St. Simons, Georgia

St. Simons Island was inhabited by Native Americans of the Muskogean tribes several thousand years ago. During the 1500's monks were sent from Spain to colonize and convert the region, and later England claimed the islands under James Oglethorpe, who planted settlements in Savannah and Darien, then south to the western shore of St. Simons where he built the fort and town of Frederica.

St. Simons Lighthouse was first built in 1810 on the site of Oglethorpe's Fort St. Simons. This original structure was destroyed in 1861 as the Confederate Army retreated from Union invaders. A new lighthouse and the lightkeeper's cottage were built by Charles B. Clusky in 1872. In 1950 the last keeper retired, but the beacon is still operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. This is one of the nation's oldest continuously working lighthouses and one of the most accessible, located near the busy and popular Pier Village and Neptune Park.

Fort Frederica . In 1734 General James Oglethorpe sailed south from Ft. King George down the protected inland waterway, seeking the best location for a fort to protect Darien and Savannah from the Spanish militia firmly entrenched in Florida. He found an ideal spot on the western shore of St. Simons Island. A high bluff overlooking a hairpin turn on a branch of the Altamaha River would afford the British troops a distinct vantage point both above and below the river. Thus Fort Frederica was founded at a place called Devil's Elbow on the Frederica River. The National Park Service has interpreted the ruins of this once thriving riverport community, offering a glimpse of coastal life in colonial Georgia. Located on Frederica Road past Christ Church, open daily 9-5.

Christ Church, Frederica , steeped in history, is the 2nd oldest Episcopal Church in Georgia, and the 3rd oldest in the nation. In the 1740's, Charles Wesley served Frederica as the first Protestant minister at Christ Church. During the Civil War, Union troops commandeered the building and it was nearly destroyed. In 1889 the church was rebuilt by Anson Phelps Dodge, Jr., as a memorial to his first wife. Be sure to see the magnificent stained glass windows! A walk through the cemetery will acquaint you with many early settlers of the island. Located on Frederica Road past the Lawrence Road fork.

Bloody Marsh . In 1742, Spanish troops landed on the south end of St. Simons Island and forced Gen. Oglethorpe's men back to Fort Frederica. Oglethorpe regrouped, allowing the enemy to advance to the edge of the marsh, where they made camp. Outnumbered 5 to 1, Oglethorpe's handful of of Highlanders and and Indians surprised the invaders and chased them back to the beach. The Battle of Bloody Marsh, when the marsh ran red with Spanish blood, was a decisive British victory, and ended forever the threat of Spanish invasion into this colony. The marker for this battle site is located off Demere Road, open to the public.