Fort King George is the oldest English fort remaining on Georgia's coast. From 1721 until 1736, the fort was the southern outpost of the British Empire in North America. They endured incredible hardships from disease, threats of Spanish and Indian attacks, and the harsh, unfamiliar coastal environment. After the fort was abandoned, General James Oglethorpe brought Scottish Highlanders to the site in 1736. Tour the museum and the palisaded earthen fort. Fort structures include the enlisted soldiers barracks, officers quarters, hospital, brewing and baking house and blacksmith's shop. The fort's three-story blockhouse offers a spectacular view of the marshes and rivers of the Altamaha River delta. Living history demonstrations, battle re-enactments and walking tours bring the fort's history to life. This site is on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail. Picnic area and bus parking are available. Group tours and school field trips are available with reservations.

Open Tuesday-Sunday 9am-5pm
Closed Monday (except holidays), Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
Closed Tuesday when open on Monday<
Fort King George Historic Site
302 McIntosh Road SE
Darien, GA 31305
912-437-4770
/www.gastateparks.org/fortkinggeorge/

Ashantilly was the mainland home of Thomas Spalding, an early Georgia planter, legislator, and McIntosh County plantation owner. The original home, circa 1820, burned in 1937 then was rebuilt around Spalding’s tabby walls. Ashantilly Center is a non-profit educational and cultural history center, organized and founded by William G. Haynes, Jr., a well-known printer who operated The Ashantilly Press.

Phone 912-437-4473 to arrange a tour or plan an event
www.Ashantilly.org

Sapelo Island is a state-protected island, reachable only by boat, with the primary ferry coming from the Sapelo Island Visitors Center, a seven mile, twenty-minute trip. Approximately 97% of the island is owned by the State of Gerogia and is managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR); the remaining is under private ownership. The western perimter of Sapelo is the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR) which is part of the Univeristy of Georgia Marine Institute. The facility which is focused on research and education, is located on 1,500 acres on the south end of the island. The Reynold's Mansion, a Georgia State Park, also lies on the south end of the island. Visitors to the island must be a part of an organized tour or guests of residents of the island.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers tours several days a week. These can be booked through the Sapelo Island Visitors Center. Additionally, many island residents offer private tours which can often be customized to fit the interests of individual tourists. A state campground is also available to groups of 15-25 people on Cabretta Island (adjacent to Sapelo Island).

The McIntosh Art Association took possession of the former jail and set about renovating and converting into six working Art Galleries along with gift shop, classrooms, outdoor garden and the McIntosh County History Museum. Artists exhibit in many variety of medium with exhibits changing quarterly. There is quite a large group of artists in the area and the Art Center offers a great opportunity for visitors to view, browse or purchase local works. The Old Jail Art Center also serves as the Darien Welcome Center, providing visitors with information and recommendations on accomodations, restaurants, and points of interest.

Old Jail Art Center & Museum
Darien Welcome Center
404 Northway (US Highway 17)
Darien, GA 31305
Open: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm
Admission is FREE
912-437-7711
www.McIntoshArtAssociation.com

Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1962. Located in northern McIntosh County, the refuge serves as an important link in the chain of refuges along the Atlantic seaboard, and is the inland base for two neighboring barrier island refuges, Blackbeard Island and Wolf Island refuges, both located southeast of Harris Neck. Harris Neck's 2,762 acres consists of saltwater marsh, grassland, mixed deciduous woods, and cropland. Becasue of this great variety in habitat, many different speciies of birds are attracted to the refuge throughout the year. Harris Neck Creek offers a boat ramp and fishing pier, wonderful biking trails, picnic tables and observation decks for excellent birding and other abundant wildlife viewing. Over 15 miles of paved roads and trails provide the visitor easy access to the many differnt habitats.

Open: Sunrise to Sunset, Daily
www.fws.gov/harrisneck/

Wolf Island NWR, which includes Egg Island and Little Egg Island, was established on April 3, 1930 as a migratory bird sanctuary. The refuge consists of a long narrow strip of oceanfront beach backed by a broad band of salt marsh. Over 75% of the refuge's 5,126 acres are composed of saltwater marshes. It is located in McIntosh County, Georgia, 12 miles east of Darien (by boat).Though the refuge's saltwaters are open to a variety of recreational activities, all beach, marsh and upland areas are closed to the public.

www.fws.gov/wolfisland

Located in north McIntosh County, this little sanctuary has become a stop for thousands of I-95 and US Highway 17 travelers. Situated near the South Newport River, the church was constructed in 1949, and represented a dream come true for Mrs. Anges Harper, a local grocer. She wanted the chapel to serve as a place of meditation and rest for weary travelers. Although small, the structure is not lacking in character and beauty with stained glass windows imported from England. Local ministers still lead worship there every third Sunday and the church is very popular for it remains one of the most unique structures along the Georgia Coast Scenic Byway.

