plum orchard tours

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Cumberland Island National Seashore | PLUM ORCHARD MANSION

• PARK AT A GLANCE
• GETTING THERE
• WHEN TO VISIT
• MILEAGE CHART
• VISITOR CENTER
• FISHING AND HUNTING
• DUNGENESS TOUR
• GUIDED TOURS
• HIKING TRAILS
• HISTORICAL SITES
• PICNIC AREAS
• RESTROOMS / WATER
• WILD HORSES
• DIRECTIONS / CONTACT

Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

Free, 45-minute guided tours of Plum Orchard Mansion are given each day that the ferry operates, except when the area is closed during managed hunts that take place on select weekends from October through January. Tour times are currently at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 2 PM, but times can change due to the season and staff availability. Before heading to the mansion, be sure to stop at the Sea Camp Ranger Station and ask if tours are being given. The current schedule is on the National Park Service’s Guided Tours web page for Cumberland Island National Seashore.

Plum Orchard Mansion is about 7.5 miles north of the Sea Camp dock, making a visit feasible only for day trippers with a bike, for those on the Lands and Legacies Tour (tour of the mansion is included), or for those who are camping on the island—or for those who either walk really fast or plan to jog to the mansion. A typical bicyclists can make the trip in about hour, so figure two hours for round-trip travel and an hour for the tour at a minimum. Add an hour if you stop at a few places along the way and maybe have a picnic at the mansion, and don’t discount the time you might need to spend if you miss the start of a tour and must wait an hour for the next one to begin.

There are three picnic tables on the grounds for you to enjoy a lunch before moving on to your next adventure, be that farther north or back to Sea Camp. If you are on the Lands and Legacies Tour, time for lunch is built into the tour time; you must bring your own food.

Picnicking at Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

Plum Orchard is the home built by Lucy Carnegie in 1898 for her son George and his new bride Margaret Thaw. All of the Carnegie children were given homes on the island when they married, if they chose to live there, and this was the first to be built. Some of the homes still exist, while others have burned or fallen down.

Historical photo of Plum Orchard Mansion

The original home had a budget of $10,000 and was much smaller than the one standing today, but it still a mansion in just about anybody’s book. Margaret Thaw was from a very wealthy family, and she wanted a bigger house so she financed the additional two wings that were built on either side of the original structure, expanding the home to 22,000 square feet. When viewing the house from the front you can clearly differentiate the original structure from the additional wings—the original is that between the two chimneys on either side of the main entrance.

Original Plum Orchard house sits between two additional wings (Cumberland Island National Seashore)

In the photo below you can see that at the end of each wing is what is essentially another mansion. The wings more than doubled the square footage of the original house.

One of the additional wings added to Plumb Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

After George died in 1921, Margaret lived at Plum Orchard for a few years before remarrying and moving to Paris. Its next occupants were Nancy and Marius Johnston, and the story of how they came to live at Plum Orchard is quite interesting. Nancy was the youngest of Thomas and Lucy Carnegie’s nine children, and one of three daughters. In 1904 she married the Carnegie’s stableman, an Irishman named James Hever. This was a huge scandal that made news is New York and Pittsburgh, and she was somewhat shunned from the family and sent to England (Uncle Andrew Carnegie gave them $20,000 and was one of the only family members not ashamed of the ordeal). After having one child, the couple returned to live on Long Island, New York, and had three more children.

Hever was a drunk and was known to beat Nancy, and she often traveled to Cumberland Island to stay with her mother. During these visits she met the island’s doctor, Marius Johnston (often incorrectly referenced as Johnson), and the two fell in love. At the time, Hever was dying of cancer. Lucy sent Johnston to Africa to avoid another scandal, but when Hever died in 1912, he returned and he and Nancy were married. An interesting side note is that he missed his return trip through England on the Titanic due to being ill.

Lucy Carnegie died in 1916, and her will forbade the siblings from selling the property. Within a decade the children were struggling to finance the maintenance of the island and its buildings. When Margaret moved out of Plum Orchard, the Trust set up by Lucy’s will chose the Johnstons to occupy the house because Marius had the income to pay for its upkeep—he came from a wealthy Kentucky “horse” family. Their heirs remained in the house until donating it to the U. S. Government in the early 1970s with the stipulation that the government would maintain the home, which it did not. It lay empty and falling apart for thirty years until legislation was passed to fund its restoration. It wasn’t until 2005 that $3 million worth of repairs began, taking until late 2007 to finish. Of course the mansion needs ongoing maintenance to keep it from reverting to its previous condition.

View from the front porch of Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

Below are photos of the mansion’s interior. The furnishings are original to the Carnegie family, though they come from various sources, one being Dungeness Mansion. The children closed the mansion in the mid-1920s to save money, and over the years striped it of valuables such as marble fixtures, fireplace mantels, and furnishings, much of which ended up in their homes on Cumberland Island.

Main entrance foyer of Plum Orchard Mansion with Tiffany lamp and inglenook fireplace

Main dining room of Plum Orchard Mansion with a portrait of Lucy Carnegie on the wall

Plum Orchard Mansion Library (Cumberland Island National Seashore)

Gun Room of Plum Orchard Mansion with tortoise shell patterned Tiffany lamp

Woman’s dressing room with fainting couch at Plum Orchard Mansion

Bathroom in one of the upstairs bedrooms at Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

Child’s bedroom, Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

Plum Orchard Mansion indoor swimming pool

DC Power panel in the basement of Plum Orchard Mansion

Basement of Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

Plum Orchard Mansion’s coal-fired heater

Coal-fired boiler of Plum Orchard Mansion

The grounds of the mansion are also open for exploration. As mentioned earlier, there are a few picnic tables on the property. There is also a pond located near the back of the mansion.

