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Review:
Ossabaw Island is Georgia’s third-largest barrier island, spanning more than 26,000 acres, including 9,000 acres of wooded upland area and 16,000 acres of marshlands. The island has been inhabited for at least 4,000 years, including settlements by the Guale indigenous tribe and 16th-century Spanish explorers.
Following periods of private ownership as a plantation site and hunting area, the island was converted into an artistic retreat in the mid-20th century, hosting luminaries such as composer dAaron Coplan and writer Margaret Atwood. In 1978, the retreat was converted into a heritage preserve for scientific and cultural study, which is managed today by the Ossabaw Island Foundation nonprofit organization. As the state’s first heritage preserve, the island conducts educational research in correlation with local universities and hosts a variety of public special events throughout the year.
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