I have organized a camping trip on Cumberland Island this weekend and posted it as an event on the Meetup that I often lead hikes for. As it's a long drive to the southern end of Georgia and we have to catch a ferry over to the island, I drove to Savannah and spent the night there last night. This morning, I have to finish the drive and make my way to St. Mary's, but as I have some extra time before the ferry departs, I decided to check out the historical site of Fort King George.
This fort was built in 1721 by the British, as the southernmost safeguard against the Spanish. It is situated on what is now known as the Darien River, which sneaks through the salt marshes of this part of the country. From what I've read, life was miserable at this post. Between insects, unbearable humidity, and constant flooding, the inhabitants of the fort lost 140 of their numbers without ever having seen battle.
The state of Georgia has reconstructed the fort to the original specifications and it now serves as a historic site. It includes replica canon batteries, the bunkhouse, main headquarters, blacksmith, bakery, and even the original mote that surrounded the fortification. As I walk around the facility, I'm amazed at how much detail was put into this recreation. I also try to put myself in the place of those British soldiers that lived in this most remote of outposts. It's really a wonderful site and I would encourage anyone to check it out.
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