As told to Tyra Douyon
Photograph by Chris Moncus
Traci and Joe Rothwell’s story began as two unsuspecting college students participating in a summer internship in 2005. Drawn to Jekyll Island for its reputation as a leader in historic preservation, neither arrived expecting that an eight-week program would shape their careers and the rest of their lives.
August of that summer marked the beginning of longer career paths for the couple. Traci received her Master’s degree in historic preservation from the University of Georgia, which led her to become the senior director of communications with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. After graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design, Joe worked on restoration projects across the country before joining the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission as a regional planner.
Wherever their careers took them, the Rothwells never lost their connection to Jekyll Island. They returned in 2013 to marry at Hollybourne Cottage—the same place where they first met and fell in love.
