Brunswick, Georgia | |
|---|---|
City | |
       From top, left to right:Sidney Lanier Bridge, Old Brunswick City Hall,College of Coastal Georgia,Ritz Theatre,Glynn Academy, St. Athanasius Episcopal Church, Downtown | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: "Port City" "Shrimp Capital of the World" | |
 Location inGlynn County and the state ofGeorgia | |
| Coordinates:31°8′59″N81°29′29″W / 31.14972°N 81.49139°W /31.14972; -81.49139 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Glynn |
| Settled | 1738 |
| Founded | 1771 |
| Incorporated | 1856 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Cosby H. Johnson |
| • Mayorpro tem | Felicia Harris |
| • Commission | Gwen Atkinson-Williams Kendra Rolle, Lance Sabbe |
| • Manager | Regina M. McDuffie |
| Area | |
• City | 25.09 sq mi (64.99 km2) |
| • Land | 17.02 sq mi (44.08 km2) |
| • Water | 8.07 sq mi (20.91 km2) |
| • Metro | 1,286 sq mi (3,332 km2) |
| • CCD | 42.4 sq mi (109.8 km2) |
| Elevation | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 15,210 |
| • Density | 893.7/sq mi (345.06/km2) |
| • Metro | 112,370 |
| • Metro density | 87/sq mi (33.7/km2) |
| • CCD | 33,555 |
| • CCD density | 1,037/sq mi (400.3/km2) |
| Demonym | Brunswickian |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 31520-31525, 31527, 31561 |
| Area code | 912 |
| FIPS code | 13-11560[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0354878[3] |
| Website | brunswickga.org |
Brunswick (/ˈbrʌnzwɪk/BRUN-zwik) is a city in and thecounty seat ofGlynn County in theU.S. state ofGeorgia.[4] As the primary urban and economic center of the lower southeast portion of Georgia, it is the second-largest urban area on the Georgia coastline afterSavannah and contains theBrunswick Old Town Historic District. At the2020 U.S. census, the population of the city proper was 15,210;[5] theBrunswick metropolitan area's population as of 2020 was 113,495.[6]
Established as "Brunswick" after the GermanDuchy of Brunswick–Lüneburg, the ancestral home of theHouse of Hanover, the municipal community was incorporated as a city in 1856. Throughout its history, Brunswick has served as an important port city; inWorld War II, for example, it served as a strategic military location with an operational base for escort blimps and a shipbuilding facility for theU.S. Maritime Commission. Since then, its port has served numerous economic purposes.
Brunswick supports a progressive economy largely based on tourism andlogistics, with a metropolitan GDP of $3.9 billion as of 2013.[7] ThePort of Brunswick, one of Georgia's two seaports, handles approximately 10 percent of all U.S.roll-on/roll-off trade—third in the U.S., behind the ports ofLos Angeles andNewark.[8][9][10][11] The headquarters of theFederal Law Enforcement Training Center is located 5 miles (8 km) north of the central business district of the city and is adjacent toBrunswick Golden Isles Airport, which provides commercial air service to the area. Brunswick is also home to theCollege of Coastal Georgia, enrolling over 3,000 students.
Brunswick is located on a harbor of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 40 mi (60 km) north ofFlorida and 80 mi (130 km) south ofSouth Carolina. Brunswick is bordered on the west byOglethorpe Bay, theEast River, and theTurtle River. It is bordered on the south by theBrunswick River and on the east by the AtlanticIntracoastal Waterway in theMackay River, which separates it from theGolden Isles.
