Due to U-boats during 1942, much cargo and many ships were lost. The tremendous number of losses…read morenecessitated the need for more ships that were stronger, larger, and can hold vast amounts of cargo. During 1942 the U.S. Maritime Commission chose 16 sites around the nation to build what would be termed "Liberty Ships." Brunswick was one of the towns chosen. During World War II, the J.A. Jones Construction Company operated a plant approximately 1 mile south of this point on Brunswick's waterfront. Between 1942 and 1944, a skilled labor force of over 16,000 men and women worked in service to the Allied war effort, producing 99 steel vessels for the U.S. Merchant Marines. These vessels served as both cargo and troop carriers, and their reputation for keeping vital supply lines open earned them the name of "Liberty Ships." Each month, dedicated shipyard workers produced four of these 447-foot, 3500-ton steel vessels. During December 1944, with the "Battle of the Bulge" raging in Europe, the Navy requested six ships. In response, these determined patriots build an astounding seven "Liberty Ships." The J.A. Jones Construction Company and the people they employed in Brunswick's shipyards came to symbolize the patriotic duty and tireless efforts of America's wartime home front. Upon war's end in 1945, the J.A. Jones Construction Company closed the shipyards, on their way out, they donated a model of one of the Liberty Ships that was used in training the employees. For many years this model sat at the foot of the St. Simons Island Causeway, eventually though, the model fell to ruins and had to be scrapped. Around 1987 the local Navy League started raising funds to build a new model. On 23 August 1991 a brand new 23 foot vessel was completed, making it the "100th Liberty Ship" build by Brunswick. And, like all vessels before it, this ship was christened with a bottle of champagne and the name "City of Brunswick". [Review 16824 overall - 497 in Georgia - 337 of 2022.]

Spanish over St Simons Island. 7 July 1742. The Spanish defeat lead them to evacuate the island a…read morecouple of weeks later. Overlook as the British would have seen Spanish crossings the marsh. Parking, 3 picnic tables, monument. Often overlooked major historical site. Good for a quick break.

If you like history, you'd enjoy seeing this battle site. Maybe bring a picnic lunch. This is…read morewhere the British stopped the Spanish, and secured the land to the north from Spain.

I never knew any of the history that we stumbled upon here!…read more First of all, the building is nicely done with great museum like displays and a cute gift shop. There was also an extremely knowledgeable person inside who gave us a ton of info about the history and the fort. We then ventured outside (bug spray may be a good idea here!) and looked at the various spots with info and the history of the butcher, baker, candlestick maker as well as the other jobs around the fort. The actual building ruins are interesting and picturesque by the water. You could easily spend a while here meandering and learning. 100% worth a visit if you are nearby!

This afternoon, my mom and I went to go tour the Fort Federica national Monument on Saint Simons…read moreIsland. It is a free fort so you don't pay a parking fee or an entrance fee. They have a museum inside along with a small gift shop as well as the fort grounds that you can walk around and read the Historical information. To get on Saint Simons Island you don't have to pay an island fee. The lady at the desk, her name is Barbara. She was very nice and assisted me with purchasing my passport guide. A passport to the national parks has little areas where you can take the stamps from the different national parks and stamp in your booklet. The passport books includes national parks all over the country. In the gift shop, they have a regular passport, an expert passport and a junior guide for a junior Rangers. 10/10

If you have any appreciation for early American history, the Horton House ruins on Jekyll Island…read moreare absolutely worth a stop. Built in 1743 from tabby, a fascinating oyster shell and lime mortar used throughout colonial Georgia, these walls have survived Spanish raids, Georgia hurricanes, and nearly three centuries of harsh coastal weather. The atmosphere is wonderfully peaceful. No crowds, no noise, just moss-draped trees, the sound of the breeze and the birds singing. This site could use a little more facts about Major Horton, the DuBignon era, and the plantation history would make the experience even more meaningful for first-time visitors. Across the street from the Horton House ruins is the small DuBignon Cemetery, a tabby-walled enclosure containing the graves of five people: Ann Amelia du Bignon, Joseph du Bignon, Marie Felicite Riffault, Hector deLiyannis, and George Harvey. They owned the Horton House from 1790 to 1886 and operated the land as a plantation for over a *century. Still an over-all interesting history stop.

This was such an interesting historical site to explore. It's easily accessible -- right along the…read moreside of the road. We parked and walked over to the house. There are explanatory plaques about the tabby-built house along with a sign about tabby (the building material formed from a mix of sand, lime, oyster shells, and water). The house is one of the oldest of its kind in Georgia and is on the National Register of Historic places. Horton was in charge of the British troops stationed on island. He built this house as his residence and lived here from 1736 until 1748. (He died in Savannah in 1748 or 1749 -- I've read two different dates.) One other interesting note about Horton was that he had the first beer brewery in the state. What you see when you come here is the shell of the house. Open aired without a roof or paned windows. You can walk around the outside and inside. It's a good photo op for various views through the open windows. Later on, the house was occupied by the French du Bignons (who owned the island until they sold it to the American millionaires in 1886) from 1790 to the mid 1800's. Their cemetery is located across the street from the House, and you can easily walk to see this, as well, which we did.

