Any history buff cruising the Georgia Coastal area will want to see Ft. King George. This historic site is the oldest English fort remaining on Georgia's coast. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, “From 1721 until 1736, Fort King George was the southern outpost of the British Empire in North America. A cypress blockhouse, barracks and palisaded earthen fort were constructed in 1721 by scoutmen led by Colonel John “Tuscarora Jack” Barnwell. For the next seven years, His Majesty’s Independent Company garrisoned the fort. They endured incredible hardships from disease, threats of Spanish and Indian attacks, and the harsh, unfamiliar coastal environment. After the fort was abandoned, General James Oglethorpe brought Scottish Highlanders to the site in 1736. The settlement, called Darien, eventually became a foremost export center of lumber until 1925.”
Visitors can enjoy touring a replica of the original fort, watching a video of its history and learning about the city of Darien where it is located. If you are lucky you might even see an alligator lurking in ponds on the grounds!
Check the Ft. King George information site at http://gastateparks.org/
While in the Darien area, don’t forget to check out Sapelo Island just up the road from Ft. King George. A ferry ride will take you from the visitors’ center to the barrier island which features guided tours highlighting the African-American community of Hog Hammock, Reynolds Mansion, Nanny Goat Beach, University of Georgia Marine Institute and a restored 1820 lighthouse.
While in the Darien area, don’t forget to check out Sapelo Island just up the road from Ft. King George. A ferry ride will take you from the visitors’ center to the barrier island which features guided tours highlighting the African-American community of Hog Hammock, Reynolds Mansion, Nanny Goat Beach, University of Georgia Marine Institute and a restored 1820 lighthouse.
If you’re traveling the Altamaha River area on Wednesday through Sunday, it’s also worth a stop at the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation. This historic site offers a look at the culture of Georgia’s rice coast. Built in the early 1800s by William Brailsford of Charleston, this plantation grew rice along the Altamaha River until 1913. Visitors of the plantation can enjoy dreaming of a bygone day when, “The plantation and its inhabitants were part of the genteel low country society that developed during the antebellum period.”
~Kelly C.
English Teacher
MJ
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