John Rice Carter: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the First Congressional District of Georgia includes all 100 miles of…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the First Congressional District of Georgia includes all 100 miles of Georgia's coastline and barrier islands. It was on one of these islands that the founder of Georgia, General James Oglethorpe, built a fort in 1736 to protect the new British Colony from the Spaniards. He named the fort and nearby town ``Frederica'' in honor of the Prince of Wales. In 1742, Fort Frederica's strategic location helped the British win a decisive victory against the Spanish in the Battle of Bloody Marsh. After this battle, the Spanish abandoned their attempts to take over the territory, and Georgia was fully secured as a British Colony. Today, Fort Frederica National Monument is a popular destination in Glynn County, featuring portions of the original fort, a museum, and extensive hiking trails. H.R. 494 would allow for a small addition of adjacent land that contains artifacts from prehistoric human settlements. With this addition, visitors will be able to see a more complete story of the history of Georgia--from its earliest human residents, to colonial times, to modern day. I thank the chairman for his consideration of this bill, and I thank the Natural Resources Committee's staff for its efforts. I also thank the entire Georgia delegation for supporting and cosponsoring this legislation.”