" St.Marys, Georgia - #1 Small Town in America"
MONEY MAGAZINE -APRIL 96
| Nine miles east of I-95, on the southeast corner of Georgia, you will venture past fast food establishments and neon lights and discover a quaint, serene, and friendly town - St. Marys, Georgia, the Gateway to Cumberland Island National Seashore. Experience the beauty of the waterfront and a historic village blending charm with southern hospitality.St. Marys goes back to the mid-1500s and was established as a town by the English in 1787. Park your car and stroll along Osborne Street, shaded by giant oak and palm trees. White picket fences surround many of the historic landmarks. Flowered walkways invite you to come rock "for a spell" on one of the many sea-breezed verandas. Gift and antique shops housed in turn-of-the-century buildings offer hours of browsing. Enjoy delicious fresh seafood and other excellent cuisine found in the eateries of St. Marys. Stay for a while in a historic hotel, or one of the bed and breakfasts, or locally owned family hotels. From most of the accommodations, you can walk to the pedestrian ferry for a 45-minute boat ride to Cumberland Island National Seashore, where wild horses, white sandy beaches, and unspoiled and natural habitat will greet you.
First Presbyterian Church was built in 1808 and is the second oldest church in Georgia. Other 19th century churches in historic St. Marys include Our Lady Star of the Sea Chapel (1847), Christ Episcopal (1880), and St. Marys Methodist Chapel (1858).
Oak Grove Cemetery, here you will find much of the history of Camden County recorded under the huge oak trees sheltering this historic cemetery. The earliest marked grave is from 1801. Graves of veterans representing every war, except the Persian Gulf, are found in Oak Grove Cemetery. Toonerville Trolley - "See You In The Funny Papers!" This saying originated by Roy Crane in his 1935 "Wash Tubbs & Easy" comic strip. The strip featured the many local personalities who used this railcar to commute from St. Marys to Kingsland in the late 1920s. |
Just a few of the many sites you will see in Historic St. Marys include: Orange Hall Welcome Center and House Museum. With its Doric columns on the front veranda and the wide steps leading from the ground up to the second floor main entrance, it is a wonderful example of Greek revival architecture. In 1973, Orange Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was refurbished to its original grandeur by caring citizens of St. Marys. It is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1pm till 5pm.
