Trader’s Hill (Fort Alert)

Image credit: David Seibert

Year Erected: 1958

Marker Text:  About 2 miles East, on this road, is the site of "Fort Alert, usually called Trader's Hill." Established in the 18th century, and defended by a stockade garrisoned by U.S. Troops, Trader's Hill was a refuge for settlers during the Indian Wars. At the head of navigation on the St. Marys River, it was also one of the most important trading centers in the Southeast. In 1854, it became the County Site of Charlton County, and served in this capacity until 1901. The Methodist Church on the site of the old town is one of the oldest in this County, and in the cemetery adjacent are buried many of the pioneers of the region.

Tips for Finding This Marker: At the intersection of Okefenokee Parkway (Georgia Route 121) and the road to Traders Hill, on the right when traveling north on Okefenokee Parkway in Folkston.