St. Marys Holiday Houses

Dungeness on Cumberland Island, Georgia, is a ruined mansion that is part of a historic district that was the home of several families significant in American history. James Oglethorpe first built on Cumberland Island in 1736, building a hunting lodge that he named Dungeness. Oglethorpe named the place after Dungeness, in England. The next Dungeness was the legacy of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, who had acquired 11,000 acres of island land in exchange for a bad debt. His widow built a four-story tabby mansion in 1803, over a Timucuan shell mound. During the War of 1812 the island was occupied by the British, who used the house as a headquarters.
In 1818 Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee, a dashing cavalry commander during the Revolutionary War and father of Robert E. Lee, stayed at the house until his death on March 25, 1818, cared for by Greene's daughter Louisa, and was laid to rest in nearby cemetery with full military honors provided by an American fleet stationed at St. Marys, Georgia. The house was abandoned during the U.S. Civil War and burned in 1866.
In the 1880s the property was purchased by Thomas M. Carnegie, brother of Andrew Carnegie, who began to build a new mansion on the site. The 59-room Queen Anne style mansion and grounds were completed after Carnegie's death in 1886. His wife Lucy continued to live at Dungeness and built other estates for her children, including Greyfield for Margaret Carnegie, Plum Orchard for George Lauder Carnegie, and Stafford Plantation. By this time, the Carnegies owned 90% of the island.
The Carnegies moved out of Dungeness in 1925. In 1959 the Dungeness mansion was destroyed by fire, alleged to be arson. The ruins are today preserved by the National Park Service as part of Cumberland Island National Seashore. They were acquired by the Park Service in 1972.

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Our top choices for St. Marys holiday homes

Stylish, Spacious 3 Bedroom Home - FREE BIKES-

St. Marys

Brandon L.

includes taxes & fees

6 Mar - 7 Mar

Comfortable Coastal 2 BDRM home - 5 mins to downto

saint marys

Katherine T.

includes taxes & fees

10 Mar - 11 Mar

Adorable 3 bdrm in quiet St. Marys, Ga, Lots to do

St. Marys

Janice F.

includes taxes & fees

9 Mar - 10 Mar

1 bedroom, desk, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Mermaid Cottage in Beautiful Downtown St Marys GA- Gateway to Cumberland Island

St Marys

Catherine

includes taxes & fees

3 Mar - 4 Mar

Nice 2 Bedroom Great for Contractors

St Marys

Mary R.

includes taxes & fees

9 Mar - 10 Mar

Island getaway

Fernandina Beach

Greg B.

includes taxes & fees

9 Mar - 10 Mar

Short walk to East beach on St Simons Island.

East End

Kate H.

includes taxes & fees

3 Mar - 4 Mar

Coastal Tranquility

Waverly

Michael M.

includes taxes & fees

3 Mar - 4 Mar

Entire Townhome Minutes from Beach and Airport

Yulee

"We enjoyed the walking trail behind the house with our dog. It was easy access out the back door. The parking in the front was a bit tight since we had a truck but we were able to park across from the complex. Everything was decently clean. Towels and other necessities were provided. The drive to the beach wasn’t bad and we did it both days we were there. The place was close to shopping such as the grocery store, Target, restaurants, and other various stores. Overall, we enjoyed our stay."

Emily F.

includes taxes & fees

5 Mar - 6 Mar