Reynolds Mansion (main house)

The main house of Reynolds Plantation that was originally built with tabby, a mixture of lime, shells, and water. Reynolds Mansion is a 200-year-old estate on Sapelo Island. The mansion was designed by Thomas Spalding who was an architect, statesman, and plantation owner who bought the south end of Sapelo in 1802. From 1810 until the Civil War, the mansion was known as the Spalding Plantation Manor. During the Civil War, the building was damaged by the Union and was later purchased and rebuilt in 1912 by Howard Coffin, a Detroit automotive engineer.

In 1934, Richard J. Reynolds Jr., the son of the founder of R. J. Tobacco Company, purchased the property. Reynolds allowed the University of Georgia to use the facilities to conduct marine research. Following Reynold's death, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources acquired the land in 1975. The mansion now accommodates conferences and retreats available to the public.