Known as the "Gateway to the Golden Isles," the "Land of Five Flags” and the birthplace of the original Brunswick stew, Brunswick now boasts a revitalized commercial and residential historic district. The British gave the town its name from Braunsweig, Germany, the ancestral home of King George III; however, five nations have claimed this area of Georgia as their own. First, explorer Hernando de Soto raised the Spanish flag in 1540; followed by Frenchman Jean Ribault in 1562; then the Spanish expelled the French in 1565 and ruled again until 1736, when the British flag flew until the Revolutionary War. The American flag was lowered during the Civil War, replaced by the stars and bars of the Confederate flag until 1865, when the United States flag was raised once again. All these flags can be found flying at the marina.

Brunswick has been a port city since the 1700s and in addition to the cargo and shrimp traffic, the J.A. Jones Company built 99 Liberty Ships in three years during World War II. The shipyard set an unbroken record in December 1944 by constructing seven ships in one month. See a scale model of a Liberty ship at the Mary Ross Waterfront Park at 209 Gloucester St. (912-267-2600). Brunswick's historic Old Town district is home to several notable buildings and landmarks, including the Glynn County Courthouse and the Old City Hall. If you are visiting in November, don't miss the Brunswick Rockin' Stewbilee featuring live music, a cook-off competition and plenty of stew to sample.