News Release

Plum Orchard Dock Opening Following Living Shoreline Work

Date: May 28, 2025
Contact: Cindy Brewer, 912-597-2749

Plum Orchard Dock Open following living shoreline work

Saint Marys, GA – Cumberland Island National Seashore has reopened Plum Orchard Dock following living shoreline work Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

The Plum Orchard site contains a mansion built by the Carnegie family, and additional structures including various support buildings, a boat house, and dock ruins. In 1984, the mansion and associated structures and surrounding grounds were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1200 feet of shoreline associated with Plum Orchard is naturally vulnerable to erosion due to its location on the outside bend of the Brickhill River with its strong currents.

The unstable shoreline created a safety hazard, altered the local natural environment, threatened habitat, and was an imminent threat to features of the National Register Plum Orchard Historic District.

This completed project has stabilized the shoreline using a combination of bioengineering, livable landscape and appropriate plantings in concert with riprap to provide protection to the important cultural resources. The project has reduced the risk of impacts from future storms and sea level fluctuations.

“This was a great project to protect the Plum historic district and critical marsh ecosystem. We hope the combination of living shoreline and standard erosion barriers protect this natural and historic area for years to come. ” said Superintendent Trenchik.

This work was planned in coordination with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to ensure the utmost protection of our coastal, maritime resources. The Plum dock is open for authorized use. Please see the current Superintendent Compendium on the park website (www.nps.gov/cuis/learn/management/superintendent-s-compendium.htm) for information and follow all posted NPS signs.

The living shoreline concept