This Land of Five Flags
The flags of five nations have fluttered in the salt breezes of Brunswick & The Golden Isles of Georgia, a testimony to this area's rich and diverse historical fabric.
Early explorations and control by Spain and France were followed by a tumultuous period of British colonization. Revolution brought a new national flag, which was replaced by the flag of the confederacy. During Union occupation and following the war between the states, our national flag returned, adding stars and changing as new states joined our country.
Today, visitors from all over the United States and around the world visit the area to discover for themselves the astonishing beauty, glorious weather and natural radiance that make Brunswick & The Golden Isles.
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The Five Flags of Brunswick & The Golden Isles
The flag of Spain was first raised over Georgia in 1526 when Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón arrived with 600 Spanish colonists to found the ill-fated settlement of San Miguel de Gualdape. |
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From 1562 to 1564, the flag of France flew here as Jean Ribault, seeking haven for French Huguenots, explored the Georgia coast and built fortifications. In 1565, Spanish troops expelled the French and re-established their rule until the early 1700s. |
| In 1736, General James Edward Oglethorpe established Fort Frederica, the most expensive fort in the American colonies, on St. Simons Island. The flag of Great Britain flew here, signifying an era of British dominance that lasted until the American Revolution in 1776, when our first national flag - with 13 stars and 13 stripes - was flown. |
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The American flag was taken down in 1861, when Georgia joined its sister southern states in seceding from the union. The "Stars and Bars," the flag of the Confederate States of America, flew over the area until early 1862, when Union forces occupied the Georgia coast. |
| The end of the War Between the States in 1865 began a series of flags that changed as our country grew and new stars - one for each new state - were added. Today's flag, with 50 stars and 13 stripes, waves proudly over our state and nation. |
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Want to know more about the flags of Georgia?
The Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia has detailed information about Georgia's flags on its website, at www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/flagsga.htm
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