Majestic southern live oak trees offer a year-round green canopy through large sections of Jekyll Island .
The Jekyll Island Club thrived until the Great Depression and permanently closed its doors in 1942 due to financial issues , labor shortages and World War II . Utilizing a 1947 condemnation order , Georgia purchased the island for $ 675,000 , and Jekyll Island State Park opened to the public in 1948 . Two years later the Georgia legislature created the Jekyll Island Authority to oversee the island ’ s development . With a requirement to be self-supporting , the authority raised funds by offering 99- year leases for individuals to construct private homes on the island . A convention center was
Faith Chapel , built by the Jekyll Island Club in 1904 , is best known for its large Tiffany stained glass window .
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