Tony Heidt, born April 23, 1935, in Savannah (Telfair Hospital) recalls how his family began renting on Tybee before his father bought a raised Dr. Harris house for $2,700, sparking a lifelong attachment to Tybee. He describes courting stories, childhood summers barefoot on the island, and World War II memories: Coast Guard horseback patrols with submachine guns, Pearl Harbor at age six, rumors of spies, and exploring Fort Screven after restrictions lifted, including the Post Theater.

This video depicts Bones Tattnall and his son, Pompey, both mentioned in Mr. Heidt’s recollections: https://www.facebook.com/reel/757879720310909

Depiction of signage in the 1950s-early 1960s: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19RiRjJZZT/

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Theme Music: "Tybee Where the Georgia Peaches Go"

This rendition of the 1926 song by Samuel B. Miller, originally sung by Dewey Holm and His Savannahians on Tybrisa Pavilion, was rerecorded by Turner Horton, TV and Film Composer for the “Tybee Remembers When” podcast in 2024.

Tap HERE for images of the original sheet music from the archives

All recordings in this podcast are the thoughts and opinions of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Tybee Island Historical Society. Oral histories are, by nature, subjective accounts and should not be taken as unbiased fact without further verification.