The house has many distinguishing features such as an elevator, a cedar-lined walk-in safe, and taps for hot and cold salt water on the bathtub in the master bedroom bath.

Tours of the mansion are provided by the Jekyll Island Museum.

McKay died in 1903 and the house was bought by William Rockefeller in 1905, who used it as a winter home.

The house remained in the Rockefeller family until 1947, when the Jekyll Island Authority bought the property.

[3] The mound was later found to be a shell midden left by the Indians.