As I passed through this little town in middle Georgia, I felt an odd bewildering feeling come over me, so I stopped to take a picture.
I found my motel for the night: The Cleanstay USA in Kingsland right near the I-95 at GA 40. Arising early the next morning I walked over to the Crackerbarrell for some breakfast after which I took off for my starting point at the GA. FL. state line on Hwy 17.
This is the small bridge over the St. Mary's river which is the border line along this section of GA/FL.
The main point of this ride was to gather some information and pictures for an article I'll write for our Georgia BMW club magazine next month. The story will cover the old U.S. Hwy 17's disappearing charm and scenery with the big interstate highway 95 having been built in the 50s and 60s. Back in the 20's this highway didn't run all the way through like it did later. To begin with, the sections in Georgia were only GA 25, then around 1926 I believe, the Fed. Highway authority named the road U.S. Hwy 17 and linked it up with state roads going from down in Florida all the way up into Virginia. This was THE main highway running up the coast for decades and all sorts of roadside businesses prospered until I-95 came through and marked the beginning of the end of an era.
My first stop was the old GA-FLA Motel just across the state line in Georgia. Its now a derelict hangout for what appears to be squatters and hobos. Some even have cars!
Not all places died! Just south of the first town on my route, Kingsland, is this old family restaurant called Steffens. The parking lot was packed for breakfast and I suddenly was very sorry I had eaten at the Crackerbarrell already. This place, with this name, has been here for 50 years. The owner is Trellis Crews. I didn't get to speak to Trellis but a daughter told me it was here longer still under a different name since the 20's.
The long straight 2-lane road from Florida all the way up to where it turns toward the coast is dotted with old run-down or dilapidated buildings that once were thriving businesses. If you are observant you can spot the old signs, like this one for the once popular Georgia Girl Drive-In.
Or this one of the Oak Park Inn, whose long abandoned buildings were being razed as I took this photo.
There must have been at least a dozen of these filling station type buildings along this stretch. A few had been converted to roadside fruit stands or other small business ventures.
This place, with a more “modern†front part, had a very old rear section but was obviously being used as a roadside BBQ place, which despite the “open†sign was closed up tight at this early morning hour.
Hwy 17 turns to the east near Brunswick and goes across the I-95 hwy for the first time in Georgia. If you like at this point you can take hwy 520 down into Jekyll Island State Park, or continue over one of the most beautiful suspension bridges in the southeast into Brunswick, GA.
I had to stop in downtown Brunswick to ask directions to the old Needwood Baptist Church. I stepped into a small café and the waitress didn’t know so she led me back to the kitchen where a couple of locals gave me explicit directions.
I left Brunswick and about 10 miles up the road, between Brunswick and Darien, I found the church. This old place was built in the 1870s and is an example of the early African-American architecture. It, and the nearby Needwood School, served the community of rice plantation workers during that era.
On my approach to Darien I came upon this site of the old Butler Island Plantation. The Butlers made their fortunes on rice plantations around the Sea Island and Butler Island areas. I don’t know what the brick tower was, but I took some photos of it anyway.
Up the road I passed over another bridge crossing the Altamaha River into the small coastal town of Darien. Founded by Scotch Highlanders in the 1700s it was established as an English fort to protect against Spanish invasion. Today it’s a quaint beautiful little shrimping town right on the water. The shrimp boats bring in quite a bit of shrimp I understand and therefore you can get some good shrimp feasts right here on old Hwy 17 as you pass through.
Darien is also home to the Open Gates Bed & Breakfast. Very promising for a little getaway to a time gone past.
Down on the waterfront you can visit the old Fort King George or just wander around the old Tabby Ruins up by the visitors center. The Tabby Ruins are the remnants of local taverns, restaurants and store houses back in the day a long long time ago. Notice the makeup of the walls: oyster shells embedded in cement.
I really hated to leave Darien. It is such a beautiful place. It reminded me of Savannah but much, much smaller and quieter! Farther up Hwy 17/25 just before crossing I-95 again I came upon the world’s smallest church in South Newport. This one for GypsyRR. The mosquitos were really thick in here so I didn’t hang around for long, especially since it only takes a moment to tour the world’s smallest church. I think it has seating for about 12. Hmm? Weren’t there 12 apostles?
After offering up my sacrifice of blood (mosquitos) at the world’s smallest church, I was now back on the western side of I-95 and back in rural farmland. The little town of Midway has to its credit the Colonial Midway Museum.
I’m not sure what was inside. I didn’t take the tour. But I can imagine, with a name like Colonial Museum.
On up the highway I crossed the I-95 yet again and rode into Richmond Hill. This little place was the summer home of Henry Ford. Somewhere there is some marker or building reminding us of this, but I could not locate it. Therefore no photos. Richmond Hill is now largely considered just a little bedroom community of Savannah. But in the heyday of U.S. Hwy 17 and when Henry was there, it probably was a big deal…with lots of Fords rolling around the town.
Everyone pretty much knows what Savannah looks like, so I took the old route 17 up to the north of the city…Cut across on I-516 and connected back up with the hwy through Garden City and Port Wentworth to cross over into SC at a fairly unspectacular crossing of the Savannah River.
Back in 1926 when the feds made U.S. Hwy 17 there was no big bridge crossing the Savannah river down near the city. When that bridge was built, they compromised and made that road Alt U.S. 17 through Savannah. The bridge proved to be too low and had to be rebuilt with the current modern high bridge. Then around 1996, I think…maybe in the 80s..not sure…The U.S. Hwy 17 was officially made on the easterly road coming into Savannah over the big nice bridge. The old hwy 17 that followed GA 25 then became only GA 25 up through Port Wentworth. Very confusing, so I pretty much rode both roads to make sure.
This is the approach to the new bridge coming into Savannah from SC, on U.S. Hwy 17.
My ride technically ended there at about 1PM. I found my step-son’s home in Savannah and ate some lunch with him after which I took a cool nap. Did I say it was hot?
After my nap it was close to 4PM so I packed up and headed west on I-16 back to Atlanta, arriving home before dark at about 8:45.
U.S. Hwy 17 originates down in Punta Gorda, Florida where it intersects with U.S. Hwy 41, and ends up at downtown Winchester, VA. It’s also known as the Ocean Highway since it follows the eastern coastline more or less and goes through some really scenic Atlantic ocean view areas. My ride up Georgia’s portion of Hwy 17 was unexpectedly short, so if I had it to do over I’d maybe plan on making it a two or three day ride and traverse the whole length of it through all 5 states. Maybe I’ll finish it one day, but this season it’s already too hot. Did I say it was hot out?
Hope you enjoyed the tour, but if you want to do it yourself I’d suggest Fall or Spring.
