Original subtitles

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- Our journey around

the coastal plains of Georgia,

begins with a landmark in military history

at Fort Pulaski.

We visit the nearby historic city of Savannah

and then head south to another stronghold

from the American Civil War, Fort McAllister.

Continuing through the wetlands of the Altamaha River

we arrive at Blackbeard Island,

the supposed site of the infamous

pirate's buried treasure.

Then it's on to Jekyll Island,

once the exclusive retreat for America's aristocracy.

Before going on to explore the natural beauty

of Cumberland Island.

And we complete this tour of Georgia

at the Okefenokee Swamp,

the largest wilderness swamp in North America.

Here on the ragged Georgia coastline

we find the mouth of the River Savannah

and Cockspur Island.

The site o key turning point in U.S. military history.

This is Fort Polaski,

built in the early 19th century

as a measure to protect the shoreline

from enemy invasion.

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construction lasted almost 20 years,

resulting in this five-sided fort

surrounded by a moat, and a series of canals

that drained excess water from the island.

Made entirely of brick,

Polaski's three-meter thick walls

were considered invincible.

It was said at the time that one might as well

bombard the Rocky Mountains as Fort Polaski.

But these gaping holes peppering the wall

tell us a different story.

During the American Civil War in 1862

the North's Union Army

was to ultimately test the masonry

with the new James Rifle Cannon.

Firing from a range of six to eight meters

the weaponry wreaked havoc on the forts defenses,

ultimately breaching one of the walls.

It led to the Northern Armies capture of Polaski

as well as cutting off shipping

in and out of Savannah and crippling

the South's war effort.

The fort was declared a national monument 1924.

And has been hosting visitors since the end

of World War II.

And despite a few knocks,

Fort Polaski remains one of the best preserved examples

of American 19th century military architecture.

Following the Savannah River upstream,

we pass over this thin stretch

of marshy land called Long Island.

One of several located in the mouth of this waterway.

Which forms the border between Georgia

and the neighboring state of South Carolina.

One of the vast number of these

interconnecting waterways is Wilmington River.

And it's here situated on a cliff

we find Bonaventure Cemetery.

A classic Southern Gothic setting

that's long captured the imagination

or writers and artists.

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It represent the more romanticized view of death

that arose in the Victorian Era.

When cemeteries became more lush and vibrant.

But such a gothic setting would be complete

without its hauntings.

As generations of locals passed down stories

of ghostly goings on, Bonaventure's folklore

grew in notoriety.

The cemetery also provided the backdrop

for the novel "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,"

and later in Clint Eastwood's film adaptation.

The cemetery guided tours builds Bonaventure

as the place where death and beauty meet.

In contrast is the busy port of Savannah.

One of the most active shipping centers

in the U.S. since the 19th century.

When carriers began sending cotton, silk, and indigo

across the Atlantic.

It is the fourth busiest container terminal in the country.

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In addition to commerce,

the port is also an important part

of Savannah's thriving leisure industry.

With several luxurious resort hotels,

and riverboat tours of the harbor.

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Tourists can relive a bygone era

aborad the Georgia Queen Riverboat.

Which cruises upstream past the Talmadge Memorial Bridge,

linking the city of Savannah

to Hutchinson Island on the left.

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(seagulls cawing)

Carrying up to 600 passengers,

these triple-decker boats

are replica paddle wheel vessels.

Adorned in the traditional American

red, white, and blue colors.

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The Georgia Queen offers a variety

of day, night, and holiday tours.

Themed events range from

murder mystery dinners and gospel music,

to a Civil War journey on the Freedom Dinner Cruise.

Which tells the story

of a group of African slaves

as they were brought down to the low country.

We let the charming riverboat chug along its way

as we turn our attention

to Georgia's oldest city, Savannah.

Established in 1733, it was the original state capital,

although that honor now belongs to Atlanta.

And had the nickname Forest City,

referring to its abundance oak trees,

for highly prized material for the local

ship building industry in the 1800's.

Savannah's Historical Landmark District

is the largest in the U.S.

With splendidly preserved

18th and 19th century buildings at every turn.

Dominating the city skyline,

are the spires of St. John the Baptist Cathedral,

just one of the of the architectural triumphs

that led "Travel + Leisure" magazine

to rank it as the second best city

in the U.S. for architecture, behind Chicago.

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The central attraction for visitors

to Savannah is it's riverfront.

Popular for street entertainment,

the actually area is some 13 meters below the city

that sat high on a cliff.

Numerous festivals are held each month,

making it a constant source of celebration

that brings together 19th century charm

and modern tourist fare.

The riverfront is also home

to the distinctive Savannah City Hall.

A Renaissance Revival style building

that first opened it's doors in 1906.

