I never knew any of the history that we stumbled upon here! First of all, the building is nicely done with great museum like displays and a cute gift shop. There was also an extremely knowledgeable person inside who gave us a ton of info about the history and the fort. We then ventured outside (bug spray may be a good idea here!) and looked at the various spots with info and the history of the butcher, baker, candlestick maker as well as the other jobs around the fort. The actual building ruins are interesting and picturesque by the water. You could easily spend a while here meandering and learning. 100% worth a visit if you are nearby! read more

Great place to visit. All free. Beautiful grounds. The deer were not scared of us. The information shared was very informative and educational. read more

Fort Frederica National Monument - Deer - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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This afternoon, my mom and I went to go tour the Fort Federica national Monument on Saint Simons Island. It is a free fort so you don't pay a parking fee or an entrance fee. They have a museum inside along with a small gift shop as well as the fort grounds that you can walk around and read the Historical information. To get on Saint Simons Island you don't have to pay an island fee. The lady at the desk, her name is Barbara. She was very nice and assisted me with purchasing my passport guide. A passport to the national parks has little areas where you can take the stamps from the different national parks and stamp in your booklet. The passport books includes national parks all over the country. In the gift shop, they have a regular passport, an expert passport and a junior guide for a junior Rangers. 10/10 read more

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I loved this place! So historical and peaceful too. You really feel somewhat transported back in time. Stop in to the shop, watch the video and take a stroll on the grounds. read more

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Normally for an NPS site like this (prime C-list material) I would geek out and do a 5000 word dissertation, but them days are done. www.nps.gov/fofr/index.htm www.nps.gov/fofr/learn/historyculture/index.htm www.nps.gov/fofr/planyourvisit/maps.htm The above is really all you need to know in terms of the history of the site, the hours, the location and what they offer - sort of. The key things to know are this: 1. The grounds are beautiful. The foundations of some of the structures that stood here, the wall of the garrison and the little fort remnants itself. That plus the large trees and the basic idea of the how the street/grid pattern was laid out is very different for an NPS site but also very smart. 2. As is typical. for the NPS, the website and the what they actually are doing on site differ. During our visit in mid-June the website said their were no activities or tours taking place and as soon as you get to the visitors center you see a sandwich board sitting outside talking about guided tour times. Had we known.... The visitors center does offer the traditional NPS movie that starts every 30 minutes and that is more than enough to explain the very brief history of what transpired here. 3. The in season traffic from 95 to the site is heavy. Super slow going down Frederica Road and the traffic circle to the site. If you've ever been to the OBX, think about how you need to crawl through Duck if your going further north or south on route 12. Same thing. As others have mentioned, we went mid-day and the heat and humidity are brutal. The air is thick enough to cut with a knife and eat like a doughnut the same as an old school Scooby Doo cartoon. With that said, is it worth it to come here? Definitely. A nice non-beach thing to see/experience and of course, it's free. The visitors center while small, has some nice artifacts that have been excavated on site and again, the grounds are beautiful. It's not Yellowstone or The Grand Canyon but it's neat enough and worth it to make the trip. read more

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While waiting for the St. Simon's Lighthouse to open (10am) we decided to stop to check out Fort Frederica and I am so very glad we did! What a beautiful place filled with history! The gorgeous moss covered oaks provided much needed shade on the 90+ degree day and we were able to see the remnants of homes, shops, the fort and the barracks as we walked along the grass covered path. The remaining tabby ruins are truly a sight to behold! We got to see a lot of preserved artifacts uncovered at several of the sites which was really fun for my kiddo she was absolutely shocked at some of the items, like a fork, they found from the time period. I think the best part was that we got to witness an archaeological team in action. They had their tents out and grid areas up excavating a small area (how cool!!). If you get the chance to visit the Golden Isles make sure this is one of the first stops on your list!! read more

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We enjoyed walking around "town" and imagining what life was like. Most of the information boards need to be replaced; some were faded, damaged, and completely illegible. If you're going on a hot day, be sure to bring some water with you. If you want to walk the trail into the forest, sneakers and bug spray strongly recommended. read more

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Neat place where you can see remnants of old historical fort. Beautiful scenery. Don't forget to go to the cemetery part, it's very unique. read more

Fort Frederica National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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An absolutely beautiful preserved part of history dating back to before the Revolutionary War. The park and grounds are spectacular and if you get the chance, it is a beautiful place to watch a sunset. read more

