Dungeness on Cumberland Island, Georgia, is a ruined mansion that is part of a historic district that was the home of several families significant in American history. James Oglethorpe first built on Cumberland Island in 1736, building a hunting lodge that he named Dungeness. Oglethorpe named the place after Dungeness, in England. The next Dungeness was the legacy of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, who had acquired 11,000 acres of island land in exchange for a bad debt. His widow built a four-story tabby mansion in 1803, over a Timucuan shell mound. During the War of 1812 the island was occupied by the British, who used the house as a headquarters.
In 1818 Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee, a dashing cavalry commander during the Revolutionary War and father of Robert E. Lee, stayed at the house until his death on March 25, 1818, cared for by Greene's daughter Louisa, and was laid to rest in nearby cemetery with full military honors provided by an American fleet stationed at St. Marys, Georgia. The house was abandoned during the U.S. Civil War and burned in 1866.
In the 1880s the property was purchased by Thomas M. Carnegie, brother of Andrew Carnegie, who began to build a new mansion on the site. The 59-room Queen Anne style mansion and grounds were completed after Carnegie's death in 1886. His wife Lucy continued to live at Dungeness and built other estates for her children, including Greyfield for Margaret Carnegie, Plum Orchard for George Lauder Carnegie, and Stafford Plantation. By this time, the Carnegies owned 90% of the island.
The Carnegies moved out of Dungeness in 1925. In 1959 the Dungeness mansion was destroyed by fire, alleged to be arson. The ruins are today preserved by the National Park Service as part of Cumberland Island National Seashore. They were acquired by the Park Service in 1972.

Find Hotel with a Concierge in St. Marys, GA

Change your mind
Book hotels with free cancellation
Treat yourself
Sign in to save 10% or more on thousands of hotels
Sign in
Be picky
Search almost a million properties worldwide

Check availability on St. Marys Hotel with a Concierge

Tonight

Tomorrow

Next weekend

12 Dec - 14 Dec

In two weeks

19 Dec - 21 Dec

Top St. Marys Hotel with a Concierge

View from property

Spencer House Inn Bed & Breakfast

St. Marys

United States

Kathleen

SAR 820 total

includes taxes & fees

6 Jan - 7 January 2026

Exterior

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Kingsland Naval Base I-95

Kingsland

United States

Peter

SAR 286 total

includes taxes & fees

9 Dec - 10 Dec

Exterior

Holiday Inn Express Saint Simons Island by IHG

St. Simons Island

United States

Tania

SAR 391 total

includes taxes & fees

5 Jan - 6 January 2026

In-room safe, iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Hampton Inn Kingsland

Kingsland

United States

Ruth

SAR 423 total

includes taxes & fees

21 Dec - 22 Dec

Indoor pool, 2 outdoor pools, open 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, pool umbrellas

The Villas of Amelia Island

Fernandina Beach

United States

Harsha

SAR 837 total

includes taxes & fees

11 Dec - 12 Dec

5 outdoor pools, pool umbrellas, sun loungers

The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort

St. Simons Island

United States

Brian

SAR 789 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Dec - 16 Dec

Outdoor pool, open 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, pool umbrellas, sun loungers

Amelia Hotel at the Beach

Fernandina Beach

United States

Deborah

SAR 450 total

includes taxes & fees

11 Dec - 12 Dec

Sundeck

Seaside Amelia Inn

Fernandina Beach

United States

Danyell

SAR 450 total

includes taxes & fees

14 Dec - 15 Dec

View all properties

Top St. Marys Hotel Reviews

Amelia Hotel at the Beach

Amelia Hotel at the Beach

10/10 Excellent

"Clean hotel and i gave stsyed here alot the last few years. The new charge for parking is a suprise and will probably make me find a new hotel."

Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa

Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa

10/10 Excellent

"This is a fabulous resort with outstanding service, gorgeous views and beautifully decorated for the holidays. The grounds are large and have everything right there from shops to a variety of restaurants to 18 hole putt putt golf all in walking distance. My family and I will be back. "

Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Find More Hotels near St. Marys

Hotel with a Concierge in Atlanta

More Hotel Options in St. Marys

Hotels near popular St. Marys Attractions

St. Marys Hotels by Star Rating

Explore more hotels

See a list of all hotels in St. Marys

58bc3239-92e4-44fc-b084-9b8737f4a7422d5085ca-fbac-4bed-b4f4-9cb02b291f85