Originally clad in copper,

its dome now gleams in the sun

after recent 23 carat gold-leaf makeover.

At the southern end of the historic district

is Forsyth Park.

This Parisian style fountain

is a nod to the French influence of the city planners.

A green space that would be a center of beauty

and hospitality as residential areas

radiated out from it. (children talking)

This park may have seen changes over it's 150 years,

but its original vision is as true now as ever it was.

We bid farewell to Savannah and head

towards the marshlands of the Ogeechee River.

The fresh water waterways in this river system

are known as blackwater streams

due to their dark, tea-colored water.

As vegetation in the surround swamp decays,

natural chemicals called tannins leech into the water,

giving Ogeechee a distinctive tint.

Along it's banks is a dense wooded area

that's part of a seven-square kilometer historic park.

Nestling among the giant oaks and salt marshes

is what was once a key stronghold

for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.

Fort McAllister was noted for withstanding

wave after wave of attacks from the Union Navy.

The park attracts campers and history buffs alike,

who come to view the impressive array

of Civil War era remnants.

McAllister is regarded as one of the best

preserved earthwork forts of the Confederacy.

Though it never fell to a naval assault,

it did finally succumb to an attack from land.

The grounds were once owned by Henry Ford,

of motorcar fame.

Who established the park

as a historic site in the 1930's.

Eventually, the state took over

and continued the work of restoring

Fort McAllister to its Civil War days.

Heading south and back toward Georgia's coastal plains

of mud banks and tidal marshes we arrive

at the small fishing post of Valona.

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Following the devastation of the Civil War

the local economy was driven by commercial fishing

and oyster harvesting.

And by the turn of the 20th century

the industry had largely turned to shrimping.

Today however, cheaper South American imports

means fewer shrimp boats docked at Valona.

With many now harvesting Blue Crabs and Whelks.

Across the bay, looking at to sea

is a island holding a legendary secret,

it's rumored to the location

of Blackbeard the pirate's buried treasure.

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The island was named after the notorious

18th century English outlaw,

who's real name was Edward Teach.

And although his fortune

has never been discovered here,

there is however, a wealth of migratory birds

and native wildlife,

such as the bald eagle

and the sea turtle.

Blackbeard Island was originally bought

by the U.S. Navy in 1800

as source of oak trees for shipbuilding.

It first came under preservation in 1924

to protect it as a breeding ground for wildlife.

It's 22-square kilometers,

cover a diversity of habitats.

From sandy beaches and maritime forests,

to fresh and saltwater marshes.

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We take a diversion inland

following a tributary of the Altamaha River.

These forest wetlands consist

of some of the last remaining

hardwood and cypress swamps in the American South.

And the basin supports the only example

of old-growth longleaf pine,

and Black oak forest in the U.S.

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With wild hog, turkey, and deer,

this area is a common favorite for local hunters.

The river is also a little known paradise

for paddling, camping, and especially birdwatching.

120 rare or endangered species

also live along these waters.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources

stated that there are very few places

as valuable to such a large

and diverse number of coastal birds,

in all the Southeast United States.

And estimates that 55,000 species

of shorebirds and seabirds

are supported by the wetlands annually.

We return to the coast at Fort King George,

built on the headwaters of the Altamaha River in 1721.

It was the southernmost outpost for the British Empire,

in what was then the South Carolina Colony.

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Today this detailed reconstruction

serves as a reminder of a 200 year power struggle

over the American Southeast.

In a bid to encourage settlement

along the colonies southern frontier,

Great Britain constructed the fort

to strengthen its hold on the region.

It also helped monopolize

the lucrative fur trade with Native Americans.

But although the site was smartly chosen

from a military standpoint,

living condition must've been tough.

Poor nutrition and inadequate provisions

led to high death rates among the men stationed here.

Much of what we see today was rebuilt in 1988.

But there are also the brick remains

of two 19th century sawmills.

Offering rare examples of early Colonial industry.

The fort is now run by the state as a historical site

with a museum dedicated to this hugely important period

of Colonial America.

And from one historical landmark

in the marshlands of the Altamaha River,

it's on to another.

The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation

carved out of cypress swamps

stands as a fine reminder of Georgia's rice empire.

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The plantation home is typical

of the American South Antebellum style.

It's original kitchen once had long passageways

connecting it with the slave quarters.

But a fire destroyed the original house

and what we see today was rebuilt by slaves in the 1850's.

Broadfield was owned and occupied

by the same family from it's construction in 1804,

right up until 1973,

when it was left to the state of Georgia.

The house and plantation now operate

as a working museum.

Our longest stretch of coastline on our route

starts here at Georgia's Golden Isles.

The largest of which is St. Simons Island.

It's beauty and serenity was to give hope

to the 19th century American poet Sidney Lanier,

after the destruction and chaos of the Civil War.

