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Cumberland Island is approximately
18 miles long and between one-half and 3 miles wide—or
about 40 square miles.
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Timucuans were the earliest inhabitants
of the island that we can identify. They averaged
6 and one-half feet tall.
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Native American Indians referred
to the island as Tacatacoru or Missoe (which means
sassafrass).
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The Spanish, who came to the island
to convert inhabitants to Catholicism, called it
San Pedro de Mocama.
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Earliest agricultural ventures on
the island included raising hogs and horses and
establishing fruit orchards and cornfields.
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The island was visited by French
corsairs (pirates) in 1580.
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One of the island’s first “owners”
was a woman. There is record of a letter from the
Spanish governor of Florida, Juan Marques Cabera,
to a chieftainess named Merenciana in 1680 referring
to her islands (which we call Amelia and Cumberland)
where Guale refugees had settled.
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Cumberland is named for Prince William,
Duke of Cumberland, who was especially kind to Yamacraw
Chief Tomochichi’s nephew, Toonahowie. The nephew
was on a visit with Oglethorpe to England in the
1730s. Legend has it that the Prince gave the young
man a gold watch, and he in turn asked Oglethorpe
to name the island after him. (Prince William was
King George’s brother.
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•Architecture