The inland-facing side of this island isn't as much of a vacation spot as the beach, but the fort they've preserved here is interesting. The structures themselves are largely ruins, but there are some sights to behold. The history dates back to colonial Georgia, which I suspect that I am not alone in finding unfamiliar, but the fort was apparently used by the British to defend against the Spanish. Even though the grass was freshly mowed and I stayed on the paths, I somehow ended up with what looked like a spotted deer tick almost immediately. There's certainly no shortage of bugs around. The site is free to visit, and has enough educational value to be worth the diversion. read more

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This is a small but might historical fort that the British used to ward off Spain in the 1800s. The fort only has a bit of the structure still standing. Many of the homes on the historical "street" are just outlines of the foundation. read more

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On a previous visit to St Simons Island we missed this place (though it was perhaps close to 20 years ago). Not this time. Admission is free! They have a good introduction video at the visitor center and some good displays inside. I learned a lot. This was all new to me but it tied in nicely with last year's visit to St. Augustine Florida. This year I got the British perspective on this era. The outdoor grounds and layout helped me picture what this place would have been like in the day. Not sure how anyone survived these conditions without AC! Definitely worth an hour or two of your time to expand your understanding of the history of the area. read more

Dog friendly, free tours, great breeze. This place is one of the cooler national monuments I've visited in the coastal region. We visited st. Augustine a while back, and it was cool to connect the dots. Very pretty area with employees dressed in character. The well preserved area really gave a feeling of stepping back in time. I'd definitely go back and explore more. read more

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Great spot! Give yourself at least 2-3 hours minimum to walk the grounds, catch the video in the visitors center, and generally take it all in. This was a spectacular place to check out. Very shaded, extremely well curated, and a bit of a trip back in time. The layout of the signage allows a leisurely stroll where you get to set your own pace. Big spray is a must. The staff was very friendly. read more

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Was a cool place to visit, made it in time to get a short tour with the ranger and learn a bit more about the place. Beautiful view and trees. Try to go early when it's not so hot. read more

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This fort was not your typical fort. It was basically built around its own city and sat on debateable land until the Spaniards tried to overtake it. Very different from all the other forts we've visited. This was also the last National Park for us to visit in Georgia so Georgia NPS is officially complete. We spent about 3-4 hours there total and they were doing living history outside instead of the range led walk but we still learned a lot from the people who were working there today. It was worth the stop. read more

Fort Frederica National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

So much history and a well kept National Park. Free admission. Watch the movie first so you know what you are about to experience. Walking down the old streets and seeing the foundations of the homes as well as feeling the history come to life with the very informative booths. Walking under the live oaks with the swaying Spanish Moss makes you feel as if you were there in the history. The large 300 year old Oak tree is massive and spectacular. They have codes to scan with your phone for more information along the paths. There is an archeological dig spot (it has been halted because of Covid) that you can see a new discovery. It opens a lot of questions..... read more

Beautiful outdoor entertainment. It's a well kept monument. Make sure to grab a map at the visitor center. There's a great map to show the layout. There's a QR tour you can do at each stop. Loved seeing all the found artifacts at each stop. read more

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Broad street is the main road from the visitors center to the waterfront, and the views of all the live oak trees, plus the beautiful blue sky was an awesome experience. I used my IPhone to scan codes on the signs to get more information about each site. Through records that were kept, they know who lived at each house. Entrance is free, and the views are amazing. read more

A Pre-Revolutionary war fort that still has stories to tell. Our last place to visit on our trip to St. Simons was Fort Frederica. The fort was built as protection from the Spanish in Florida and was involved a couple battles outside the fort to settle what country would have the disputed area between the Georgia colony and Florida. What makes it somewhat unique that the fort protected a walled settlement that Archeological diggings are still shedding more light on who lived in the town, where and how. There is a small museum on the well kept grounds with a few of the original tabby/brick walls still intact. The best thing is, there is no charge for admission and that includes a 22 minute movie discussing the site. A really nice place to enjoy the outdoors and learn a little about the history of the area. A great value. read more

