Cumberland Island, Georgia, is as large as Manhattan, yet this preserved barrier island is a pristine example of Southern maritime forests, saltmarsh, and beaches. There is no bridge from the mainland, so time here has essentially stood still, leaving a land of beautiful isolation and mysterious serenity.
Much of the world was introduced to Cumberland island after the secret wedding of John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in the First African Baptist Church in 1996.
Cumberland Island was designated a National Seashore in 1972. Cumberland is accessible by ferry service offered by the National Park Service and offers a unique destination for about 60,000 visitors annually. Campers, hikers, and day-visitors experience Cumberland’s Congressionally designated wilderness area. The Cumberland Island National Seashore has been designated a United Nations-sanctioned International Biosphere Reserve that protects numerous species of migratory and shore birds and sea turtles.
Little Cumberland Island is within the boundaries of the Cumberland Island National Seashore but is not owned by the federal government. It is owned by the Little Cumberland Island Homes Association, Inc., and its members. Little Cumberland Island is managed as a wildlife preserve in accordance with the terms of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Interior.