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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Coastal Georgia Historical Society
One Worker’s Life in Wartime Brunswick
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
Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives
The Ice Famine of 1919
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
Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives. Photographer: W. Archibald Wallace of Huntington, West Virginia.
Sweet Summer Memories of the Waycross Colony
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
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
A Salute to the Knot Ships
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
Photo courtesy of Georgia Archives
Mary Ross – Teacher, Scholar, Historian
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
Brunswick Pilot
Bottling Sunlight
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
Courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
A Commanding Woman
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
Photo provided by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Celebrating Black History Month - Selden Park
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
Provided by Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Paving the Way to the Future
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
Elegant Island Living/Annaliese Kondo
Passion Project of Preservation
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
Photo courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - Wartime Christmas Cheer at Naval Air Station St. Simons
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
Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - Celebrating a Cumberland Island Treasure: Dungeness
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
Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - Remembering The Deck - A Bygone Dining Destination
"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
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - A Legendary Storm in the Golden Isles: The Hurricane of 1898
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
Andy Jones
The Legacy of Light Show Captured
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
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
St. Simons Island’s Guiding Light Turns 150
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
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - The O'Hagans of the St. Simons Lighthouse
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
From Then to Now
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
Postcard image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - Trains and Automobiles: A Reflection on Early 20th Century Travel
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
Image courtesy of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society
SSI Archives - Orchestrating Victory: Christos Vrionides and the J.A. Jones Shipyard Orchestra
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
