Tybee Island, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Tybee Island Lighthouse | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location in Chatham County and the state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 32°0′24″N 80°50′58″W / 32.00667°N 80.84944°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Chatham |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brian West |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.19 sq mi (8.25 km2) |
| • Land | 2.88 sq mi (7.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.30 sq mi (0.79 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 3,114 |
| • Density | 1,080.50/sq mi (417.21/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code | 31328 |
| Area code | 912 |
| FIPS code | 13-78036[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0333294[2] |
| Website | cityoftybee.org |
Tybee Island is a city and a barrier island in Chatham County, Georgia, 18 miles (29 km) east of Savannah. The name "Tybee Island" is used for both the island and the city, but geographically they are not identical: only part of the island's territory lies within the city.
The island is Georgia's easternmost point. The phrase "From Rabun Gap to Tybee Light", intended to illustrate Georgia's geographic diversity, contrasts a mountain pass near the state's northernmost point with the coastal island's lighthouse.
As of the 2020 census, the city's population was about 3000 people. The entire island is a part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.
Officially renamed Savannah Beach in a publicity move in 1821,[4] the city of Tybee Island reverted to its original name in 1978. The small island, which has long been a quiet beach getaway for Savannah residents, has become a popular vacation spot for tourists from outside the Savannah area. Tybee Island is home to the first of what eventually became the Days Inn chain of hotels, the oft-photographed Tybee Island Light Station, and the Fort Screven Historic District.
The U.S. Air Force accidentally dropped an atomic bomb into the sea off Tybee Island due to an accidental collision between two aircraft. Though the "Tybee Bomb" did not detonate (the weapon was inert/simulated nuclear capsule according to some reports, others claim the nuclear capsule was equipped), there has been ongoing concern because the Mark 15 nuclear bomb lost during the mishap was never recovered.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tybee Island, Georgia
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ The legal citation is Ga. L. 1929, p.1380.