Jekyll Island in Glynn County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Fairbank Cottage Site
The Most Desirable Site
The brick outline that you see in front of you marks the former Location of Fairbank Cottage.
When Chicago manufacturer Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank purchased the lot in 1889, he was excited about the possibilities of his new cottage. Fairbank enjoyed the simplicity of the island and "thrived on the sociability of the place."
His cottage getaway was a fairly modest home with six bedrooms, two baths, a great hall, library, and kitchen. Four different families owned the cottage before it was demolished around 1944.
Once considered "the most convenient and desirable site on the island," Lot 15 was the closest to the Clubhouse.
Did you know? N.K. Fairbank served as vice president of the Jekyll Island Club from the 1888-89 season until his death in 1903.
Erected by Jekyll Island Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1889.
Location. 31° 3.518′ N, 81° 25.298′ W. Marker is on Jekyll Island, Georgia, in Glynn County. Marker can be reached from Pier Road east of Riverview Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located along the walkway that runs between the Jekyll Clubhouse and the San Souci building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island GA 31527, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Men of Means (a few steps from this marker); The Clubhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); The Sans Souci (within shouting distance of this marker); Sans Souci Boiler House (within shouting distance of this marker); First Transcontinental Call (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Morgan Tennis Court (about 400 feet away); The Skeet House (about 400 feet away); The Club Wharf (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jekyll Island.
Regarding Fairbank Cottage Site. Contributing site, Jekyll Island Club Historic District, National Register of Historic Places #72000385.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Jekyll Island Club Historic District
Also see . . .
1. Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank. Fairbank founded N.K. Fairbank and Company, a manufacturer of animal-based shortenings. He later expanded his business into the manufacture of soap and cleansers made from lard and cottonseed oil. The brands Fair Soap and Gold Dust Washing Powder were common household products. Fairbank was the original owner of the part of Chicago called Streeterville in downtown Chicago; now some of the most expensive real estate in the city. In addition to their homes in Chicago and Lake Geneva, the Fairbanks had a cottage on Jekyll Island. (Submitted on March 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. N. K. Fairbank. Fairbank served as: president of The University of Chicago board of trustees, a founder and president of The Chicago Club, a founder of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a senior officer and an early major trader at the Chicago Board of Trade, one of the original trustees of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the first Commodore of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club, and as a director of numerous corporations between 1880 and 1903. He was also a member of the famous Jekyll Island Club (aka The Millionaires Club) on Jekyll Island, Georgia. (Submitted on March 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Fairbank, Arizona. Fairbank is a ghost town in Cochise County, Arizona, next to the San Pedro River. First settled in 1881, Fairbank was the closest rail stop to nearby Tombstone, which made it an important location in the development of southeastern Arizona. The town was named for Chicago investor Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank who partially financed the railroad, and was the founder of the Grand Central Mining Company, which had an interest in the silver mines in Tombstone. (Submitted on March 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 526 times since then and 50 times this year. Last updated on March 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 15, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 6. submitted on March 15, 2018. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.