TheMocama, aTimucua-speaking people, lived in and cultivated the lands in what is now Brunswick.[12] The Spanish establishedmissions inTimucuan villages beginning in 1568.[13] During this time, much of theNative American population was depleted through enslavement and disease.[12] When theProvince of Carolina was founded in 1663, the British claimed all lands south to the31st parallel north,[14] but little colonization occurred south of theAltamaha River as the Spanish also claimed this land.[15] Three years after theProvince of Georgia was founded at Savannah in 1733,James Oglethorpe had the town ofFrederica built onSt. Simons Island, challenging Spaniards who laid claim to the island.[16] The Spanish were driven out of the province after British victories in the battles ofBloody Marsh andGully Hole Creek in 1742;[16] it was not until theTreaty of Paris of 1763 that Spain's threat to the province was formally ended, when all lands north of theSt. Marys River and south of theSavannah River were designated as Georgia.[17][18]
The area's first European settler, Mark Carr, arrived in 1738.[19] Carr, aScotsman, was a captain in Oglethorpe's Marine Boat Company.[20] Upon landing, he established his 1,000-acre (400 ha)tobacco plantation, which he called "Plug Point", along the East and Brunswick rivers.[18][20] The Province of Georgia purchased Carr's fields in 1771 and laid out the town of Brunswick in thegrid plan akin to that of Savannah, with large, public squares at given intervals.[21] The town was named for theduchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in Germany, the ancestral home ofGeorge III and theHouse of Hanover.[21] Brunswick was a rectangular tract of land consisting of 383.5 acres (155.2 ha).[18] The first lot was granted on June 30, 1772; 179 lots were granted in the first three years.[18] However, at about this time Brunswick lost most of its citizens, many of whom wereLoyalists, toEast Florida, theCaribbean Basin, and theUnited Kingdom for protection during theAmerican Revolutionary War.[18][22] From 1783 to 1788 a number of these lots were regranted and there collected in Brunswick a few families who desired proper education for their children.[18] By the act of the General Assembly on February 1, 1788, eight town commissioners were appointed andGlynn Academy was chartered, the funding of which was to come from the sales of town lots. Brunswick was recognized as an official port of entry in 1789 by an act of theUnited States Congress.[23][24] In 1797 the General Assembly transferred the seat of Glynn County from Frederica to Brunswick.[a][25]
At the end of the eighteenth century, a large tract of land surrounding Brunswick on three sides had been laid off and designated as Commons.[18] Commissioners were named in 1796 to support these efforts.[18] The General Assembly authorized them to sell 500 acres (200 ha) of Commons, one-half of the proceeds to go to the construction of the courthouse and jail and one-half to the support of the academy.[18] In 1819 the commissioners erected a suitable building for school purposes on the southeastern corner of Reynolds and L streets.[18] This was the first public building in Brunswick.[26] It was abandoned four years later, but a new building was erected on Hillsborough Square in 1840 using Commons proceeds.[18] A courthouse and jail were built around this time.[18][25][26]
The town was officially incorporated as a city on February 22, 1856.[26][27] It was at this time that state representativeJacob Moore in conjunction with others conspired to control the Commons, and any proceeds that might be had from sales. Moore managed to persuade theGeorgia General Assembly to pass legislation giving him control over significant amounts of local real estate. This precipitated a period of strife, pitting the powerful interests, headed by Rep. Moore, against the common citizenry. It was into this turmoil thatCarey Wentworth Styles appeared, in 1857, when he moved his family to Brunswick fromEdgefield, South Carolina. Styles, an attorney, was attracted to the area by news of the civil strife. As one observer later wrote, the citizens of Brunswick were in "need of a defender".[28]
Styles quickly became embroiled in the dispute, siding with the citizenry. He announced his intention to run for mayor, and organized a mass protest rally for the evening of December 24. In spite of bad weather, a crowd gathered at the protest point, where Styles delivered an impassioned speech against the powerful interests, and the legislative act giving them the power to seize local property. Styles called the legislation "dishonorable", at which point Moore (the bill's sponsor and beneficiary) jumped to his feet and shouted at Styles, calling the accusation a "falsehood". In the official testimony on file in theGlynn County courthouse, Styles is said to have yelled back at Moore, saying "You are a damned liar!", to which Moore replied "You are a damneder liar!". Gunfire ensued, resulting in the death of Moore. Witness accounts had Moore firing first, and though Styles was subsequently arrested for manslaughter, the charges were eventually dropped.[28] On March 1, 1858, Styles was elected mayor of Brunswick.[28][29] Some years later, Styles moved to Atlanta, where he foundedThe Atlanta Constitution.[30] In November 1879, nineteen years after he left, Styles returned to Brunswick, where he established the local weeklySeaport Appeal.[28] When that eventually failed, Styles moved to Texas, never to see Brunswick again.
By 1860 Brunswick had a population of 468, a bank, a weekly newspaper, and a sawmill which employed nine workers.[26]
Brunswick was abandoned during theAmerican Civil War when citizens were ordered to evacuate. The city, like many others in theSouth, suffered from post-war depression. After one of the nation's largest lumber mills began operation on nearby St. Simons Island, economic prosperity returned. Rail lines were constructed fromBrunswick to inland Georgia, which stimulated asawmill boom, said to average one mill every two miles, along with the new industrial corridor.[31] In his bookThe New South Comes to Wiregrass Georgia, 1860–1910 author Mark V. Wetherington states that fromEastman, formerQuartermaster GeneralIra R. Foster "shipped lumber to Brunswick, where it was loaded onto timber schooners and transported to international markets likeLiverpool,Rio de Janeiro, andHavana."[31] Unlike many other southern cities during theReconstruction period, Brunswick experienced aneconomic boom.
In 1878, poet and native GeorgianSidney Lanier, who sought relief fromtuberculosis in Brunswick's climate, wrote "The Marshes of Glynn", a poem based on thesalt marshes that span Glynn County. The December 1888 issue ofHarper's Weekly predicted that "Brunswick by the Sea" was destined to become the "winterNewport of America".Jekyll Island had become a resort destination for some of the era's most influential families (most notablyRockefellers,Vanderbilts,Pulitzers, andGoodyears) who arrived by train or yacht.
