Fort Frederica National Monument

Spanish and British forces clashed on St. Simons Island. Fort Frederica's troops defeated the Spanish, ensuring Georgia's future as a British colony.

In the early 18th century, the land lying between British South Carolina and Spanish Florida was known as the debatable land. This land (which we call Georgia today) was the epicenter of a centuries-old imperial conflict between Spain and Britain.

Fort Frederica was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia. Colonists from England, Scotland, and the Germanic states came to Frederica to support this endeavor.

After successfully repulsing a Spanish attempt to retake St. Simons Island, the garrison at Ft. Frederica was disbanded, and the town fell into decline. Today, the archeological remnants of Frederica are protected as a national monument.