In "The Marshes of Glynn" he wrote,

""Glooms of the live-oaks, beautiful-braided and woven

"with intricate shades of the vines that myriad-cloven."

The island is rich in wildlife

and here we spot a wild Ossabaw Island hog.

The only U.S. breed descending from Iberian pigs

brought to North America by the Spanish.

On the western side of St. Simons Island

lie the remains of Fort Frederica.

A military outpost built in 1736

to defend an English settlement.

Named after Frederick, The Prince of Wales,

the town was established by James Oglethorpe,

the founder of the Georgia Colony.

The fort successfully held off

several attempts by the Spanish

to retake St. Simons Island.

Although these victories confirmed

Georgia as British territory,

they marked he end of Fort Frederica,

which was disbanded soon after.

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Today it's administered by the National Park Service

and is open to the public.

The monument includes the ruins of the fort and barracks

which were estimated to be the largest

and most costly of any in North America.

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Jekyll Island is the smallest

of Georgia's so-called barrier islands

and was once an exclusive winter retreat

for America's aristocracy.

At the turn of the 20th century

tycoons and socialites flocked here

from all over the country

and would converge on this elite

Queen Anne Style Club built in 1888.

With it's tiers and verandas,

the Jekyll Island Club Hotel still offers the same

elegance, amenities, and privileges

to the wealthy elite of today.

But the early members also constructed cottages

as their own winter homes nearby.

Like San Souci, built in 1896

by the banker, J.P. Morgan.

William Rockefeller's restored Indian Mound Cottage,

and even Macy's Moss Cottage

are among the numerous sites

that make up the islands historic district.

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A quick hop across the bay of St. Andrew Sound

and we arrive at Cumberland Island.

Once largely owned by the rich

and powerful Carnegie family,

it's actually two islands

connected by winding marshland.

Once on the island proper,

we come to a set of buildings

simply known as The Settlement.

It was originally established

for African American workers.

And set apart is this charming red-roofed

Baptist church built in 1937

by the former plantation slaves.

It was famously the setting

for John F. Kennedy Jr's wedding

to Carolyn Bessette in 1996.

But fate was to take a terrible turn

when tragically, the couple died in a plane crash

only three years later.

Today Cumberland Island is owned by

The National Park Service

which has helped preserve this wild landscape.

One of the most sought after sites for visitors

are the native wild horses,

which were brought here by the Spanish

in the mid-16th century.

With residents like these

you can understand why

the US Travel Channel named these shores,

America's most beautiful wilderness beach.

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Those wealthy enough to buy

into the island's natural beauty

spared no expense in creating their ultimate retreat.

This is Plum Orchard Mansion,

built by the fabulously rich Carnegie family

in the 1880's.

Ironically, the initial brief for the architects

was to build a simple house.

But as it turned out

Plum Orchard is nothing short of opulent,

with no less of 30 rooms.

The mansion was finally granted

to the National Park Service in 1973.

And restoration was completed in 2007,

when it was finally open to the public.

However, tours are available only two days a month

since visits to the entire island

are restricted to 300 people per day.

Venturing to the south of Cumberland Island

we discover that Plum Orchard

wasn't the Carnegie's only building project.

These are the ruins of Dungeness Mansion.

Inspired by the great Scottish castles,

it was designed with 59 rooms, a pool,

golf course, and 40 other small buildings

that housed the Carnegie's 200 servants.

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The family lived in this Queen Anne style mansion

until 1925.

In 1959, Dungeness was destroyed by a fire,

possibly arson.

And the ruins have been preserved

by the National Park Service since 1972.

Nearing the end our journey we're back on the mainland.

And the inviting waterfront of St. Marys.

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One of the oldest cities in America,

it's charming historic village

welcomes guests as they explore

the many surviving buildings

of the original 18th century town.

These are significant examples

of early residential and religious structures.

Such as this, 1808 church,

who's bell was cast by the silversmith Paul Revere,

best known for his patriotic role

in the American Revolution.

St. Marys served as an important harbor

for much of the traffic between Savannah and Florida.

But today, this Georgia gem relies more

on heritage and ecotourism.

This last stop on our journey bring us inland

to the Okefenokee Swamp on the border

between Georgia and Florida.

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This largely uninterrupted peat-filled wetland

makes up nearly 1800-square kilometers of shallow swamp.

The island is protected by the

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge,

who maintain the 200 kilometers

of paddle and motorboat water trails.

Many local residents called Swampers,

rely on the Okefenokee as a revenue source.

Offering guided tours of this natural wonder.

And with our last look at this extraordinary landscape

it's perhaps time to consider the title

of the official state song,

famously covered by Ray Charles.

"Georgia on My Mind",

a truly evocative title

and a great place to end this journey.

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