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This is a toddler mom review, which means, while I still love history, architecture and art, my attention span, and ability to delve into reading presented info, or even listening to a tour, is impaired at best, but more likely non-existant. In this review, I will not be able to tell you a thing that I otherwise might have easily read on a didactic, or gleaned from a conversation with the friendly docents around the visitor's center. So like all those persnickety people with spell check disclaimers at the bottom of their emails, I will preface this by saying, "This review is based on parking, walking around, and following a running kid, while wrestling dogs, and trying not to inhale gnats. It has not been reviewed for historical accuracy, nor informational significance." Fort Frederica is free. There is a long driveway to the visitor's center, or there are also SSI bike trails that run right on through the parking area if you're biking the island. Dogs are allowed on leash. In the evening, gnats are awful here. Even with bug lotion, I was pretty ready to go as soon as those eff-ers began to swarm. The Visitor's Center has bathrooms, a gift shop, some admin offices, and an historic library. Other than those indoor entities, the rest of the site is all outside. I visited a few forts while in GA and FL, and the sites chosen for these strongholds are never in spots I would think would be the obvious places to put them. I mean, especially back when nothing was developed, I'd think you'd have your pick of anywhere. But I am no warmonger, and I am sure there is much strategy and intel behind why this spot became a fort. That said, it was a pretty view out over the river. Ruins are left, as well as archaeological half-digs, and reconstructed footprints of this and that building, with gravel fill inside. I appreciate that everything is weatherproof, and child-/dog-proof. In some areas they have a case with actual artifacts dug at the site, which was neat. They also have street signs to show the network of roads and alleys throughout the fortress "city." I liked that. It was fun to try to imagine what it might have looked and felt like, especially when evening hit, and I wondered what the guys would be doing around then (when battle wasn't looming). Playing cards, having spitting contests (gag), drinking ol' Willy Horton's beer, or trying to look at their buddy's picture of his sister. This place is very walkable, accessible for disabled/strollers, and definitely a must see to really feel this bit of SSI's history. The mature live oak trees are beautiful and peaceful, and the green lawns sweeping to the river, are really breathtaking. And if you have a minute, actually reading the didactic panels, will give you a wealth more information than I got, and I was 5-star happy going without! read more

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Nice little NPS site. Good interpretative content. Nice junior ranger program. Very well maintained grounds. Not much of a story of historical significance to tell (relative to many other NPS sites). Not a destination but worth a stop if in area. read more

Very interesting history lesson and a great place to walk with dogs, friends, family!

Full of local history. Very interesting artifacts. Town is left as it was. Street signs help you imagine what this area looked like at one time. Beautiful place to see out across the low lands and see Brunswick across the bay. Visitors Center has knowledgeable volunteer and staff. Restroom are clean. Bring bug spray depending on time of day. read more

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This was a nice park. Very informative. A lot of history. Wear your walking shoes, bring some water and enjoy the towering oaks dripping with Spanish Moss. It's worth a visit, especially for history buffs, and admission is $4 or $5. Georgia founder James Oglethorpe came to St. Simons Island in 1736 to establish a town that would serve as a bulwark against the Spanish in Florida, who still claimed thecoastal islands now being settled by the English. To achieve this goal, he built Frederica, a large fortified town that for a time was one of the most important settlements in the American Colonies. The town's site at the bend of the Frederica River allowed the British to control the important inland passage leading up the Georgia coast. A powerful bastioned fort was built on the Frederica waterfront to protect both the river and the town from the Spanish. Inside the museum was a replica of the fort, giving you an idea of how it used to be. Then you take a walk down broad street and see what buildings were where and remnants of them and items that have been discovered. Imagine a typical day here on Broad Street in the early 1740s. Women worked in fenced gardens. Children played in the streets. Soldiers visited taverns and dealt with tradesmen, and Indians brought in game. The inhabitants numbered about one thousand. Broad Street was Frederica's main avenue, leading from the town gate to the fort. Some of Frederica's most prosperous citizens built their houses of tabby and brick here, side by side with the wood houses and thatched huts of less wealthy freeholders. In some respects, Frederica resembled a typical English town, but it was only a small island of British civilization on the edge of the great American wilderness. The day I visited Fort Frederica, a storm was looming. The great branches of the live oaks, dripped with spanish moss that swayed in the perfectly cool breeze. I could smell the ocean, I felt alone, in a good way, and free, among the beauty of Frederica. Had I enough time, I would have laid down under one of these big beautiful trees to simply listen to the breeze. Down the road from Fort Frederica is another place to stop and soak up some history that ties it all together. Christ Church is one of the oldest churches in Georgia, Christ Church was founded on St. Simons Island nearly 70 years after the island was first settled by English colonists. Worship has been continuous since 1736 in Christ Church Parish, established by English colonists at Frederica under General James Oglethorpe. In February 1736, James Oglethorpe and the first English settlers arrived on St. Simons Island. Shortly thereafter, in March 1736, Reverend Charles Wesley, who also served as Secretary for Indian Affairs and Chaplain to General James Oglethorpe, entered his ministry at Frederica. Just a little further down Frederica Road, you will pass the First African Baptist Church, built in 1869 by former slaves of the St. Simons plantations. The congregation itself organized ten years earlier. Members of this African American church traveled from all around the island to attend worship services every Sunday. This could be quite a distance for members who resided on the south end of the island. In the late 1800s, First African began mission churches around St. Simons to better serve the needs of all its members. read more

