Freeman's Rag
  • Home
  • Short Stories
  • Historical Ruminations
  • The Cranky Man Philosophizes
  • About

Historical Ruminations

Savannah’s and Savannahians contributions to our country are often overlooked by us. Robin Williams, a professor and chair of the Architectural History Department at SCAD, says although Savannah is small it punches out of its weight class. He compared it to a welter weight who can punch and fight in the heavy weight division. The posts in this section will look at some of the ways that this is true.
Picture
Here is Michael Freeman's new book on Savannah. It tells a story not often told of the Creeks and the Native American Creeks who lived in Savannah during its founding. You might  even  say Tomochichi and Mary Musgrove were co-founders of Georgia. 

Oatland Island: An Oasis with a History

6/2/2018

0 Comments

 
PictureThe old Railroad Conductors Home now indoor classrooms and offices for Oatland Island
​There are places that have an ongoing and developing history for the people of Savannah. Some of it precedes me and much will remain after me. One of those places is Oatland Island. It sits east of Savannah and is one of the first islands you encounter once leaving Savannah. It was cleared to plant cotton in the 18th and 19th centuries when cotton was king. But cotton was dethroned. The railroads came and in 1927 a large columned and brick building was constructed as a retirement home for the International Order of Railroad Conductors. The conductors, caught up in the spirit of the unions, wanted to provide a home for those who had no family or needed more care than their family could provide. Across the waterway sits Bonaventure Cemetery. In Bonaventure Cemetery the Order of Railroad Conductors have a burial ground section for conductors.

But time continues and after World War Two the railroads prominence had passed. There was a need for a hospital for the U S Public Health Service and the Center for Disease Control to have a place in the south to research different diseases. So from 1941 to 1973 the land and building served these two purposes. Research was conducted for a cure for syphilis but when penicillin came this research was no longer needed. The no pest fly strip was first created here. The use of DDT of Rachel Carson fame was experimented with as a pesticide but that too was ended with a government ban on DDT.

In 1973 the CDC no longer needed the site and offered it to the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. They took the land and made it the Oatland Island Wildlife Educational Center. This is what it is today. It has offered itself as an educational resource to the children and adults of the community. Over 20,000 children are served there every year. It is over 150 acres of land with exhibits of animals native to Georgia thus its sometime moniker of Savannah’s Zoo. One of Savannah’s more infamous books The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys written by Chris Fuhrman (I have an archived article on Fuhrman)  places Oatland Island and its cougar into the plotline.

One of Savannah’s thriving businesses received its start here. The Savannah Bee Company founded and owned by Ted Dennard started here. Dennard, who as a young man taught beekeeping in Central America as a Peace Corps volunteer, worked at Oatland Island after the Peace Corps. In 2002 he decided to follow his bee passion. He used an old 800 square foot classroom at Oatland Island.  When he started he had no money and paid his rent in honey. Today his business is a multimillion dollar business and the Savannah Bee Company literally sells its honey all over the world. Dennard, keeping to his Oatland Island and Peace Corps values, sponsors a non-profit that educates schools and communities in how to keep their own bees.
​
Today, Oatland Island has not only the animals but a heritage homesite where annual Sheep to Shawl and Cane Grinding Festivals are held. It is one of the cultural centers of the Savannah area that everyone who grows up here has spent some time being educated about nature and wildlife. It maintains a beautiful lagoon and marsh boardwalk. The land and building have serviced Savannah in many ways through the years. It reminds me of the importance of places and the keeping of them close to heart and hand. 


Picture
Delk-Dawson cabin at Oatland Island
Picture
Oatland Island Marsh Walk
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016

    Categories

    All

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Short Stories
  • Historical Ruminations
  • The Cranky Man Philosophizes
  • About