Jekyll Island in Glynn County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Villa Ospo
Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
1. Villa Ospo Marker
A Warm Welcome
Walter Jennings, a former Standard Oil director, built Villa Ospo, as a winter getaway for his family in 1927.
Walter and his wife, Jean, were very involved with the Jekyll Island Club and often greeted newcomers and visitors to the island, turning Villa Ospo into a center of hospitality. The club members considered themselves a close-knit family. With three sisters who were also club members, that was especially true for Jennings. In 1927, just a year after joining the club, Jennings assumed the club presidency following the death of his brother-in-law, Dr. Walter James.
Villa Ospo was designed by John Russell Pope, architect of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. this Roaring Twenties cottage is one of the most modern structures in the island’s National Historic Landmark District. The building has ten bedrooms, five bathrooms and a magnificent great room. The Grounds include an alley lined with cypress trees and a secret garden with a lily pond.
Did you know? Villa Ospo is Jekyll’s only historic cottage originally built with an attached garage. Jennings and fellow
this page online
Erected by Jekyll Island Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.
Location. 31° 3.797′ N, 81° 25.385′ W. Marker is on Jekyll Island, Georgia, in Glynn County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Old Plantation Road and Stable Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 381 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. Captain Clarks Cottage (here, next to this marker); These Thirteen Live Oak Trees (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hollybourne Cottage (about 400 feet away); Solterra Dove Cote (about 500 feet away); Villa Marianna (about 600 feet away); The Active Life (about 700 feet away); Preserving the Legacy (about 800 feet away); Plantation Oak (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jekyll Island.
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
2. Villa Ospo Marker
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
3. (Bottom Left) Villa Ospo constructed in 1927
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
4. (Bottom Middle) Villa Ospo’s secret garden and lily pond
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
5. ( Right) Villa Ospo one of most modern Jekyll Island Structures
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
6. Villa Ospo today
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 23, 2020
7. Villa Ospo sign
Credits. This page was last revised on September 19, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2020, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 291 times since then and 125 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 11, 2020, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 7. submitted on September 17, 2020, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
