St. Simons Island is famous for its immense Live Oaks and the history that these trees have witnessed. While you are staying on the island, you may notice that when you look at some of these trees, they look back at you. Scattered across the island are Live Oak trees with faces carved into them. These faces are meant to represent sailors of old who lost their lives at sea aboard ships that were constructed from Oak trees hewn from Gascoigne Bluff and are now immortalized in the great trees of St. Simons Island.
Craftsman, Keith Jennings, carved these faces into the trees roughly 40 years ago. He wanted to leave his mark on the island as well as give St. Simons an extra flare of fantasy and mythology. Each face has its own personality that fits the tree in which it is carved. Some faces are sad and droopy which match the weary look of the many Oak trees with their sagging branches and cascading Spanish Moss.
A fun family activity is to go on an afternoon scavenger hunt in search of these Tree Spirits. There are roughly 20 of them in total on the island, but about 7 are on public property. You can find a map of the Tree Spirits at https://www.goldenisles.com/discover/golden-isles/tree-spirits-of-st-simons-island/ and begin your journey to find them all. The best way to go around the island in search of these Tree Spirits is by bike. I strongly suggest going on the hunt for the faces in the trees to make the most of your trip here in the Golden Isles.
