By Barbara W. Russell
V isitors staying in St. Marys can ride just 39 miles up At the plantation’s museum, visitors can view artifacts
I-95 and experience an authentic rice plantation as if in from the plantation, a model of a working rice plantation,
the 1800s. and a short video that tells about the plantation’s history.
Just off Georgia Exit 42, the historic Hofwyl-Broadfield Then it’s off to tour the scenic grounds, the plantation
Plantation sits on 1,268 acres graced by more than family home, and the worksites.
200 majestic oak trees. The I sat on the front steps of the
plantation home has been house to enjoy the beautiful
painstakingly restored and is setting. There were no sounds
filled with family antiques. of a city or traffic there, only
Whether you’re a history buff, a solitude. A breeze brought a
nature lover, or a family who faint saltiness from the marsh,
wants a beautiful place to have a and a single hawk soared lazily
picnic, it’s a great place to visit. overhead in the crosswinds.
The Altamaha River and the Simple things—things that
freshwater marsh provided an others from years past enjoyed.
ideal setting growing rice, and The home is furnished with
the plantation was established antiques that belonged to
there in 1804 by William William Brailsford and the five
Brailsford of Charleston. The generations of his descendents
plantation produced rice until who also enjoyed living there. A
1915, and then was converted to guided tour of the home’s interior
a d a i r y. I t w a s o w n e d b y Brailford’s descendants and is provided by a member of the National Park Service staff,
remained in his family until 1973 when it was willed to the whose personal knowledge provides detailed descriptions and
state of Georgia. anecdotes of life on the plantation. continued ...
86 www.StMarysMagazine.com
Behind the plantation house are some
of the restored structures that made up
the working plantation: a smoke house,
laundry yard, barn, bottling house, ice
house, country store, pay shed, and
slave cabins. If only those oaks could
talk, they’d tell plenty of stories of those
plantation days. But it’s left up to visitors
to imagine what life there was like
when the plantation was alive and
teeming with activity.
With 27 parks and facilities throughout Camden County, our mission is to
enhance the quality of life for all Camden County Citizens. We offer:
Camden County Leisure Services
Parks & Recreation • Leisure Services • Senior Programs
The 29th Annual
"Christmas on the Old Plantation"
event will be held on 1050 Wildcat Drive • Kingsland, GA 31548 • 912-729-5600
December 3 and 4, 2011. To learn more, please visit www.camdencountypsa.com
Re-enactors from the
26th Georgia Infantry and other units
will portray a muster of the
Glynn Guards and Brunswick Rifles
militia units just a few months prior to
the beginning of the Civil War.
Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation is a
Great Family Fun!
delightful place for nature lovers to St. Marys 39th Annual Rock Shrimp Festival
enjoy. There is a mile long nature trail
that runs along the marsh, and the entire Presented by The Kiwanis Club of St. Marys
plantation is a nature photographer’s
heaven. Oak trees are everywhere, and
sunshine makes dappled shadows October 1, 2011
Vendors, parade participants, entertainers,
through branches that are draped with
and runners invited to register for this
hanging moss. They shade the parking
exciting annual event in downtown St. Marys.
lot, the picnic tables, and the entirety of
the grounds. The landscape is filled with
their visual poetry.
5K Run & 10K Run
For any visitor who simply wants to
Parade
quietly enjoy the plantation’s peaceful
Arts & Crafts
beauty, park benches have been placed
around the plantation property. Each
Children’s Activities
bench is set in the shade of an oak, of
Old-fashioned Contests
course, providing a place to catch a FEATURING COASTAL GEORGIA’S
Lots and lots of food
breeze and some peace of mind. SIGNATURE ROCK SHRIMP
The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation is a
And Fish Dinners
tranquil treasure, and it’s just up the
Visit www.smkiwanis.com for information, or call 912-674-0848.
road a piece, making for an excellent
day-trippin’ excursion from St. Marys.
For more information, visit nps.gov and
search “Hofwyl,” or call 912-265-0620.
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