From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jekyll Island Location Glynn County , Georgia , U.S. Nearest city Brunswick, Georgia Coordinates 31°4′12″N 81°25′13″W Coordinates : 31°4′12″N 81°25′13″W Established October 7, 1947 Governing body Jekyll Island Authority Jekyll Island is located off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia , in Glynn County . It is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia barrier islands . The city of Brunswick, Georgia , the Marshes of Glynn, and several other islands, including the larger St. Simons Island , are close by. Long used seasonally by indigenous peoples of the region, beginning in the colonial era, some of its lands became privately owned. A few structures still stand made of tabby , a coastal building material of crushed oyster shells. The island was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for private vacation homes of wealthy American businessmen. It was evacuated during World