Ayellow fever epidemic began in 1893, which heralded a decade of hardships for the city; it was flooded in 1893 when a modern-dayCategory 3 hurricane (today known as theSea Islands Hurricane) paralleled the coast of Georgia before hittingSouth Carolina. The storm left the city under 6 feet (1.8 m) of water.[32] ACategory 4hurricane hitCumberland Island just south of Brunswick in October 1898,[33] which caused a 16-foot (4.9 m)storm surge in the city.[32] As a result, 179 were killed.[32][34]
Construction of an electricstreetcar line began in 1909 and was completed in 1911.[35] Tracks were located in the center of several city streets. In July 1924, the F.J. Torras Causeway, the roadway between Brunswick and St. Simons Island, was completed,[36] and passenger boat service from Brunswick to St. Simons Island was terminated.[35] By 1926, the electric streetcar line in Brunswick was discontinued; the decline of the streetcar systems coincided with the rise of theautomobile.[35]
In World War II, Brunswick served as a strategic military location. GermanU-boats threatened the coast of thesouthern United States, andblimps became a common sight as they patrolled the coastal areas. During the war, blimps from Brunswick'sNaval Air Station Glynco (at the time, the largest blimp base in the world) safely escorted almost 100,000 ships without a single vessel lost to enemy submarines.[37]
In World War II, Brunswick boomed as over 16,000 workers of theJ.A. Jones Construction Company produced ninety-nineLiberty ships and "Knot" ships (type C1-M ships) which were designed for short coastal runs, and most often named forknots for theU.S. Maritime Commission to transportmateriel to theEuropean andPacific theatres.[38]
The first ship was the SSJames M. Wayne (named afterJames Moore Wayne), whose keel was laid on July 6, 1942, and which was launched on March 13, 1943.[39] The last ship was the SSCoastal Ranger, whose keel was laid on June 7, 1945, and which was launched on August 25, 1945.[39] The first six ships took 305 to 331 days each to complete,[39] but soon production ramped up and most of the remaining ships were built in about two months, bringing the average down to 89 days each. By November 1943, about four ships were launched per month. The SSWilliam F. Jerman was completed in only 34 days in November and December 1944.[39] Six ships could be under construction inslipways at one time.[40]
On February 23, 2020,Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was murdered during a racially motivatedhate crime[b] while jogging in Satilla Shores, a neighborhood near Brunswick inGlynn County, Georgia.[41][42][43][44]
The city of Brunswick is located in southeasternGeorgia, approximately halfway betweenJacksonville, Florida andSavannah. The city is located at the apex of theGeorgia Bight, the westernmost point on theAtlantic seaboard, and is naturally sheltered by two barrier islands,Jekyll andSt. Simons. The city is situated on a peninsula with the East River and theTurtle River to the west, theBrunswick River to the south,[45] and theMackay River with theIntracoastal Waterway to the east. An abundance ofsalt marshes separates the city from the Intracoastal Waterway, which passes between Brunswick and the barrier islands. The East River separates Brunswick from Andrews Island, a dredge spoil site.[46][47]
The city is the lowest in theU.S. state of Georgia, with an elevation of only 10 to 14 feet (3.0 to 4.3 m) above sea level.[48][49] According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Brunswick's land area is 32.4 square miles (83.8 km2). Its total area is 42.4 square miles (109.8 km2); 10.0 square miles (26.0 km2) of this is water.[50]
Brunswick's climate is classified ashumid subtropical (Cfa in theKöppen climate classification system).[51] During the summer months, it is common for the temperature to reach over 90 °F (32 °C). However, the humidity results in aheat index higher than the actual temperature. Summer mornings average nearly 90 percenthumidity and nearly 60 percent in the afternoon. Scattered afternoonthunderstorms are common in the summer. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Brunswick was 106 °F (41 °C) in 1986.[52] Winters in Brunswick are fairly temperate. The average high in January, the coldest month, is 63 °F (17 °C), while the average low is 44 °F (7 °C).[52]Snowfall is very rare. The last snow accumulation in Brunswick was on January 22, 2025.[53] The coldest temperature ever recorded in Brunswick was 5 °F (−15 °C) onJanuary 21, 1985, and January 30, 1966.[52]
Brunswick receives a high amount of rainfall annually, averaging about 49.6 inches (1,260 mm). The wettest months are August and September, the peak ofhurricane season.[52] The city has suffered less damage fromhurricanes than most other East Coast cities. Amajor hurricane has not made landfall on the Georgia coast since 1898,[54] and the only hurricane that has hit the coast since then wasHurricane David in 1979.[54] However, the city has experienced hurricane or near-hurricane conditions several times due to storms passing through Florida from theGulf of Mexico and entering Georgia or passing to the north or south in the Atlantic and brushing the area.[55]
| Climate data for Brunswick, Georgia (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1895–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 86 (30) | 89 (32) | 99 (37) | 99 (37) | 101 (38) | 104 (40) | 106 (41) | 103 (39) | 101 (38) | 95 (35) | 89 (32) | 87 (31) | 106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 77.7 (25.4) | 80.3 (26.8) | 84.7 (29.3) | 88.7 (31.5) | 93.9 (34.4) | 97.1 (36.2) | 98.9 (37.2) | 97.6 (36.4) | 93.8 (34.3) | 88.4 (31.3) | 83.0 (28.3) | 78.6 (25.9) | 99.5 (37.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 61.0 (16.1) | 64.3 (17.9) | 70.1 (21.2) | 76.3 (24.6) | 83.0 (28.3) | 87.5 (30.8) | 90.3 (32.4) | 88.8 (31.6) | 84.3 (29.1) | 77.5 (25.3) | 69.2 (20.7) | 63.3 (17.4) | 76.3 (24.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 52.5 (11.4) | 55.7 (13.2) | 61.3 (16.3) | 67.7 (19.8) | 75.0 (23.9) | 80.2 (26.8) | 82.8 (28.2) | 81.9 (27.7) | 78.2 (25.7) | 70.3 (21.3) | 61.0 (16.1) | 55.1 (12.8) | 68.5 (20.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 44.0 (6.7) | 47.0 (8.3) | 52.6 (11.4) | 59.2 (15.1) | 67.1 (19.5) | 72.9 (22.7) | 75.3 (24.1) | 75.1 (23.9) | 72.0 (22.2) | 63.1 (17.3) | 52.9 (11.6) | 46.9 (8.3) | 60.7 (15.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 36.2 (2.3) | 44.8 (7.1) | 54.6 (12.6) | 64.5 (18.1) | 69.0 (20.6) | 69.1 (20.6) | 61.8 (16.6) | 47.1 (8.4) | 35.9 (2.2) | 31.2 (−0.4) | 25.0 (−3.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 5 (−15) | 13 (−11) | 21 (−6) | 34 (1) | 35 (2) | 51 (11) | 58 (14) | 61 (16) | 45 (7) | 36 (2) | 21 (−6) | 11 (−12) | 5 (−15) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.54 (90) | 3.06 (78) | 3.80 (97) | 3.07 (78) | 3.04 (77) | 6.35 (161) | 4.94 (125) | 6.95 (177) | 6.26 (159) | 4.60 (117) | 2.03 (52) | 2.65 (67) | 50.29 (1,277) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.2 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 12.2 | 10.6 | 13.3 | 10.1 | 7.7 | 5.4 | 7.3 | 104.4 |
| Source:NOAA[56][57] | |||||||||||||
The Brunswick area has fourSuperfund sites, formerly home to heavily contaminatedtoxic waste sites: the LCP Chemicals site, Brunswick Wood Preserving,[58] theHercules 009 Landfill,[59] and the Terry Creek Dredge Spoil Areas/Hercules Outfall.[60] Research published in 2011 revealed thatbottlenose dolphins that fed in the estuaries near these Superfund sites had the highest concentration ofPCBs of any mammal in the world.[61]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1810 | 36 | — | |
| 1860 | 825 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,348 | 184.6% | |
| 1880 | 2,891 | 23.1% | |
| 1890 | 8,459 | 192.6% | |
| 1900 | 9,081 | 7.4% | |
| 1910 | 10,182 | 12.1% | |
| 1920 | 14,413 | 41.6% | |
| 1930 | 14,022 | −2.7% | |
| 1940 | 15,035 | 7.2% | |
| 1950 | 17,954 | 19.4% | |
| 1960 | 21,703 | 20.9% | |
| 1970 | 19,585 | −9.8% | |
| 1980 | 17,605 | −10.1% | |
| 1990 | 16,433 | −6.7% | |
| 2000 | 15,600 | −5.1% | |
| 2010 | 15,383 | −1.4% | |
| 2020 | 15,210 | −1.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[62] 1850-1870[63] 1870-1880[64] 1890-1910[65] 1920-1930[66] 1940[67] 1950[68] 1960[69] 1970[70] 1980[71] 1990[72] 2000[73] 2010[74] | |||
In 2000, the city of Brunswick had 15,600 people, 6,085 households, and 3,681 families living in the city, down from the city's initial historic high of 21,703 in 1960.[2] There were 6,952 housing units at an average density of 403.8 per square mile (155.9/km2). At the2010 United States census, there were 15,383 people living within the city; experiencing population fluctuations since, the2020 U.S. census reported a population of 15,210 people, 6,486 households, and 3,781 families residing in the city.[5]
Among the city's population between 2015 and 2020, theAmerican Community Survey estimated a median age of 34.8, down from 2000's 35 years.[75] Approximately 16.7% of the population were from under 5 years of age to 5 to 9 years; 20.5% were from 15 to 29 years of age; and 16.5% were aged 65 and older. For every 100 females, there were 80 males, and there was a child-dependency ratio of 46.6.
At the2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $22,272, and the median income for a family was $28,564. Males had a median income of $26,172 versus $18,602 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $13,062. About 25.2% of families and 30.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 43.9% of those under age 18 and 21.7% of those ages 65 or over.[2] By 2020, the median household income was $27,471 with a mean of $57,395.[76] Among families, the median income was $29,953 with a mean of $53,434; married-couple families had a median income of $63,301; and non-family households had a median income of $22,163 with a mean of $59,980.
The median monthly costs for occupied-housing units and renter-owned units was $718 in 2020;[77] for homeowners with a mortgage, the median value of theirsingle-family detached homes was $117,400 and the monthly costs were $1,068.[78] The median real estate taxes paid among homeowners in the city was $951. Among the growing metropolitan statistical areas of Georgia, Brunswick has one of the lowest costs of living in contrast withAtlanta and itsmetropolitan region.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,622 | 30.39% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,548 | 56.2% |
| Native American | 24 | 0.16% |
| Asian | 55 | 0.36% |
| Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 511 | 3.36% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,444 | 9.49% |
Brunswick, like most of the United States, has had a traditional population from a predominantlynon-Hispanic white,Anglo American background. With the diversification of the nation and state of Georgia, by 2000 its racial and ethnic makeup was 59.8%Black or African American, 33.1%White (non-Hispanic whites), 0.3%American Indian orAlaska Native, 0.4%Asian, <0.1%Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other races, and 1.4% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino Americans of any race were 5.8% of the population. At the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic makeup was 56.2% Black or African American, 30.39% non-Hispanic white, 0.16% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.36% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.36% multiracial, and 9.49% Hispanic or Latino Americans of any race. Per 2008 estimates, the top five ancestry groups in the city were American (5.3%), English (5.1%), Subsarahan African (4.3%), Irish (4.1%), and German (3.6%).[79] Approximately 54.1% of the population reported another ancestry.[79]
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According toSperling's BestPlaces, approximately 56.3% of the city's population identify with a religion as of 2020.[80] Typical of those traditionally placed within theBible Belt andconservative American South, the majority of the religiously affiliated population identified asChristians. The single largest Christian tradition within the city and metropolitan area areBaptists (15.7%). Among its Baptist constituency, theNational Baptist Convention andSouthern Baptist Convention were some of the largest Baptist denominations in the area.[81][82][83] The largest singleChristian denomination has been theRoman Catholic Church and itsDiocese of Savannah (6.8%).[84]
Following,Methodism was the second largest tradition (12.3%) andPentecostalism was the third largest Christian tradition in the area (8.2%), notably served through theAssemblies of God andChurch of God.[85][86] Other prominent Christian communities operating with a substantial presence in the city and area have also beenPresbyterians,Episcopalians or Anglicans of theProtestant Episcopal Church in the United States,Lutherans, etc. Among non-mainstream Christianity, theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints made up 1.5% of the faithful according to this study.
The second-largest religion practiced or adhered to in the area wasJudaism, and collectively, Eastern religions such asBuddhism orHinduism made up 0.3% of the population. The largest Jewish movement within the city has beenReform Judaism, spread throughout the historic Temple Beth Tefilloh, founded in 1886.[87]
ThePort of Brunswick forms a vital part of the city's economy.[88] It is recognized as one of the most productive ports on theEast Coast and is the sixth-busiest automobile port in the United States;[89][90][91] it is the primaryexport facility for two of the three United States traditionalautomotive manufacturers:Ford andGeneral Motors.[92] The port is also the primary export facility forMercedes-Benz.[93][94][95] The port serves as the centralimport facility forHyundai,Jaguar,Kia,Land Rover,Mitsubishi,Porsche, andVolvo.[90][96][97][98]Audi,BMW, andVolkswagen utilize the port as a facility for imports as well.[99][100][101] International Auto Processing is one of the town's largest employers.[102] In addition to automobiles, exports includeagricultural products and otherbulk cargoes.
The port is operated by theGeorgia Ports Authority and features four separate terminals: Colonel's IslandRoRo, Colonel's Island Agri-bulk, Mayor's Point, and Marine Port.[103] Mayor's Point is the only terminal located within the city.[104] The Colonel's Island and Marine Port terminals are located southwest of the city.[105]
TheFederal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), a large agency of theUnited States Department of Homeland Security, is headquartered inGlynco, north of the city.[106] A study conducted byGeorgia Tech identified FLETC as the largest employer in Glynn County;[107] it was further determined that FLETC's annual localized economic impact is in excess of $600 million.[107]
Southeast Georgia Health System is the largest private employer in Brunswick.[102] Other major employers in Brunswick includeKing & Prince Seafood,GSI Commerce, Pinova andGulfstream Aerospace.[102]Wood pulp is produced by theGeorgia-Pacificmill in Brunswick.[108] The mill, which has been in operation since 1937, has the capability to produce over 800,000metric tons ofcellulose each year.[109] Additionally, it is the largest single-site fluff production facility in the world.[109]Hercules, a manufacturer, and marketer of chemical specialties operates a production facility on the north side of Brunswick.[110] Jet aircraft manufacturerGulfstream Aerospace has a presence at the city's airport.[111]
Tourism is the single largest industry in the city and the county.[45] Brunswick and the Golden Isles are a year-round resort community.[112] The islands' beaches, resorts, shops, and historic sites annually attract visitors from around the world.[112] PresidentGeorge W. Bush hosted theG8 summit in 2004 on Sea Island.[113]
Brunswick is home to a variety of arts and cultural events. The most significant professional performing-arts group is the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, in existence since 1982, which stages productions each year at Glynn Academy's Memorial Auditorium. This group of professional musicians also has a Youth Symphony division and a fundraising auxiliary.[114]
Old Town Brunswick's historic and ornateRitz Theatre hosts a range of performances. Renovated in the early 1980s and again in 2000 through 2001, the Ritz is home to the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association, the coordinatingarts council for Brunswick and Glynn County. The association hosts an annual performing arts series and rents space to individual producers and organizations.[115]
The city is home to variousart galleries. Art Downtown is a cultural arts center featuring a fine art gallery, studio, and production company. It is home to the Brunswick Actors' Theatre.[116] The Gallery on Newcastle is home to a display of scenes from coastal Georgia's marshes.[117]
Along Union Street is a collection of 19th and early 20th-centuryVictorian mansions. Each December the Magnolia Garden Club tours select Union Street homes in addition to other areas in historic Brunswick as part of its Christmas Tour of Homes.[118]
The city lays claim toBrunswick stew, atomato-based stew containing various types oflima beans,corn,okra, and other vegetables, and one or more types of meat.[119] Most recipes claiming authenticity call forsquirrel orrabbit meat, butchicken,pork, andbeef are also common ingredients.[120] A twenty-five-gallon (95 L) iron pot outside the city bears a plaque declaring the stew was first cooked there in 1898.[121] The Brunswick Rockin' Stewbilee, held annually in October, features a stew-tasting contest where visitors sample over 50 teams' stews.[122] The Stewbilee became famous when the city invitedBrunswick County, Virginia, to the festival for a stew cookoff in the 1980s, which led the Brunswick "Stew Wars" to be featured inSouthern Living.[123]
Brunswick is the center of Georgia'sshrimping industry.[124] The city was once called "The Shrimp Capital of the World",[125][126][127] but in recent times, production has been far below average.[128] Nevertheless, nearby Jekyll Island hosts the Wild GeorgiaShrimp & Grits Festival in September.[129] Apart from shrimping, the area is also the center of Georgia'scrab andoyster industries.[130][131]
TheCollege of Coastal Georgia has an active collegiate sports program. The local high schools compete in theGeorgia High School Association's quad-A Region 2 sporting events. From 1950 to 2007, Brunswick served host to the Golden Isles Bowl Classic, one of the most prestigious junior college football bowl games in the country. Scholastic and intramural sports are held at school and park facilities around the city. Glynn County Stadium and Lanier Field are two sports stadiums available in the city.
Golden Isles Speedway, a5⁄8 mile (1.0 km)race track, is located in western Glynn County, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the city.[132]
ThePGA Tour holds theRSM Classic every year at the Seaside Course onSea Island. The area is famous for itsgolf resorts. In 2008 Sea Island was ranked the number-one destination for business meetings and golf byGolf Digest andUSA Today.[133] Sea Island was also ranked number-one among the best golf resorts in North America byGolf Digest.[133] There are three golf courses located just north of the city,[134] and combined with Jekyll, St. Simons, and Sea islands, there are 252 holes of golf in the Brunswick area.[134]
The Brunswick area is home to two out of three publicly accessiblebeaches in the state.[135] Brunswick is the gateway city to Jekyll and St. Simons islands; both are accessible via automobile only bycauseways from the city.[136] The islands, known colloquially as theGolden Isles, feature white-sand public beaches and are popular destinations for tourists and local citizens.
In 1906 the city was home to aClass D-levelminor league baseball team, the River Snipes, a team shared withColumbus as part of the inaugural season of theGeorgia State League.[137] The league went defunct following that season.[137] In 1913 the Brunswick Pilots debuted as part of the short-livedEmpire State League, before joining the Georgia State League in 1914, and theFlorida–Alabama–Georgia League in 1915.[137] The Pilots stopped play following the 1915 season.[137] Thirty-six years passed before Brunswick had another professional baseball team. In 1951 theBrunswick Pirates, a Class D minor league affiliate of themajor leaguePittsburgh Pirates, began to play in theGeorgia–Florida League, beginning eight years of presence in the city.[137] The Pirates won league championships in 1954 and 1955.[138][139] In 1957 the Pirates became affiliates of thePhiladelphia Phillies, respectively adopting the nameBrunswick Phillies.[137] Following the 1958 season, the Phillies ceased to play.[137] Brunswick was home to theCardinals of the Georgia–Florida League in 1962 and 1963 before the league disbanded in 1963.[137][140]
The Brunswick Parks and Recreation Department operates cityparks andsquares.[143] Six city squares were part of Brunswick's original 1771 Town Plan. The two largest central squares were Wright and Hanover. Though half of Wright Square was built on by a middle school in the 1950s, the square was recently returned to its original size with George Street removed through the middle. Five of the six still exist today, with Hillsboro Square converted into the campus of Glynn Academy High School.[144] There are also two additional squares located within the city, Orange, and Palmetto.[143] Numerous parks exist in the city, the largest beingHoward Coffin Park.[143] The parks include features such as playgrounds, baseball fields, softball fields, soccer fields, basketball courts, and picnic areas. Coffin Park includes awalking track. The district also owns the Roosevelt Lawrence Community Center, a center equipped with popular and traditional recreational game tables, two classrooms, and a multi-purpose gymnasium.[143]
The Brunswick area is rich inlive oak trees, particularly theSouthern live oak. Such is the quality of the live oak trees in the Brunswick and the Golden Isles area that Revolutionary warships such as theUSS Constitution (nicknamedOld Ironsides) were clad in St. Simons Island oak planks. Brunswick has a notable live oak namedLover's Oak (located at Prince and Albany streets).[145] As of 2005, it is approximately 900 years old.[146] According to the State of Georgia and American Indian folklore, Native American braves and their maidens would meet under the oak.[146] Another notable oak,Lanier's Oak, is notable as being the location where poetSidney Lanier, on one of his visits to Brunswick, was inspired to write "The Marshes of Glynn".[147]
Blythe Island Regional Park is located onBlythe Island within the city.[148]
Brunswick uses thecouncil-manager model ofmunicipal government.[149] The city commission consists of five individuals, including the mayor, elected on aplurality-at-large basis. Commissioners constitute thelegislative body of the city and, as a group, are responsible for taxation, appropriations, ordinances, and other general functions. The mayor of Brunswick isCosby Johnson, who was elected in 2021 and is the second African-American mayor of Brunswick. Johnson is also the first Millennial Mayor of Brunswick.
The city is divided into two wards with each ward electing two city commission representatives. The mayor serves as anat-large commissioner andchairperson. The commission meets twice each month at Old City Hall in Old Town.[149] The city commission appoints acity manager to serve at will for an infinite term. The main duty of the manager is to implement policy set by the city commission and manage the operations of the city on a daily basis. The city manager is to see that all laws, provisions of thecity charter, and any acts of the city commission are executed and enforced. The city manager of Brunswick is Regina McDuffie.[150]
In November 2008, Mayor Thompson and the city commission of Brunswick traveled to Ganzhou to strengthen ties between the two cities.[151] Ganzhou, a city with a population of 8.5 million, reciprocated, sending a delegation to Brunswick where an official sister city agreement was signed at OldBrunswick City Hall on April 3, 2009.[152][153]
Brunswick is home to theCollege of Coastal Georgia,[154] which has more than 3,000 enrolled students.[155] Since 1961, the college had been atwo-year institution, but in 2008, the college began its transition to a four-year institution.[156] The college is currently astate college within theUniversity System of Georgia, with bachelor's degree programs ineducation,business, andnursing sciences, and otherassociate degree programs designed to prepare students to transfer to senior colleges anduniversities.[157]
TheGlynn County School System is the governing authority of public schools in the city.[158] More than 12,000 students attend schools in the school system.[159] There are tenelementary schools, fourmiddle schools, and twohigh schools:Brunswick High School andGlynn Academy.[158][159] Glynn Academy, the second-oldest public high school in theAmerican South and thesixth-oldest public high school in the United States,[160] was founded in 1788 by an act of theGeorgia General Assembly.[161] Brunswick High School opened in 1967.[162] Specialized institutions include a career-technical academy.
There are several private schools operating in the area.[163] In the city, there is oneCatholic school and oneSeventh-day Adventist school.[164][165] There are alsoBaptist,Pentecostal, andnon-denominational Christian schools north of the city, such as Heritage Christian Academy.[166][167][168] On St. Simons Island, there is aPresbyterian school.[169][170] Several smaller Christian schools in Brunswick offer high school education.