On top of a concrete plinth, there is a covered steel pot. On the concrete is carved, "In this pot,…read morethe first Brunswick Stew was made on Saint Simon Isle, June 2, 1898." A great debate rages over where the first Brunswick Stew was cooked. Was it here in Brunswick Georgia or was it in Brunswick County Virginia as depicted on https://www.yelp.com/biz/brunswick-county-historical-marker-freeman?hrid=cYawMoEAPFnn9WF3SNDPsg. I'm not going to take sides but I will point out that the pot here says 1898 and the sign there was 1828. So there's that. Brunswick Stew, whether Georgian or Virginian, is a tomato-based dish that was originally made with squirrel or rabbit or opossum as the base protein. In more modern times, it is usually pork or chicken or beef. I won't call it a chili because it's not that. It's a stew with beans and other vegetables and we will say no more. The pot is located next to the Farmers Market structure adjacent to Mary Ross Waterfront Park. I don't know if there are restaurants nearby that sell stew. I had Chinese for dinner. [Review 16827 overall - round number 500 in Georgia - 340 of 2022.]

I've seen this bridge dozens of times as I drive I-95 but it isn't the I-95 bridge. The Sidney…read moreLanier Bridge carries four lanes of US-17 over the Brunswick River. It is a cable-stayed bridge that is the longest spanning bridge in Georgia and is 480 feet tall. It is named for poet Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) who was hailed in the South as "the poet of the Confederacy." The bridge was completed in 2003 and features a span of 1250 feet that has 185 feet of clearance over the water. It has four lanes of traffic. The original Sidney Lanier Bridge was opened June 22, 1956, and was built by Sverdrup & Parcel, the same firm that designed the I-35W Mississippi River bridge which collapsed in 2007. On November 7, 1972 the ship African Neptune struck the bridge, causing parts of the bridge to collapse and causing several cars to fall into the water. Ten deaths were caused by the accident. On May 3, 1987 the bridge was again struck by a ship, this time by the Polish freighter Ziemia Bialostocka. If you squint your eyes, you could see this bridge being compared to Charleston's Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge https://www.yelp.com/biz/arthur-ravenel-jr-bridge-mount-pleasant-2?hrid=adycp2YtNWJNWD6GJRhgFA though this one has straight pilings where the Charleston bridge is diamond shaped. [Review 15746 overall - 428 in Georgia - 1250 of 2021.]

Spectacular views of the coastal Georgia area from the bridge. From his bridge you can see Jekyll…read moreand Saint Simons Island and downtown Brunswick Georgia. I won't add to or reiterate what other reviewer's have done here so well. All I'll say here is this: see the photo below. This is what a view from the bridge looks like during a hunters moon. It's a view few will ever see unless they live in the areA. A trip to this bridge is worth it with you stop at Saint Simons, Jekyll, or Brunswick or not. It's about 8 miles off of I 95

This roadside marker is located not far from the traffic circle where Kings Way meets Frederica…read moreRoad. There is no good spot for a car to stop with a soft shoulder, but the pedestrian path nearby is close enough. The marker was erected by the Georgia Historical Society in 2007 and is still in excellent condition. You'll need to stop to read the small print, "In 1804 William Page purchased land on St. Simons Sound and named it Retreat. With later purchases, Retreat became one of the preeminent plantations on St. Simons Island for the production of long-staple cotton. In 1827 the Pages' only child, Anna Matilda, who had married Thomas Butler King of Massachusetts, inherited Retreat. She was active in the management of the plantation and its slave population. Mr. King became a Georgia state senator and U. S. Congressman, where he led efforts to strengthen the U.S. Navy. Retreat land stretched from the Frederica River to the Lighthouse. Part of Retreat, including the Avenue of Oaks, is now home to Sea Island Golf Club, and other portions are residential and commercial areas and public parks." Retreat Plantation was one of the most prosperous plantations and was located on the southern tip of St. Simons Island. Anna Page King, who inherited the land in 1826, planted the famous Avenue of the Oaks. It is said that Anna grew such an abundance of flowers at Retreat Plantation that sailors nearing St. Simons Island could smell the flowers' fragrance before they saw the Island shores. Once the entrance to Retreat Plantation, the Avenue of the Oaks is now the entrance to the Sea Island Golf Club. There is a drive around the double row of live oak trees which create the Avenue of the Oaks, most dating to around 1830. [Review 15743 overall - 425 in Georgia - 1247 of 2021.]

I have been to Brunswick numerous times over the last several years and I have watched the historic…read moredowntown blossom! I love small towns, I love communities that come together and celebrate their uniqueness. Brunswick has history, shopping, food and a quaint, small town charm. Downtown has a distillery, brewery, local artisan shops and boutiques plus a few eateries. Local landmarks include Lover's Oak, Historic downtown buildings, and the Marshes of Glynn. Beautiful natural and scenic landscape invites jogging and walking with paths and areas such as the Sidney Lanier Bridge, the Old Town Brunswick National Historic District, and Mary Ross Waterfront Park. With moderate temperatures, our great outdoors offers the year round pleasures of kayaking, sailing, surfboarding, volleyball, and swimming. You can also reel in a good time with local charters offering fishing and dolphin boat tours. It is a skip and a jump to St Simons Island or Jekyll Island. Surrounded by Georgia Marshlands and plenty of wildlife, it is a wonderful little treasure of a town to visit. They have a little farmers market at the Mary Ross Waterfront Park that I have been lucky enough to hit a couple times now!