Saint Simons Island in History

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Today Saint Simons is beautiful and tranquil, but for centuries it was the scene of significant struggles, first against hostile elements, then Spanish invaders from Florida, later the English during the Revolution, and Union Forces during the Civil War.

Military:

In 1733 General Oglethorpe founded the settlement of Frederica at the north end of the Island, and he quickly added a substantial Fort (1736). The Spanish were attempting to annex Georgia to their Florida colony, but Oglethorpe’s troops routed them for good in 1742 at Bloody Marsh. When the Fort was subsequently abandoned, Frederica lost its importance and gradually fell into decline.

There were some naval battles in the Saint Simons area during the War of Independence that ensued not long after. The following century was calm, and marked by increasing importance of cotton all over the island, but the plantations were laid waste during the Civil War. The lighthouse and some other important buildings were also destroyed or damaged. Since the 1940s archeological work has been under way to recognize the importance of the settlement and the Fort.

Cultural:

Shortly after General Oglethorpe founded the settlement of Frederica, the population grew and the Anglican ministers John and Charles Wesley lived and preached there. They later returned to England to found the Methodist movement which was to become the Methodist Church. In 1820 Christ Church Episcopal was built on land donated by the State, but it was desecrated by Union soldiers during the Civil War. It was rebuilt by the Reverend Anson Dodge in 1883. The peaceful churchyard, where the oldest headstone dates back to 1803, contains the graves of former rectors, early settlers, and the first historian of the State of Georgia. Today it is an active Episcopalian church and one of the Island’s greatest attractions, largely because of its beautiful stained glass windows. A Google search will reveal many articles and a short video. There are also more than a dozen other churches on Saint Simons today.

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