The Georgia Historical Society, the Friends of Kit Jones and the McIntosh County Board of Commissioners will dedicate a historical marker to the Kit Jones on Friday at 10 a.m.

The ceremony will be held at the Kit Jones Historic Landmark, 404 North Way in Darien.

Parking is limited. Parking is permitted streetside next to the park at 404 North Way along Market Street, as well as in the grassy area off Adams Street and near the McIntosh County Courthouse.

On display in a Darien park, the vessel Kit Jones has served many functions since its launch on Sapelo Island in 1939: tugboat, ferry, fire boat, and more. The Kit Jones is a surviving example of Georgia’s coastal wood-boat building tradition and has most notably served as a vessel for scientists doing extensive coastal research.

Now that concerned residents — all with connections to the Kit Jones in one way or another — have restored the vessel and returned it to Darien, this Georgia Historical Society historical marker will further share the vessel’s rich history with the public.