My daughter (Thing 1) and I recently visited Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simon’s Island. This was the first stop on a three-day trip exploring historic sites along coastal Georgia. Although we had toured this spot years ago, Thing 1 didn’t pay much attention to it. Now that she has earned a college degree in public history, she wanted to see it again.
St. Simon’s Island is one of only four Georgia barrier islands that can be reached by car. Unspoiled public beaches, Spanish-moss-covered oak trees, good restaurants, and a laid-back vibe beckon visitors to this town of 16,000 residents. But back in the early 1700s, both the British and the Spanish fought over the Georgia coastline (including St. Simon’s Island), known as “the debatable lands.”
Fort Frederica History
In 1732, King George II of Great Britain sent James Oglethorpe to settle the new colony of Georgia. Oglethorpe landed in 1733 and quickly established the town of Savannah on the Yamacraw Bluff. His second order of business was to set up a fort to protect the area.
Along with dozens of skilled workers, General Oglethorpe came down to St. Simon’s Island to build Fort Frederica in 1836. The area became not only a fort with over 600 soldiers but a bustling town of 500 civilians. A moat and town wall surrounded the town and fort.
The Town
Oglethorpe divided the land behind the fort into about 84 lots, each measuring about 60 x 90 feet, for each family. Today, all that remains of the town are large oak trees. You have to use your imagination to envision what Frederica looked like during its heyday. A map shows what the area looked like almost 300 years ago for some reference.
Lined with oak trees, Broad Street bisects the town into the northern and southern wards. About halfway to the fort, Barracks Street crosses Broad in the center of the village. As we walked along the “streets,” plaques pointed out archaeological finds.
Initially, the settlers built palmetto huts on their lots. Later, they replaced them with brick, wood, or tabby houses. The citizens held a variety of jobs, including doctor, tavernkeeper, butcher, blacksmith, and more. Archaeologists found the site of the local candlemaker, John Calwell. On this site, we could see the foundation of the tabby house and the remnants of a fireplace. The plaque in the picture above shows what the 3-story house might have looked like.
We also walked to the foundation of the Hawkins-Davison houses. The two houses shared a common wall. On one side lived the “ill-tempered” Dr. Thomas Hawkins and his wife Beatre. On the other side lived well-liked Samuel Davison, who housed his tavern on the lower floor. The two families bickered constantly, leading Davison and his family to leave the area for Charleston a few years later.
The Fort and Barracks
At the end of Broad Street, the ruins of Fort Frederica stood in the distance. Historians believe four bastions flanked the star-shaped structure. Surrounded by a palisade and a moat, the fort most likely consisted of two storehouses, a blacksmith shop, a parade ground, and a guardhouse. Builders used tabby, a mix of sand, water, crushed shells, and lime (derived from burnt oyster shells), as a concrete to build the fort. Today, only half of the King’s Magazine remains.
The fort faced the Frederica River and, according to historical records, boasted 15 cannons on a spur battery. The spur battery no longer exists (due to erosion), but the cannons pointed southward to Spanish Florida. The 12-pounder cannons, mounted on wooden platforms, required eight men to operate.
The only other structure that partially stands today is a small section of the barracks. This enclosed tabby structure would house about 100 men. The other men lived in huts, shown in an earlier picture.
Visitor Center
A 20-minute film inside the visitor center details how Fort Frederica defended British efforts in the New World. Spain and England declared war in 1739, known as the War of Jenkins’ Ear. Oglethorpe unsuccessfully tried to conquer the Castillo de San Marcos at St. Augustine in May of 1740.
In response, Spain sent over 2,000 men to St. Simon’s Island in 1742. After taking over Fort Saint Simon’s, they proceeded to Fort Frederica. Oglethorpe’s men intercepted the soldiers and defeated them at the Battle of Bloody Marsh. A few years later, England and Spain declared a truce. By 1749, the British troops left Fort Frederica, and the townspeople moved back to the mainland.
The visitor center offers a section for kids to play games popular in the 1740s and dress up in British soldiers’ outfits. In display cases, guests can view artifacts, such as broken pottery and belt buckles, found on the site.
Conclusion
Run by the National Park Service, Fort Frederica doesn’t require an entrance fee. This makes for an easy visit for families who want to sneak in some Georgia history while visiting the beach. For more about the park, visit the website here.
If time permits, visit Christ Episcopal Church adjacent to Fort Frederica. The church was established in 1736 by Reverend Charles Wesley. The current church building, built in 1884, replaced the 1820 structure, which was destroyed during the Civil War. Tours of the church are available Tuesday through Sunday from 2-5 pm, but you can walk the grounds and cemetery every day during daylight hours.
Additionally, you can read my post about St. Simon’s attractions, including the WWII Home Front Museum, the Saint Simon’s Lighthouse Museum, and Cannon’s Point Preserve.