On the Beach

Beach scenes are a favorite subject for Luba, particularly with Tybee Island in such close proximity to Savannah. The Spanish laid claim to Tybee in 1520 as the northern end of the Guale missionary province of Spanish Florida. Battles between colonialists in South Carolina ensued by the early 1700s, pushing the Spanish borders further south to St. Augustine. Soon thereafter, James Edward Oglethorpe conceived of and founded the Georgia colony, settling in Savannah in 1733. Tybee later played a role in the American Civil War when the Union Army captured nearby Fort Pulaski in 1862. In 1891, the Tybee Pier and Pavillion were built by the Central of Georgia Railroad. In the 1920s, U.S. Route 80 connected Tybee Island with the mainland and millions since have enjoyed the spacious beaches. In this painting, Luba enjoyed a typical scene of girls playing on the beach.