History Highights

Brunswick College Dedication Invitation

Coastal Georgia Historical Society

Dedication to Education

Learn about the evolution of Brunswick College into the current College of Coastal Georgia and its first president, Earl F. Hargett, who also served as the first present of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society.

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James Kinsey

Coastal Georgia Historical Society

In celebration of Labor Day, the Coastal Georgia Historical Society recognizes the many American workers who mobilized to help win World War II. Read more

History Highlights

Glynn Ice Company ad that appeared in the Brunswick Pilot October 1926

Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives

Imagine August in Coastal Georgia without ice. For residents of Brunswick in 1919, the scarcity of ice became a hot-button topic. Learn more about the "ice famine." Read more

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Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives. Photographer: W. Archibald Wallace of Huntington, West Virginia.

Frances Peabody McKay shared years’ worth of memories from her family’s summers on SSI in “More Fun than Heaven.” The book described their annual sojourns at the cottages in the island’s Waycross Colony. Read more

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MS Lock Knot to the right of Liberty Ship SS Patrick B. Whelan

Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society

During WWII, J.A. Jones Construction Company's Brunswick shipyard produced 99 cargo ships. Much has been written about the 85 Liberty ships they built, but not as much attention has been given to the 14 smaller cargo carriers known as Knot ships. Read more

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Mary Ross

Photo courtesy of Georgia Archives

Thousands of people visit Mary Ross Waterfront Park in downtown Brunswick every year without knowing the story of the accomplished woman for whom the park is named. Read on and you won't be one of them. Read more

History Highlights

Butler Island Farm c.1939

Brunswick Pilot

Once a rice plantation, Butler Island was transformed into a dairy farm by Col. Tillinghast L. Huston. Learn more about how the dairy operations high efficiency earned them the ability to process and sell "bottled sunlight." Read more

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1940s Glynn Haven Postcard

Courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society

A woman pictured on horseback on a random postcard in the Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives unlocked an interesting story of a very accomplished lady. Learn more about Delaware native Louisa Spruance Morse's connection to St. Simons Island. Read more

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Selden Institute Teachers and Students circa 1906

Photo provided by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society

Brunswick's Selden Park traces its history back almost 110 years as a center of education & recreation for African Americans in Glynn County. Before it was a park, it was home to a teachers’ institute that flourished at the beginning of the 20th C. Read more

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Postcard showing entrance to St. Simons Island circa 1930

Provided by Coastal Georgia Historical Society

St. Simons Island roads got an important facelift in 1927. Up to that time they were unpaved shell roads. My, how things have changed! Read more

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Sandy Colhard, Michael Torras, Pat Featherstone, Miriam Lancaster

Elegant Island Living/Annaliese Kondo

Learn more about fantastic community support and progress made on The Visitors Club restoration project to date. We love seeing our local businesses and organizations stepping up to preserve this charming building at the foot of the Torras Causeway. Read more

Christmas 1944 at NAS St Simons

Photo courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society

As Christmas approaches, we usually think in terms of planning festivities for a small circle of our family and friends. But at Naval Air Station (NAS) St. Simons during World War II, it was a different story. Read more

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Dungeness Ruins 1960

Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society

This year Cumberland Island National Seashore celebrates its Golden Anniversary. Over the past five decades, visitors have enjoyed the natural beauty and cultural assets of Georgia’s southernmost barrier island. A favorite area for visitors is Dungen Read more

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Postcard featuring The Deck circa 1970

Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society

"Seafood at its Source" was the motto of The Deck Restaurant and Lounge, opened at the entrance to the Brunswick-St. Simons Causeway in 1946. Learn more about this favorite local seafood eatery. Read more

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Downtown Brunswick following the 1898 Hurricane

Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society

In 1898, the Federal government established the first hurricane warning network, but it could not prepare Coastal Georgia residents for one of the most destructive storms of the 19th century. Read more

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St. Simons Island Lighthouse 150th Birthday Laser Projection Show

Andy Jones

View the brilliant laser light show presented by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and Castano Group celebrating 150 years of the St. Simons Lighthouse. Thank you to our Minorcan Mullet friend Andy Jones for sharing this video. Read more

History Highlights

St. Simons Lighthouse pano.jpeg

Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society

Since September 1, 1872, the current St. Simons Lighthouse has been the steadfast beacon shining over our island home. It provides a bright welcome to those visiting the Golden Isles and it is a shining symbol of home for those of us who live here. Read more

Light keeper David O'Hagan with his children

Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society

David O'Hagan, Sr. served as the last resident lighthouse keeper of the St. Simons Lighthouse. With the automation of the light system in 1954, a full-time keeper was no longer needed to maintain the light. Read more

History Highlights

As part of our retrospective we thought you’d enjoy seeing how our island has changed over the years. This video shows comparisons of vintage and current photos of several familiar locations on SSI. Read more

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A Georgia Coast & Piedmont train at Darien, loaded with cars for the trip across the Altamaha River Delta

Postcard image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society

In summer, vacationers flock to the Golden Isles via air and interstate. While today’s travelers might think nothing of a long weekend trip to our beaches, it’s interesting to reflect on how difficult those same journeys were 100 years ago. Read more

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J.A. Jones Shipyard Orchestra

Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society

World War II brought Christos Vrionides, an authority on Byzantine music, to the J.A. Jones Shipyard in Brunswick to form an orchestra of musicians employed in jobs at the shipyard. This "Music in Industry" government program was to boost morale Read more

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