Fort Frederica played important role in defense of new Georgia colony

We recently saw there’s a Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simons Island. What’s the history behind the fort?

More than 280 years ago, Gen. James Oglethorpe established Fort Frederica as a fort and a town named Frederica.

Its namesake was Frederick Louis, the Prince of Wales and the first son of Great Britain’s King George II. Louis was alive when the fort was established in 1736 along a bend of the Frederica River to defend the British colony from Spanish attack.

The town grew alongside the fort and had about 1,000 residents by 1743, according to historical information from the National Park Service.

“It’s a story about starting anew. It’s just a beautiful place,” said Steve Theus, site manager for the Fort Frederica National Monument.

April 29 marks the end of National Park Week, which was scheduled to include walking tours and costumed re-enactors at Fort Frederica, as well as a bike ride.

The park service has 78 national monuments, and Fort Frederica is one of the two in Georgia (the other is Savannah’s Fort Pulaski).

The fort was in operation for 12 years and played a crit- ical role in defense of the colony. On July 7, 1742, soldiers from the fort defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Bloody Marsh. Great Britain and Spain signed a peace treaty in 1748.

A roadway snakes through towering oaks past St. Simons’ Christ Church, Frederica, and around to the fort. A portion of the fort’s tabby walls remains standing. There’s also a small museum and a gift shop.