Grounds of Plum Orchard Mansion at Cumberland Island National Seashore

Pond behind Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island

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• Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island — Plum Orchard

Cumberland Island is Georgia’s largest and southernmost barrier island. Cumberland Island has three major ecosystem regions: Salt marsh; Maritime forest; and, Beach and dune fields. Along the western edge of the island there are large areas of saltwater marshes lining the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and estuaries. As the marsh gives way to higher ground, trees and dense vegetation mark the maritime forest where one will see gnarled live oak trees covered with Spanish moss and the palmetto plants common in this area. Cumberland Island’s most famous ecosystem is its beach, which stretches over 17-miles. On this trip, we sometimes have an opportunity to get a guided-tour of Plum Orchard Mansion — which was built in 1898 for George Carnegie & Margaret Thaw.

This trip does not require previous paddling experience; however, it is physically challenging due to the length of the trip and the amount of time spent in the elements. The paddling portion of this trip is suited for beginner through advanced skill-levels. There is little protection from the wind, making this trip more challenging on windy days. The Crooked River has very strong tidal currents and this trip must be done with the tides. For this reason, this trip is only possible with morning ebb and afternoon flood-tides.

Lunch arrangements may be made for this trip. A typical lunch will include: Sandwich; chips; fresh fruit and a treat. Water and snacks will also be provided, but it is always a good idea to bring extra water and anything else you think you may want to eat, drink or have on hand once you get to the island. We may be able to accommodate special requests or dietary restrictions if needed.

6 to 8-Hours $100/person

Cumberland Island — Sea Camp / Dungeness

This trip is geared towards the intermediate level paddler, mostly due to the open water conditions. Paddlers navigate the Cumberland Sound in sea kayaks where they are exposed to strong tides, winds, waves and boat traffic. Afternoon winds and storms can create challenging conditions during the return trip. Customers must be physically capable. Tandem sea kayaks may be utilized. This is a wonderful and physical full-day adventure. This trip may depart from Crooked River State Park (outgoing tides) or Amelia Island / Fort Clinch (incoming tides).

Cumberland Island — Horse Creek / South-End Adventure

The South-End Adventure leaves from St. Marys and can be anywhere from 5 to 7-miles, depending on where we land on Cumberland Island. Though a much longer paddle, this trip avoids the biggest part of the Sound while giving us access to the same part of the island. The trip over takes approximately 2-hours and then, depending on where we land, there could be a couple more hours of walking and exploring before climbing back into the kayaks for a 2-hour return trip. These trips are a full-day of activity, but both offer priceless moments of solitude as you relax on a deserted beach.

These Cumberland Island south end trips are ideal island getaways for nature lovers. There are no Mansions or Ruins on the remote south end; just undisturbed flora and fauna enjoying parts of the island only accessible by kayak. Horses and crabs share the south end cut trail with visitors hiking between the maritime forest and the beach. Vast marshlands filled with grazing wild horses and a variety of feeding birds offer a stark contrast to the massive guns atop the walls of Fort Clinch just across the channel guarding the entrance between Amelia and Cumberland. Whether alone on miles of white sand beach, or wandering through the dunes or maritime forest, this trip offers coastal barrier island beauty at it’s most pristine.

Meet Our Team

Quick trip description links.

• Lofton Creek
• Cherry Point Trail
• St Marys Harbor Tour
• Egans Creek
• Big Talbot Island
• Jacksonville Zoo
• Urban Kayaking Jax

It’s easy to book online

Feel free to email or call, what to bring paddling.

• Dress for the weather in quick drying clothing
• Hat & Sunglasses w/strap
• Sandals or Old Tennies
• Sunscreen & Bug spray
• Emergency Medications
• Dry bag or box if you have one
• A smile and enthusiasm
• No Jeans or Sweatshirts

Important Links

• Book a Tour
• Policies & Waivers

Adventures Up The Creek

Address: St. Marys. Amelia Island. Jacksonville

Phone: 912-882-0911 or 904-999-4919

Email: [email protected]

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This Traditional Holiday Festival In Georgia Is The Best Way To Celebrate The Season

Lisa Sammons

Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at [email protected]

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If you want to experience a fun Christmas festival in Georgia, there’s certainly plenty to choose from. Parades, magical light displays , holiday markets, and so much more all combine to make this an amazing time of year whether you’re in our snowy mountains or sandy beaches. One unique festival that looks like it’s going to be a great time is the Plum Orchard Christmas Tour on Cumberland Island. This oddball island is one of Georgia’s wonders, and there’s no better time to experience it than in the winter. The Plum Orchard Christmas Tour takes place Saturday, December 2, 2023, so mark your calendars for this fun event.

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For more information about the Plum Orchard Christmas tour or to reserve your spot, check out the Cumberland Island Ferry website and book a trip for December 2.

Looking to finish up that Christmas shopping list? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide for Road Trippers to get inspiration for your loved ones who love to travel.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Plum Orchard Christmas Tour 2019

Cumberland Island National Seashore

Location: LAT/LONG: 30.835040, -81.459030

Dates & times, type of event.

2 hours at the mansion, plus 45 minute ferry ride from Sea Camp dock to Plum Orchard mansion and 45 minute return.

Description

Reservation or registration: yes, contact information, image gallery.