ThosewhoownLittleSt.SimonsIsland,andthosewhovisitandleaveowningtreasuredmemories,areboundbyacommonloveforthisextraordinaryIsland.In2008,theIslandobservedits100thAnniversary.Itwasandremainsacelebrationofanabidingdevotiontolettingnaturereignandtosimplyleavingwellenoughwonderfullyalone.ThislegacynowprefacesanevendeepercommitmenttoecologicalstewardshipthatwillpreservetheIslandwhileenhancingtheguestexperienceforgenerationstocome.GualeIndiansaredrawntotheIsland'soyster-ladencreeksfromvillageslocatedonnearbybarrierislandstofish,huntandgatheroysters.Thepilesofdiscardedoystershellstheyleft,calledmiddens,areamongtheIsland'soldesthistoricsites.MajorPierceButler,ownerofvastriceandcottonplantationoperationsalongtheGeorgiacoast,acquiresLittleSt.SimonsIslandandplaces500acresontheIslandundercultivation.FannyKemble,anotedauthorandactress,isthewifeofPierceButlerIIwhoassumedownershipofLittleSt.SimonsIslandin1836.ShevisitstheIslandandcallsita"forestinthesea"anda"tangledwilderness."FrenchExplorerJeanRibeautencountersasmallislandoffGeorgia'scoastandcallsitLittleSt.Simon'sIsland.SamuelAugspourger,aSwisscolonist,becomesLittleSt.SimonsIsland'sfirstprivateowner.700A.D.1562176017741839YOURPLACEINHISTORYHistory4

O.F.Chichester,arepresentativeoftheEaglePencilCompany,isonafishingtripnearLittleSt.SimonsIslandandspiesitsabundanceofcedartrees-woodidealforpencilmaking.Athisrecommendation,theCompanypurchasestheIslandin1908.Callingthemselvesthe"EightBandits,"PhilipBerolzheimerandsevenhighlyprominentfriendsfromNewYorkCitygatherandmakethefirstofmany"Bandit"tripstoLittleSt.SimonsIslandforhunting,fishingandrelaxation.AmodifiedversionoftheflagthatthegroupcreatedtocommemoratetheirbondservestodayastheIsland'slogo.AserenecenturysincebeingpurchasedbyPhilipBerolzheimer,andafternearlythreedecadesofwelcomingthepublictoexperienceitsnaturalwonders,LittleSt.SimonsIslandsecuresitsplaceamongtheworld'smostcherishedretreats.TheIsland'spatriarch,PhilipBerolzheimerdiesandhischildren,followedbyhisgrand-children,steadfastlycontinuehislegacyofloveforandpreservationofLittleSt.SimonsIsland.LittleSt.SimonsIslandopenstothepublic,beginninganeweraasitwelcomesitsfirstovernightvisitorsandcarefullyentersthetourismindustry.PhilipBerolzheimer,PresidentofEaglePencilCompany,visitsandfallsinlovewithLittleSt.SimonsIsland'snaturalbeauty;hepurchasestheIslandfromhisCompanyasaprivateretreatforfamilyandfriends.19071908192119421979TODAYHistory5