If you are a newcomer to St. Simons Island, you may want to start with
a trolley tour where you can see and hear over 400 years of history and
folklore.
History enthusiasts won't want to miss touring the many intriguing
sites on the island including Fort Frederica which was built in 1736 by
General James Edward Oglethorpe. On July 7, 1742 , an outnumbered force
of British troops defended Georgia against a Spanish invasion at a site
located near the fort known as the Battle of Bloody Marsh. At this
famous battle site, the British troops defeated the Spanish invaders
and kept them from attacking the nearby fort, thus driving them back
into Florida.
Christ Church on St. Simon's Island is a charming place that you won't
want to miss. It was here in 1736 that John and Charles Wesley first
preached and held church services for colonial Americans. Tours are
given daily at this historic and charming old church with its beautiful
stained-glass windows.
Not far from Christ Church, you'll find Epworth-by-the-Sea, now a
Methodist conference center located on the site of the Hamilton
Plantation. A museum there is open to the public. For more information,
contact them at (912) 638-8688.
Also nearby you'll find Gascoigne Bluff where, in 1794, live oak
timbers from St. Simon's Island were milled to build the U.S.S.
Constitution also known as "Old Ironsides." In 1874, timbers were
milled there for the Brooklyn Bridge as well.
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