skidaway island was originally a hunting and ceremonial ground of the timucua indians. european settlement of the island was successful between 1754 and 1771, and included john milledge (the father of john milledge), who established a plantation on the northern end. he named it "modena," presumably after the italian city for its famed production of silk. silk was an early industry of the european settlers of coastal georgia. the modena plantation grew corn, cotton, oranges and mulberry trees, and kept sheep, cattle, hogs and horses. it survived as a plantation into the 1840s, until john milledge iii sold it in 1843. the name "modena" is still used to refer to the northern part of the island.