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Fort Frederica is certainly a must see for any history buff visiting St. Simons Island. It makes for a good day stroll through the history of Georgia during the time which Georgia was a British colony and were at battle with the Spanish in Florida. Located on the Frederica River you will find many artifacts from the day as well as ruins of the town that once occupied the fort. Not to mention the beauty of the land and surrounding marsh. Fort Frederica was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia from the Spanish in Florida. Colonists from England, Scotland, and the Germanic states came to Georgia to support this endeavor. Admission to the park is $3 for any person age 16 or over, and free for kids. read more

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If your kid is into Jr Ranger badges, this award winning book and kit is the most interactive we've seen! Kids can also earn Archeology and Under Water explorer badges, plus a Ft Fredericka patch if you get all 3. Even if you don't go way out of your way for small molded pieces of plastic, this is an interesting stop. There are few actual ruins, but lots of interpretive signs, informative 28 minute movie and hands on exhibits tell the story. How did a thriving fort city of 800 disappear practically over night? Why did John Wesley have to leave the country? Why was the man who used processed animal fat one if the wealthiest in town? Visit to find out! read more

Fort Frederica National Monument - Most amazing Jr Ranger book with interactive bag of objects. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Beautiful park, especially in the fall and spring, to spend a couple of hours. Very kid friendly and a fantastic introduction to the history of Georgia read more

Great Historic Fort and many stops along the way with guides and explanations. They are walking trails and a gift shop. A soda machine with bottled water can be found up front near the visitor center. read more

Fort Frederica National Monument - Fort - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Expansive. Lovely. Historical. Seeing the footprints of an early colony, knowing how people struggled, reading the personal accounts never ceases to fire up my imagination. Always five stars for the preservation of history. Even if you care nothing for times past, it's a pretty spot. Oh and you should care about history because if you don't know where you're from, then you don't know where you're going. read more

No fee? You better believe it! I can't really add to the previous reviews, this really is a lovely and informative park. Really worth stopping and taking an hour or so to walk the grounds. read more

Park rangers were super good with the kids. Did the scavenger hunt and learned a lot. SD was practiced well. Got the gift shop all to ourselves. read more

This historical site was recommended by both hotel staff and people we met while having dinner. The site is nestled along Fancy Bluff Creek is all that is remaining from a strategic stronghold of the mid 1700's. Located on what was once a large open plot of land farmed by the native population this site is now well shaded. There is no price of admission, though donations are gratefully accepted at the small museum gift shop. Unfortunately,other than some building foundations, the magazine, a few cannons, and a small portion of the old fort,is all that remains of the original fort and town. You will find the park rangers helpful and eager to share their knowledge of the fort's history. It well worth the trip to spend some time visiting this part of Georgia's history. read more

Fort Frederica National Monument - Shady view down the town's main street towards the magazine - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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This is a gorgeous park with trees overgrowing the ghostly image of a forgotten British settlement. The trees, spanish moss and river all blend together in a serene view. The signs showing former street names with plaques giving you information about what used to lay on a the foundation of a small house was eerie, memorizing and very intriguing. The fort is mostly reclaimed through time now, with nothing more than a single bastion left overlooking the river - as you stand by the old canons it is very peaceful considering what the fort was built for, and you are left wondering why anyone would leave this view! The government was shutdown during our visit, and those darn Brits had reclaimed the fort and the Union Jack flag was flying! Even without the gift shop and info center open, it was a great visit. Probably because there was no government bureaucracy. I only wish the bathrooms were open! read more

Not much to add to the already comprehensive and excellent reviews other than my rating. I spoke for some time with a very helpful and pleasant ranger, whose name I shamefully failed to note. As an ardent fan and supporter of the National Park Service, I've come to know that the rangers almost always will add a considerable amount to any park/monument visit if you just ask. Fort Frederica is certainly a valuable historical site and worth a stop. I agree that some kids may not find it so. read more

Such as cool place to visit! I have come here on field trips and on my own account and it was so fun! read more

Interesting glimpse into Colonial history in the South. Video was good, informative and climate controlled. The signs were also educational and what's left of the structures was surprising when you consider the footprint these settlers lived in. Unfortunately, we had to cut our visit short because of the blood thirsty and relentless deer flies that harassed us from the time we stepped foot outside. Seriously, if you are going in August, take someone with a bee suit and a very high powered cordless vacuum to protect your party. (There may be less radical ways to deal with these deer flies, but I am not aware of it.) Can't fault the outdoor park for the wildlife, so not taking away a star, but it was awful. read more

