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| Plantation Structure & Ruins |
It is located in the marshlands of the Altamaha River. The plantation illustrates more than a century of Georgia's coastal history and was owned and occupied by the same family from 1804 to 1973. The plantation, originally known as "Broadfield," became a center for rice cultivation in the 19th century. The plantation house, "Hofwyl House," was probably constructed by slave labor in the 1850s after theoriginal residence was destroyed.
Modeled after a large farmhouse with the original kitchen and a cabin connected to the house by long passages, the interior shows strong Federal influences. One of the more notable features in the house is the ornate marble fireplace in the dining room. The furniture in the house spans several centuries and includes many rare pieces. The plantation grounds are landscaped with large oak trees, most of which are very old.
Tabby ruins, likely the foundation of the rice mill, and several surviving outbuildings, including a barn and an ice house, are located on the property. A museum interprets a working a rice plantation, and the life of slaves and planters. |
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| History & Culture |
This beautiful plantation represents the history and culture of Georgia’s rice coast. In the early 1800s, William Brailsford of Charleston carved a rice plantation from marshes along the Altamaha River. The plantation and its inhabitants were part of the genteel low country society that developed during the antebellum period. While many factors made rice cultivation increasingly difficult in the years after the Civil War, the family continued to grow rice until 1913.
The enterprising siblings of the fifth generation at Hofwyl-Broadfield resolved to start a dairy rather than sell their family home. The efforts of Gratz, Miriam and Ophelia Dent led to the preservation of their family legacy. Ophelia was the last heir to the rich traditions of her ancestors, and she left the plantation to the state of Georgia in 1973.
A museum features silver from the family collection and a model of Hofwyl-Broadfield during its heyday. A brief film on the plantation’s history is shown before visitors walk a short trail to the antebellum home. A guided tour allows visitors to see the home as Ophelia kept it with family heirlooms, 18th and 19th century furniture and Cantonese china. As one of the Colonial Coast Birding Trail sites, Hofwyl-Broadfield offers a nature trail that leads back to the Visitors Center along the edge of the marsh where rice once flourished. |
| General Information |
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9AM-5PM; Sunday 2-5:30PM; Last main house tour at 4PM Tuesday-Saturday, and 4:30PM Sunday. Gate locked at closing. Closed Monday (except holidays), Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Closed Tuesday when open Monday.
Fees: Call for fees - Group rates available with advance notice. Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. |
| Phones & Location |
| Phone: 912-264-7333 - Location: 5556 U.S. Hwy 17 N, Brunswick Georgia 31525 - Located between Brunswick and Darien on U.S. Hwy. 17, 1 mile east of I-95 exit #42. |
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