Stafford Beach Cottage

Stafford Beach Cottage and approximately one acre of property came into the hands of the National Park Service around the year 2000.

First I need to explain a RPA. There are two types of property owners on the island: life estate holders and those with a term for a specific number of years. These owners have what is called a Reserve Property Agreement (RPA) that was granted to them during the governments land acquisitions of the late 60's and early 70's.
The RPA expired and now belongs to the NPS. The NPS has included the cottage into what is termed the 2010ers. The 2010ers are a group of RPAs that will come into the possession of the NPS. They will be determining which property and structures will be beneficial to the NPS.

The Stafford Beach Cottage , built by the Carnegie's, helped shape the character and identity of Cumberland Island through the Carnegie's outdoor activities and with experiences of their everyday life on the island estates. The value of the property and beach cottage is determined through the landscape and it's vernacular design. The main structures principal features from the period in which the cottage was built are still intact and visually, there are no major structural damage. The setting has only changed through the typical natural process of environmental changes. The Stafford Beach Cottage and surrounding property still has historic identity.

The floor plan was drawn from researching photographs.

It is important to preserve the cottage because it's cultural value served as a recreational venue for the Carnegie's and their friend's social activities and traditions. The purpose of the structure was to be a place devoted to recreation and not as a residence.

Site Plan

From a list of five, a decision will be made upon this cottage: (1) use for park housing, (2) administrative offices, storage etc......., (3) public use such as a visitor's center, environmental research station etc......., (4) tear the structure down, and (5) Have the structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We need for citizens to contact their local, regional and national political officials and let them know that the cottage needs to be preserved. Next, contact and email the NPS at their web site here. http://www.nps.gov/cuis/contacts.htm
Thank you to my friend for the use of her photos of the cottage. Check out her web site. The name says it all!http://www.cumberlandislandquiltchick.com/