The History of the Chesser Island Homestead at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Located on the eastern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp is a 592 acre island known as Chesser Island. In the late 1800s, W.T. Chesser and his family settled the small island. The Chesser's were a rugged family, carving out a life in the often harsh conditions of the area. Their history is typical of many area settlers; they ate what they could shoot, trap, catch and grow on the sandy soil. Cash crops were primarily sugar cane, tobacco, and turpentine. They lived simply, worked hard, and played hard, when possible.
Visit www.fws.gov/okefenokee/ to plan your trip.
This video was produced by Capstone students at the University of Georgia's New Media Institute for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region.