Mr Coffin example essay topic

My search began with personal interest about a man by the name of Howard Coffin. I knew him as the founder of Pirates of the Spanish Main, a local organization that he established in 1931. His purpose in founding the club was to welcome dignitaries, promote the Golden Isles, and aid the community. As a member of the club today, I thought it might be interesting to trace the roots back to the founder. Little did I know, Mr. Coffin was much more than just the founder of a club.

He was also a man with a vision, who made huge strides in developing much of the Golden Isles. Mr. Coffin was born in 1873 and grew up on an Ohio farm, and in Ann Harbor, Michigan. He first discovered one of his visions while attending the University of Michigan. His vision was somehow to produce a low cost car, which would sell for less than a thousand dollars and that would attract a mass market. In 1902, Howard Coffin went to work for the Old Motor Works of Detroit, where he began his phenomenal career as an automobile builder. After the Olds Company decided to stay with their expensive car, he worked at other companies until he was finally able to achieve his dream.

With the financial support of the Hudson Department Stores of Detroit, he invented the Hudson Car. The car was the first model of a four-cylinder roadster that sold for about $900. The first visit that Mr. Coffin made to the coast of Georgia was in 1910 to attend the Savannah Road Race. Early automobile manufacturers liked to watch their cars perform, but also they made it a vacation trip.

While attending the races and enjoying their vacation, Mr. and Mrs. Coffin fell in love with the beauty and history of the Golden Isles of the Georgia coast. Since Mr. Coffin was well able to afford just about anything he wanted, he and his wife decided to purchase the 20,000 acres that made up Sapelo Island. They would have a place to vacation, a wonderful place to entertain, and a reason to return to the Georgia coast. Howard Coffin's real importance to Golden Isles history was in the vision that he had for development with the ongoing process of automobile roads. After the end of World War I, the sales of automobiles far surpassed the condition of roads for their travel. Gradually, a highway began to inch its way south and would soon be bringing in the tourists.

Mr. Coffin knew that this was an opportunity for money to be made, so he began buying strategic places of land where there could be resort activity. Not long after the causeway was built in 1924, Mr. Coffin purchased the land of the former Retreat Plantation on the south end of the St. Simons. There weren't many roads on that part of the island, and most of them needed improvement. To go to the pier from the south end was out of everyone's way. So, Mr. Coffin had a new road cut directly from the pier to the south end, which he named King's Way. He also built Retreat Avenue, which was a continuation of Frederica Road, which led all the way to the entrance of the retreat.

He began laying out a golf course and constructing a yacht club, and was even hoping to build a hotel on the Frederica River. Mr. Coffin also purchased what is known today as Sea Island. He originally named the island Glynn Isle but then decided to change it to Sea Island. He provided a small comfortable inn, where people could stay while they decided whether or not they liked the place enough to build a home of their own. The location of the hotel was moved to the south end of the island and was named the Cloister. The opening celebrations were held in 1928.

Tremendous publicity was created, and over the course of a few years, many famous and prestigious people from all over the United States came to visit. Some of them included President Coolidge, President Ford, and President Eisenhower. It was a place that everyone enjoyed, and a very popular vacationing spot. Howard Coffin died in 1937, and his cousin carried on his enterprise. He and his wife were buried in the Christ Church cemetery on St. Simons Island. Mr. Coffin achieved great things during his lifetime and was very successful in following through with his visions.

He contributed to the development of the Golden Isles in many ways and helped shape it into the place it is today..