Sea Island Co. - Cotton - 1865 South Carolina, Georgia, & Florida Stock Certificate - Great History!

Stock. No vignette, but ornate title & so rich in history. 25 cents Washington revenue stamp! Civil War era dated!

The Sea Island Company, founded in 1926 by Howard Coffin, a visionary automobile and aviation pioneer, and his cousin Alfred W. Jones Sr., initially operated as Sea Island Investments, Inc. The company’s mission was to transform the largely uninhabited barrier island, then known as Long Island, into a premier resort destination. Coffin entrusted the renowned architect Addison Mizner with the design of the company’s flagship property, The Cloister, which opened its doors in October 1928. Despite the immediate challenges posed by the Great Depression, the resort swiftly garnered a reputation for luxury and exceptional hospitality, attracting high-profile guests such as celebrities, royalty, and even U.S. Presidents.

Following Coffin’s passing in 1937, the Jones family assumed full leadership, maintaining the company’s private ownership for an impressive eight decades. Under their guidance, the resort expanded its offerings to include the Sea Island Golf Club and various other luxurious amenities. Notably, the resort even hosted the 30th G8 summit in 2004. However, aggressive expansion projects in the early 2000s, coupled with the devastating impact of the 2008 financial crisis, ultimately led the company into bankruptcy in 2010. Later that year, a coalition of investors acquired the company, and by 2016, the Anschutz family emerged as the sole owners. This consolidation was aimed at ensuring the continued legacy of the historic Broadmoor resort.