A Brief History

Glynn County is one of the original eight colonies in the state of Georgia created on February 5, 1777. In 1789 Brunswick, GA was proclaimed one of the five original ports of entry for the colonies.

Brunswick became the county seat in 1797; the town, however, was laid out in 1771 following the Oglethorpe Plan of parks, squares, and boulevards, much like Savannah.

Having been sovereign to five flags (Spain, France, Britain, the Southern Confederacy, U.S.) Brunswick and Glynn County have a rich cultural history. Residents and visitors do not have to look far to see, taste, or feel the diverse influences that compose our unique identity.

Our friends at the The Golden Isles Coastal Visitors Bureau have curated a page of itineraries and places of interest to explore the rich historical and cultural elements of the region. Discover more here. 

Our Industrial Roots

During World War II, Brunswick Georgia came alive with activity.  The Liberty Ships that were built to deliver supplies to Allie’s war effort were constructed in the downtown Brunswick area.  German U-Boats were common in the coastal waterways as they monitored the construction of the Liberty Ships. Once the Liberty Ships were constructed and loaded with supplies the submarines would sink them.

To help combat the threat of the German U-Boats a Navy Base constructed (currently being used as the Brunswick Golden Isles Airport) to launch blimps that would patrol the waters for submarine activity.  The King & Prince Hotel on St Simons Island was retrofitted to be used as a radar school to track submarine movement in the area.