BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:80@georgiahistory.com DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250321T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250321T100000 DTSTAMP:20250131T162823Z URL:https://www.georgiahistory.com/events/historical-marker-dedication-the -vessel-kit-jones/ SUMMARY:Historical Marker Dedication: The Vessel Kit Jones DESCRIPTION:\n\nThe Georgia Historical Society will hold a dedication for a new historical marker: The Vessel Kit Jones. The dedication will take pla ce on Friday\, March 21\, 2025\, at 10:00 a.m. at 404 North Way in Darien\ , Georgia. The event is open to the public.\n\nParking is limited. Parking is permitted streetside next to the park at 404 North Way along Market St reet\, as well as in the grassy area off Adams Street and near the McIntos h County Courthouse.\n\nSee a map of the dedication area with parking loca tions.\n\nThe historical marker reads:\nThe Vessel Kit Jones\nSapelo Islan d owner Richard J. Reynolds\, Jr. commissioned the vessel Kit Jones in 193 8 as the island’s ferry. Named after Reynolds’ friend Katharine Talbot t Jones\, Sapelo Geechee and other local residents built the vessel using native timber under the supervision of Danish shipwright Axel Holger Sparr e. During World War II\, the US Coast Guard used it as a fireboat. Followi ng the establishment of the University of Georgia’s Marine Institute on Sapelo in 1953\, the vessel was used by scientists including Dr. Eugene Od um\, considered the “Father of Modern Ecology\,” and Dr. Milton “Sam ” Gray\, namesake of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. The Univer sity of Mississippi acquired the vessel in 1985 for 28 more years of exten sive research service. Nearly scrapped in 2017\, concerned citizens purcha sed the Kit Jones\, restoring and returning it to Darien.\nErected by the Georgia Historical Society\, the Friends of Kit Jones\, and the McIntosh C ounty Board of Commissioners\n\n\n\n\nImage courtesy and copyright of Spar kman &\; Stephens\, LLC. CATEGORIES:Historical Markers LOCATION:The Vessel Kit Jones\, 404 North Way\, Darien\, GA\, 31305\, Unite d States X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=404 North Way\, Darien\, GA \, 31305\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=The Vessel Kit Jones:g eo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250309T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR