A small island off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The island was once inhabited by American Euchee indians and the name of the island comes from their word for "salt." Tybee Island was overtaken by the Spanish in the early 1500's and served as a refuge for pirates. The Spanish eventually gave up their claim to the French and English and in 1733, James Edward Oglethorpe landed on Tybee Island and it became part of the 13th colony of Georgia.