Beautiful trees in a park with a description of how a town over 200 years ago was laid out. Well documented signs describe what life was like for the first settlers and why many of them moved on. read more

It's hard not to compare Ft. Frederica National Monument to Ft. King George Historic Site in nearby Darien, Ga. But it's not fair to either, and in the end, both win. They are two wholly different experiences. For starters, most of what you are actually visiting here is the remains of Frederica Town. The fort that defended it (and gave the site its national-monument name) happens to provide the most notable ruins, but the bulk of the site is a park-lite former archaeological dig. No reconstructions here. Enter through the Visitor's Center. Staff takes lunch from noon to 2:15 (huh??), so if you enter then, it's free. When the gf and I visited, they had not returned by 2:30. We decided to explore on our own. Just as well. Bear right from the Visitor's Center to find the town's former burial ground; you'll see one ancient crypt and the remains of a couple of others. Here the gf swore she could see other remnants beyond in the woods, but all I saw was a wagon wheel. Whatever. Adjacent is the beginning of the "road" that in 1738 connected Frederica with Ft. St. Simons, six and a half miles away. Reverse course and check out the "Ladies Garden" directly behind the Visitor's Center. Of note are the bulb-shaped glass herb growers, which acted as tiny portable greenhouses, a clever idea. Before crossing the bridge over the town's moat, turn left and go a ways to the anachronistic Abbott monument, a 17-foot obelisk dedicated by Robert Abbott to his father and the two aunts who raised him. It has naught to do with the rest of the site, but it's cool. Return to the bridge. Appetizers over, you're ready for the entree. Don't get disappointed: there's now less to see. But the meat of the meal awaits. You're visiting an archaeological site. Almost nothing is left of Frederica Town save the foundations of various houses. When you reach the titular Fort at the far end, you'll find barely a fragment. Elsewhere, the most prominent (and nearly only) ruin is the 2-story barracks gatehouse. Despite that, it's fascinating. Vast research has provided a guide to an early 18th century colony. You'll find info placards at various lots, detailing not only who settled in that specific lot, but often where they came from, how they fared as a pioneer, and what happened to them (most quit and went home). Butcher, baker, candlestick maker, all here, and more. And you'll read of their personal trials and travails, too:the tavern-keeper's second husband was "an idle fellow, and her business is almost lost;" this settler physician refused to treat anyone unless they paid in advance; that couple, although prosperous, gave up and returned to England rather than deal with their "quarrelsome neighbors." Many of these info placards are accompanied by displays of artifacts found at that particular lot. Then there's the fort, a bit of a disappointment in two ways. One, there's barely anything left of it: one landside rampart, with two vaulted chambers below. Two, here's the only bit of fakery: of three cannon on display, only one is thought to be from the original site. The other two are "period replacements." Before turning towards the barracks gatehouse, the only other standing ruin, bear off right and find the remnants of the smith/armourer shop near the shore. After considering the Barracks Gatehouse, detour right to read the info placard about the bakery. Returning from the Gatehouse, stop at the corner of the town to read about the defensive bastion that was once there. Okay, interesting and informative to grups into history. What about younguns? The whole site is shaded with charmingly gnarled old live oak, draped in picturesque Spanish moss. What's left of Frederica Town is now a large lawn with many shade trees. That means, lotsa room for rambunctious kids to run about. (Playing 'on' any of the fragile ruins is forbidden, of course.) Mid to older teens might be left out, unless they have an interest in history and archaeology. Back to the Visitor's Center, where, if you are lucky, some federal employee will be present to accept your $3 admission fee. That'll gain you admission to the site's tiny museum, too, and here comparisons to Georgia's Ft. King George Site are more than merited. The museum here is so small you can literally see all of it without entering. There's some maps of the town, and a large diorama; the two disagree (look at the curious building at the northwest corner of the diorama). A few cases display a few further artifacts found at the site. One 18th c. painting demonstrates how artless 18th c. painters could be at their worst. Some sham 18th c. outfits are provided for boys and girls in one corner for a photo op. That's it? Yes, that's it. Audio tours are available from the Visitor's Center for a nominal charge. I doubt they tell you more than the info placards do. The gf and I got the gist of everything without them. read more

This is a National Monument, which is always a good reason to go check it out. The first settlement in Coastal Georgia, with a town, and a fort on the river. The town did not catch on, and there are no intact buildings left. The site is absolutely gorgeous, with giant towering oaks all over, and the river is a short walk away. The history is well documented with many information plaques on your walk. If you are in the area this is well worth the time visit. read more