Brunswick’s Old Town was laid out in 1771 on a grid of streets and squares modeled on Oglethorpe’s plan for Savannah, and named for King George II’s ancestral home of Braunschweig. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, the district is full of Victorian homes, oak-shaded squares and the shops and restaurants of Newcastle Street.
- Laid out1771, with 14 squares
- National RegisterBrunswick Old Town Historic District, 1979
- Walking tour guidesOld City Hall, 1229 Newcastle St.
- Getting thereI-95 Exit 36A, then south on U.S. 341 about 4 miles
Brunswick’s History
Mark Carr, a captain in Oglethorpe’s company, arrived in 1738 and planted a 1,000-acre tobacco plantation on the Turtle River. The colonial government bought the land in 1771 and laid out the town, naming streets and squares for English places and people: Gloucester, Halifax, Newcastle, Norwich and more. George Washington made Brunswick one of the original ports of entry in 1789, and the city was incorporated in 1812. After the Civil War, timber and naval stores fueled a building boom that left Old Town with Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick, Folk Victorian and Craftsman buildings. During World War II, workers at the J.A. Jones shipyard launched 99 Liberty ships between 1943 and 1945.
What to See
Newcastle Street
Old Town’s best-preserved commercial street, with Victorian storefronts, galleries and restaurants, anchored by Old City Hall (1889) at one end and the Ritz Theatre (1898, built as the Grand Opera House) at the other.
Hanover Square
One of two large intact squares, and the town’s original center, with a Civil War memorial.
The waterfront
Shrimp boats, a marina and the Liberty Ship Memorial honoring the wartime shipyard; container ships still call at the port’s deep-water terminals.
Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation
A state historic site north of town that shows the Brunswick area’s rice-growing past. See Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation.
Historic Homes in Old Town
Most are private homes, so enjoy them from the sidewalk.
| House | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mahoney-McGarvey House | 1705 Reynolds St. | 1891; often called one of the finest Carpenter Gothic houses in Georgia |
| duBignon-McCullough House | 811 Union St. | about 1869, Second Empire; one of the oldest homes in town |
| Debellis House | 508 First Ave. | thought to date from the 1860s |
| Nightingale-Hughes House | 900 Carpenter St. | about 1875, Stick style, with its original detached kitchen |
| Dexter House | 928 Union St. | late 1870s, Stick style |
| Major Downing House | 825 Egmont St. | about 1886; now a bed and breakfast |
| Burford House | 1017 Egmont St. | about 1887 |
| Scarlett House | 902 Wright Square | 1890; birthplace of Frank M. Scarlett, Glynn County’s first federal judge |
| Atkinson House | 802 London St. | 1890 twin of the Scarlett House; rebuilt after a 1929 fire |
| Baumgartner House | 1 Frederica Square | 1890, built with wooden pegs instead of nails |
| Marlin House (“Veranda House”) | 1325 Egmont St. | 1890 |
| Lamb House | 1110 Prince St. | 1895; Captain Lamb is credited with bringing the first camellia to Glynn County |
| Nightingale House | 803 London St. | about 1895, built of cypress |
| duBignon-Lockwood House | 721 Union St. | about 1896, Queen Anne, with Brunswick’s only full basement |
| Dunwoody House | 729 Union St. | 1897, Tudor, brick veneer added in the 1930s |
| McKinnon House | 1001 Egmont St. | 1903 |
| Welsh-Parham House | 801 Union St. | 1907, Craftsman |
| Ferguson House | 1200 Prince St. | about 1912 |
| Church House | 815 Union St. | 1929, Italian Renaissance |
Historic Squares & Churches
Old Town’s squares include Hanover, Machan, Jekyll, Queen, King, Crispen, St. Simons, Frederica, Satilla, Halifax, Wright, Hillsborough, Blythe and Hillary. Historic congregations include First African Baptist (1416 Amherst St.), First Presbyterian (1105 Union St.), St. Mark’s Episcopal (900 Gloucester St.), St. Athanasius Episcopal (1321 Albany St.), St. Francis Xavier (510 Howe St.), St. Paul A.M.E. (1520 Wolfe St.) and Temple Beth Tefilloh (1326 Egmont St.).
Historical Markers
Look for markers at Hanover Square (Civil War memorial), the Mark Carr plantation site (600 block of Union St.), Lover’s Oak (800 block of Albany St.), the Sidney Lanier marker (1000 block of Albany St.), Oak Grove Cemetery (1500 block of Mansfield St.), the Glynn County Courthouse (600 block of G St.) and Lanier’s Oak on U.S. 17.
Old Town BrunswickSquares and Victorian homes
Liberty Ship Memorial99 ships built, 1943 to 1945Directions
From I-95, take Exit 36A and go south on U.S. 341 about 4 miles into downtown. From U.S. 17 or Jekyll Island, turn west on Gloucester Street opposite Marshes of Glynn Overlook Park and continue 1 mile. From St. Simons Island, turn left on U.S. 17 at the end of the causeway, go 1 mile and turn right on Gloucester Street.
Plan the rest of your visit with our 8 best things to do in Brunswick and guides to nearby St. Simons and Jekyll Island.
Sources we checked
Facts in this guide were checked against the agencies and operators that run these places:
- Golden Isles CVB: Brunswick history
- Explore Georgia: Old Town Brunswick Historic District
- Wikipedia: Brunswick Old Town Historic District – National Register listing
Spot something out of date? Email Contact@n-georgia.com and we’ll check it against the official source. Read how we research our guides.