from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., so plan to visit the day before or after your ferry trip to the island. Offshore Activities Cumberland Island National Seashore is only accessible by pedestrian ferry boat or private watercraft. No cars are allowed on the island. The 45-minute ferry ride across Cumberland Sound (to and from the island) is a pleasantly relaxing way to begin and conclude your park adventure. Most people who access Cumberland Island are one-
day visitors. The best way to maximize the potential of a typical 8-hour stay is the 4.3-mile walkabout on the Southend Loop series of trails. Allow 2-4 hours to complete the loop while observing sights and taking breaks along the trail. A self-paced loop adventure starts at Sea Camp Dock, the ferry drop-off point at Sea Camp Ranger Station. You begin by walking south on the River Trail for 0.8 mile to the Ice House Museum and Dungeness Dock. The River Trail is a flat shady path that winds through a maritime forest, tracing the scenic shoreline of Cumberland Sound. It’s a virtual green tunnel of moss-draped oaks, lacey ferns, and palmetto palms—a delightful trail. The Ice House Museum and nearby Dungeness Dock are key points of interest at the end of the River Trail. As its name implies, the museum occupies an actual circa 1885 ice house. Exhibits span 5,000 years of Cumberland’s history while focusing primarily on the Carnegie’s island empire. One example of the family’s lavish lifestyle is an elaborate gold-gilded dining table setting recovered from their burned-out Dungeness mansion. Native Americans who first inhabited the island, European encroachers, and Civil War destruction are also represented at the Ice House.
CUMBERLAND ISLAND SOUTHEND LOOP
COAST TO COAST SUMMER MAGAZINE 2019
29
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog