Parks and Attractions

Fort McAllister State Historic Park

fortmcallister.org

Virtual Tour of Fort Mcallister

One of the Confederacy's best-preserved earthwork fortifications stands silent sentinal along the Ogeechee River to a time when it protected the Old South from seven major assaults by the best guns the Union Navy could muster. But on December 13, 1864, General William T. Sherman's division of 4,500 men overran the 230 Southern soldiers left to defend the fort during the death knell of the Confederacy. The site was once owned by Henry Ford, who began an extensive restoration in the late 1930's, and the fort eventually fell into the hands of the state of Georgia, which restored it to its 1863-64 appearance. You can wander around the walls and through the interior and look inside its central bombproof, but be careful not to climb on these earthen structures, which are extremely susceptible to erosion form foot traffic. To learn more of the story, visit the onsite Civil War museum that opened on September 1, 2001. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Nestled amond massive live oaks and surrounded by saltmarsh, this 1700-acre park has two distinct identities: a recreational area for campers and picnickers, and the historic site of the fort. For daytrippers, the main attraction in the recreation area is the tree-filled picnic ground running along a high bluff overlooking the Ogeechee. Tall pines and hardwoods make this a shady, serene spot for walking or sitting in a glider-type swing and watching the river flow by. You'll find sites with picinic tables and grills, a fishing pier that extends out over the river, adn plenty of rustic-looking playground equipment for the kids which borders the main road leading to th fort. Across the road from this area is the start of a 3.5-mile nature trail complete with a primitive campsite that can be rented at very little cost.

If you would like to make your visit last longer, consider staying at the park's Savage Island Campground, which has 65 campsites - 50 for recreational vehicles and 15 with tent pads, and all with water and electrical hookups, grills, and tables. Two showers, and washer/dryers; and the campground also has its own playground, nature trail, and dock plus boat ramp on Red Bird Creek.

Located 10 miles east of I-95 (Exit 90), the historic park is a short 15-minute drive from downtown Richmond Hill out GA Spur 144. Call (912) 727-2339 for more information.

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