The project objective of the Sunbury Battlefield American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) research project was to identify the historical resources at Sunbury, Georgia associated with the Revolutionary War battles that took place in 1778, 1779, and 1782. This research project was conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the historians and archaeologists with the LAMAR Institute through grant funding provided by the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) of the National Park Service (NPS) and the Historic Preservation Division (HPD), Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Sunbury is located on the Medway River in Liberty County, Georgia (Figure 1). It was for a few short decades the second largest town in colonial Georgia and a thriving seaport. Sunbury was established in 1758 by Mark Carr and other trustees composed of prominent landowners in St. Johns Parish. It was established as a shipping port for members of the Midway community and other plantation owners in the vicinity. The town also hosted numerous warehouses for companies involved in the lucrative Indian trade. Sunbury was a boom town and it quickly grew into the second busiest shipping port on the Georgia coast. By the 1830s Sunbury was nearly a ghost town.
Help us to continue to make advances in research, stewardship, and bringing the past to life. No matter the size of the gift, your contribution will directly support groundbreaking archaeological research through sustaining student and outreach programs, and technological innovations. To make a secure gift online to the Archaeology Lab Fund, CLICK HERE.