CGHS Brunswick Lecture Series 2023

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Coastal Georgia Historical Society

Newcastle Street Brunswick historic photo

The Brunswick Lecture Series, returning in October at the Brunswick-Glynn County Library, includes four speakers who will cover a range of Brunswick-centered historical topics. Programs will be held on October 3, 10, 17, and 24 from 4 – 5:30 p.m.

The first lecture, on October 3, will feature the Society’s Senior Historian Buddy Sullivan. Sullivan will cover the history of Brunswick from the colonial settlement of Georgia to the 20th century, concentrating on the city’s development as a commercial center and seaport. Brunswick’s home front contributions during World War II will be discussed, as well as the commercial seafood industry that developed after the war. Dozens of historical images will illustrate the city’s rich history.

Director of Public Programming Allison Dupuis will present “Railroads to Rest Stops: Travel and Tourism In Brunswick from the 1890s to the 1960s” on October 10. From the heyday of the Oglethorpe Hotel to the completion of Georgia’s section of Interstate 95, Brunswick has long served a dual function as a welcoming way station and a vacation destination in and of itself. This program will follow Brunswick’s unique story through the rise and fall of rail travel, the era of the Dixie Highway, and the changes ushered in by the Numbered and Interstate Highway Systems.

Hector Montford, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History at the College of Coastal Georgia, will present “The Risley School: Creating Community in a Segregated City” on October 17. The presentation will focus on 20th century education in Glynn County, with a special emphasis on the role of the Risley School. Over the past few years, Dr. Montford and his students have worked with local community groups to preserve and document Brunswick’s African American history through archival research. Their oral history interviews of former Risley students, faculty, and staff are important components of his research for this program.

The series will conclude with Keith Propst, who will present “Gray Shadows Over Wolfpacks: NAS Glynco and the Naval Airship Program” on October 24. During World War II, Naval Air Station Glynco housed and maintained a fleet of airships, which helped to protect American ships from attacks by German submarines. Propst’s presentation will highlight his research into the construction of Naval Air Station Glynco and the enduring importance of the Station and its activities, both during and after World War II. Propst has previously published multiple articles for both Georgia Backroads magazine and south Florida’s Lake Worth Herald newspaper.

The cost for the series is $50, and registration is required by visiting coastalgeorgiahistory.org. The lectures will be held at the Brunswick Library, 208 Gloucester Street.  This program is presented jointly by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and the Friends of the Brunswick-Glynn County Library.