Fort King George
Fort King George (1721-1734) - First established in 1721 by British troops commanded by Col. John Barnwell. Named after British King George. Abandoned in 1734.
Fort King George History
Established in 1721 as the first fortification in colonial Georgia, some 12 years before the colony was officially established. The fort's purpose was to provide a deterrent to Spanish and French settlement of the area.
Originally built as a small triangular fort built on a bluff on the north branch of the Altamaha River. The main structure was a three story 26' square blockhouse that provided protection for the residents. There were several internal support buildings including a barracks, officer's quarters, a latrine and several smaller buildings. The whole complex was surrounded by a moat with a log palisade down the center of it backed by an earthworks parapet. The blockhouse was sturdily built and provided protected firing positions for riflemen and small cannons and included a magazine on the lower level.
Construction began in the summer of 1721 and was completed in 1722. Life at the fort proved very difficult and there were many deaths from disease, malnutrition and the inhospitable conditions around the site. In 1727 the garrison withdrew leaving behind two caretakers/lookouts and a graveyard with about 65 graves. It may be that as many as 140 soldiers died at the fort in it's six years of operation. The site was permanently abandoned by the British in 1734.
Current Status
Reconstructed fort with a three story blockhouse, buildings, moat and palisade, period guns and mounts in place.
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Location: Fort King George State Park, Darien, Georgia. Maps & Images Lat: 31.36490 Long: -81.41682 |
Sources:
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 227
Links:
Visited: 20 Jan 2010
Fort King George Picture Gallery
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