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Perched on a bluff overlooking the southern channel of the Altamaha River, this strategic site was once a Guale Indian village, Spanish mission, British colonial fort and eventually a town, settled in 1733 by Scots Highlanders. Although many links to Darien's colorful past were destroyed when Federal troops burned the town during the Civil War, its historic waterfront, 19th century churches, Victorian homes, tabby ruins and colonial Fort King George are an endless source of fascination to visitors.
Darien's fortunes reflect the boom and bust economic rhythm of the Georgia coast. The rice, cotton and timber eras of the 1800s gave way to the 20th century heydays of the shrimp, crab and oyster industries. Nearby Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation provides an intriguing glimpse of the long-gone coastal rice culture. Just north of the town, is The Ridge National Historic District where timber barons and harbor pilots built handsome homes. A few miles further, in Meredian, is the dock for the Sapelo ferry.
Today, Darien and MacIntosh county are experiencing the growth of tourism and the bedroom community expansion of Savannah, Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Ever-increasing new residents and retirees find themselves drawn to the natural beauty and the diverse outdoor recreation of the Altamaha delta.