On Monday of our trip to the East Coast of Georgia, we decided to find a park for a morning walk.
We headed for the first of the two islands we would visit. To get to St. Simons Island, we took the E.J. Torras Causeway, crossed over the Mackay River, Lanier Island and then the Frederica River. Once we landed on St. Simons Island, we immediately found ourselves at Gascoigne Bluff Park. The walking trail there doubled as a 10-hole disc golf course and walking path. I think the walking path was also the fairway, but since no one was playing disc golf we walkers didn’t have to dodge incoming discs.
The path was lined with enormous oak trees that looked like giant people with huge arms (limbs) hanging down to the ground. Those limbs were draped with Spanish moss. Some of the massive limbs reached all the way to the ground below and stretched outward. They reminded me of a loving parent with his/her arm lowered down to lift up a child. They did not physically lift me, but their magnificent beauty lifted my spirit as we walked underneath their canopy. Their giant branches and flowing Spanish-moss beards provided wonderful shade from the rising temperatures as we walked. Our trail took us directly beside the banks of Fredrica River and its peaceful flowing waters.
Since our old legs still had some walk left in them, we headed on to the next stop, which was the ruins of the village of Frederica. I’ve walked among the ruins of Pompeii and this was not that, but it was quite interesting in its own right. It took us back to early America before there were states and while England still ruled.
According to historical markers there, Frederica was established as a fortified town in 1736 by James Oglethorpe. The town and fort served as a military headquarters for operations during the Anglo-Spanish conflicts of 1736-1748. It became a thriving military town of around 1500 residents. Houses and shops lined both sides of the wide way that ended at the fort. The fort sat strategically on the banks of the river in order to guard the town, as well as the north end of the island, from enemy invaders, namely the Spanish. After the battles had ended, the economy began to fail. The Great Fire of 1758 almost wiped out all the buildings and the town became a virtual ghost town.
Today a good portion of the fort’s wall is still standing, but the homes and businesses have all been destroyed. All that remains today are the foundations that archeologists have discovered and unearthed. As we walked down the still shady broad way, we had to rely on our imagination in order to see the houses that once lined the street. There are historical markers with written information at each site.
One thing that does still remain there is the church building. A short distance from the ruins of the city sits Christ Church. That church is older than our nation itself. It was established as a mission of The Church of England in 1736. In February of that year, General Oglethorpe landed on St. Simons Island. On the first day there, he and a number of colonists joined together for prayer. Then and there the roots of Christianity, through the Anglican church, were planted on the island. His dream was to plant a church there and with the assistance of two young ministers by the last name of Wesley, the dream came to fruition. That church still meets there today.
Bill King can be reached at bkpreach@yahoo.com.