The Brunswick News is one of two major daily newspapers serving Brunswick;[171] the other isThe Georgia Times-Union, a subsidiary of the Jacksonville-basedFlorida Times-Union.[172] Brunswick has one free weekly newspaper delivered to most homes in Glynn County,The Harbor Sound (a free publication).[173]The Islander is a weekly paper, member of the Georgia Press Association, and available at newsstands or by subscription.[174]
The major AM radio stations in Brunswick areWSFN 790, anESPN affiliate and primarily a sports station;[175]WGIG 1440; andWBGA 1490, which are all news and talk stations.[176] The city'sFM stations includeNPR affiliateWWIO-FM 88.9,public radioWWEZ at 94.7 (St. Simons Island) and 97.5 (Brunswick), andcommercial stationsWAYR-FM 90.7,WSSI 92.7,WMUV 100.7,WSOL 101.5,WYNR 102.5,WQGA 103.3,WRJY 104.1,WXMK 105.9, andWHFX 107.7.[176] 96.3
WPXC-TV, channel 21, anIon affiliate, is the onlybroadcast television station in Brunswick. The station became anABC affiliate in 1996,[177] but in 2001,Allbritton Communications sold the station and, therefore, the station lost its affiliation.[178] All major U.S. television networks are represented in Brunswick fromJacksonville andSavannah-based television stations.
Brunswick has been featured in scenes from the filmsThe View from Pompey's Head (1955),[179]Conrack (1974),[179]The Longest Yard (1974),[179][180] and the documentaryCriminalizing Dissent (2006).[179]
The city is also the setting for the novelRavens by authorGeorge Dawes Green.
Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK,KBQK) is served byDelta Air Lines, with several daily round trips to theHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.[181] The city was formerly served byDayJet, with service to cities inAlabama, Florida, and Georgia; the company suspended its operations in September 2008.[182]
Two railway companies serve the city:CSX andNorfolk Southern.[183][184] TheGolden Isles Terminal Railroad is ashort line operating 12.6 miles (20.3 km) of mainline trackage between Anguilla Junction and the Colonel's Island and Marine Port terminals of thePort of Brunswick.[185] This line connects with a line that originates in Old Town Brunswick at Anguilla Junction. Brunswick last had direct passenger service in 1966 or 1967 with the unnamed successor to theSouthern Railway'sKansas City-Florida Special.[186][187]Amtrak passenger service is available inJesup, 40 mi (64 km) northwest of the city.[188]
The originalSidney Lanier Bridge was avertical-lift bridge onU.S. 17 crossing the Brunswick River and was opened on June 22, 1956.[189] On November 7, 1972, the shipAfrican Neptune struck the bridge, causing parts of the bridge to collapse, taking cars with it.[190][191] The accident resulted in ten deaths.[192] On May 3, 1987, the bridge was again struck by a ship, thePolish freighterZiemia Bialostocka.[193] A newcable-stayed bridge with the same name opened in 2003 to allow larger ships to enter the port and to eliminate the need for the drawbridge on U.S. 17.[194] It is the longest-spanning bridge in Georgia.[194] The elevation at the top of the support towers is 480 feet (150 m).[194]
Three federal highways pass through Brunswick:U.S. Route 17,U.S. Route 341, andU.S. Route 25. U.S. 17 runs north to south through the eastern part of town and is a four-lane highway. U.S. 341 overlaps U.S. 25 for almost the entire route and originates in Brunswick off U.S. 17.Interstate 95 runs west and northwest of the city, andU.S. Route 82 originates at the junction of U.S. 17 andState Route 303 just west of I-95.[195]
In 2006, Glynn County applied for approximately $930,000 for first-year funding for atransit service. The county and city match was for over $100,000 combined. The first-year project would fund the purchase of up to four buses, two vans, signage, equipment, and facility improvements. As of 2007 the first-year application was pending with theGeorgia DOT and theFederal Transit Administration.[196]
With over 1,321 employees and over 201 physicians,[197] Southeast Georgia Health System is the main provider of health care in Brunswick and the surrounding area and is also the largest private employer in Brunswick.[197] Southeast Georgia Health System's medical campus in the city offers a 316-bed full-service hospital.[197] Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick campus also has an alliance with the International Seafarer's Center that provides first-class medical attention to seamen who come into the Brunswick port; the medical needs of approximately 15,000 international merchant seafarers are met each year.[197] Southeast Georgia Health System also operates a 180-bed skilled nursing facility in Brunswick, The Senior Care Center, which offers short-term rehabilitation services, as well as long-term care.
Southeast Georgia Health System recently opened the Outpatient Care Center on the Brunswick campus.[197] This six-story, 195,000-square-foot (18,100 m2) building includesoutpatient surgery andimaging services, the Cancer Care Center, a retail area, the Dick Mitchell Health Information Center, as well as physician offices and suites.[197]
In 2004, the Brunswick campus was named Best Large Hospital in the State of Georgia by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.[197][198]
Ganzhou,Jiangxi, People's Republic of China
Ilan,Yilan County, TaiwanBrunswick has an activesister cities program designed to encourage cultural and economic exchanges.
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