The Rice Plantations

Near the coast, the fresh-water rivers, such as the Altamaha, are affected by the rise and fall of the tides from the Atlantaic Ocean to about thirty miles inland. This setting made possible the utilization of the flushing effects of fresh and salt water tides for systematic, irrigation purposes, which are necessary for the cultivation of rice. The great watershed of the Altamaha delta between Darien and Glenn County's northern section made possible the development of prosperous rice plantations.

The peak of the rice industry in McIntosh County was reached in the decade of the 1850s. The local plantations along the Altamaha River branches and Cathead Creek west of Darien, accounted for the bulk of the rice being exported from Georgia durng the antebellum period. Pierce Butler and P.M. Nifhringale were the two biggest planters in terms of volume.

One of the largest plantations in the South was the Butler Island Plantation, located just south of Darien, across the Darien River on what is now US Highway 17. The story of the plantation is a fascinating one, beginning in the 1790s, when Major Pierce Butler planted the land on the Altamaha Delta, which provided perfect conditions for growing rice. In the year 1838 the major's grandson, Captain Pierce Butler, whom was married the famous and beautiful British stage actress Fanny Kemble, arrived at the plantation for a six-month working visit. Kemble, who was not familiar with the reality of slavery, immediately became very opposed to the treatment of the slaves. She penned her feelings and eventually published the notes in a book called Journal of a Resident on a Georgia Plantation, which some say helped persuade the British to oppose slavery and the Civil War. The plantation site is now owned by The Nature Conservancy and the land (excluding the house) is open to the public for picnicking, fishing and birding. Sunsets can be dramatic, as the setting sun creates reflections of brilliant color in the Butler River

At the direction of Bishop Stephen Elliot, a group of planters and other citizens of McIntosh County organized a mission congregation under the name St. Peter's Church, Darien in 1841.  A year llater, the name of the congregation was changed to St. Andrew's and the congregation was admitted as a parish in the diocese in 1843.  The first church building was completed in 1844.  The civil was was not kind to Darien or St. Andrew's.  From 1862 to 1866, the parish was abandoned.  In 1863, Union troops, including the 54th Massachusetts under the command of Colonel Robert Shaw, burned Darien.  After the war, Mrs. Shaw and some of her friends sent money to assist in the rebuilding of St. Andrew's.  Although those funds were in fact used to construct a church at the Ridge, members of the parish eventually raised the funds to buy the lot where the Bank of Darien had previously stood and to construct the present St. Andrew's church building.  The building was completed and consecrated in 1879.  One of the most photographed buildings in Darien, St. Andrew's looks out on Vernon Square.

Located on the Darien River, east of the Highway 17/99 bridge, a pavillion and docks border the park and are great for fishing, and other leisurely activities. A playground area and picnic tables shaded with cabbage palms and live oaks provide an elevated view of the river.

On any day of the year, you'll see a variety of moored pleasure boats and fishing vessels; along the river's edge, Darien's colorful shrimp boat fleet offers a picturesque view to the delight of artists, photographers, and visitors.

Waterfront Park was once the site of the busiest port on the Southeast coast; in the 19th Century, a steady stream of ships entered the Port of Darien for cargoes of lumber, mostly yellow pine, bound for Europe.

Waterfront Park comes alive with excited crowds lining its docks during Darien's largest annual festival, The Blessing of the Fleet. Held every April, this three day event honoring Darien's shrimpers includes kid's amusement rides, street vendors, food vendors, musical entertainment and fireworks.

Darien Waterfront Park

912-437-6659

The Adam Strain Building is a stuccoed tabby two-store warehouse that was burned in 1863 and refurbished in 1873.  It was used for many years as a mercantile store and ship's chandlery.  It is the oldest commercial building in Darien.

St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church was built by former slaves. In December of 1873, the Hon. Rev. James Wentworth Leigh, Dean of Hereford through 1914, St. Cyprians was under the direction of the Rev. Ferdinand M. Mann, an African American priest of the church. It was during this time that St. Cyprian's school was established for the education of African American children in Darien. The school served the community for many years, and several of the current members of St. Cyprian's received their initial education at teh school.

St. Cyprian's is constructed of tabby according to the building methods of mid 19th Century coastal Georgia. It is believed to be one of the largest tabby structures still in use in Georgia. The building suffered extensive damage in the hurrican of 1896 and by another storm imn 1898, but in each case the building was repaired and teh congregation continued to worship.

Over the last two decades, the congregations of St. Cyprian's and St. Andrew's have moved closer together. In addition to sharing clergy, they now share the use of the parish hall and participate jointly in Sunday School. At present there is a single Episcopal Community in mcIntosh County with two distinct faces: The Episcopal Churches of St. Andrew and St. Cyprian.