Hello, my name is Mildred Rose, thanks for visiting this page! I’d like to tell you a little bit about the story of my life. I think it’s been extremely interesting and most transformative. Please drop me a line and let me know if you agree.

It was August 11, 1934 – and a man named C.E. Tiller closed on a deal to purchase the land on which I sit. The price? $151 – the deal of a lifetime!

From what I gather, Mr. Tiller’s wife was distraught at the expenditure. Times were hard and her husband was “splurging” on speculative real estate. At that point, my land was not on the ocean – there was another street directly in front of me – leading Mrs. Tiller to wonder “What, exactly, is my husband thinking?”

It took Mr. Tiller 10 years to erect my structure. I was born in the summer of 1944 – after the Great Depression had come and gone, and when World War II was nearing conclusion. Mr. Tiller said that I was an affirmation of the goodness in this Country – that everything was going to be alright. I never forgot this, and it carried me through some very hard times.

At birth, I was a simple cottage – with one bedroom and one bathroom, a small kitchen and a living room with a fireplace. As I entered my childhood years, I did not stand out. I was one of many similar small cottages lining my street, both to my left and to my right. In fact, even though my name is Mildred, most people called me an “ordinary plain Jane.”

In constructing me, Mr. Tiller was held in check by Mrs. Tiller. I had no frills, no extra rooms and no lavish finishes. Mrs. Tiller did allow one extravagance: the footings on which I was built. At the time, the platinum standard for cottage foundations was a material called “Creosote” – and that is indeed the substance on which I was erected.

In 1945, only year after I was built, Mr. Tiller succumbed to pressure by his wife and sold me. Thereafter, I changed hands many times, never finding any owner who understood my true beauty or was willing to invest in me.

In 1964, hurricane Dora hit Saint Simons Island. I must tell you, it was absolutely terrifying. I quaked right down to my Creosote footings. . . . The winds, the ocean surge, the sheer force of that hurricane. It is hard for me to describe. . . . I was only 20 years old at the time, and perhaps it was my youth was my salvation, I don’t know.

The street in front of me – the one that fronted the ocean? It went right into the ocean, putting me directly on the Atlantic.

Many homes up and down my street? They were washed away. In fact, all of the homes to my right were swallowed by Hurricane Dora – leaving room for the creation of Fifth Street Beach as you now know it.

Guess who was the last house in the row left standing? Yes, it was me. Turns out my Creosote footings were strong as iron, and I was able to withstand Dora’s gale-force winds and titanic surges of water.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Dora, President Johnson ordered the installation of the large rocks all along the Saint Simons coast. I received special attention – now being on a central, water-bearing peninsula.

Even though I survived Hurricane Dora, I still did not find owners who really “got” me. In fact, for the next 60 years, I changed hands many more times. I must say, it was exhausting. Here I was, the sole survivor of Dora, now right on the ocean and also on a beach. How could everyone not love me? It was hard on me, and I was starting to feel like the ugly stepchild that no one wanted. . . .

That all changed in 2021 when my current owner walked up my pathway and started, without provocation, to cry. She knew she was in the presence of a magical piece of property, and an equally magical structure.

Shortly after closing, I told her my name was Mildred Rose. Yes, “Mildred” was a common name in 1944 – the year I was born. But there was a more compelling reason for my name. . . .

Only after naming me did my current owner find out what the name Mildred means. . . . . It means “Gentle Strength” – and that is indeed what I am.

Unlike past owners, my current owner intends to never let me go.

I really do hope you will come and stay with me for a while. I promise to treat you with great care, and to show you the magic of my presence!

Thank you so much for reading the story of my life. It was quite something, wouldn’t you agree? I’d love to hear from you, please drop me a line. hello@mildredrosecottage.com