In all the historical accounts, stories, books, etc., ever written, the main focus on local history has been famous people, places, and things. Most written accounts focus on the city of Brunswick or one of the islands and the Caucasian people who ruled the land with a smattering of stories concerning those they enslaved. All "feel-good" stories, stories that romanticize this past and the benevolent plantation master who treated "his people" like family.

 These histories and books are normally about the well-to-do families; but there is more to Coastal Georgia's history than just these few places always written about. There are the folks who lived in the country, the people who provided food, lumber, and many other staples that helped these city folks make their way through life. They too, were a part of building Glynn County and they are ignored.

The Brookman Community has been seriously overlooked in most history books; as are dozens of other rural communities. For those of you who don't know where Brookman Community is, it is all that land on both sides of Hwy. 82 West, from I-95 Exit 29 west to Hwy. 99; thousands of acres, largely undeveloped, hiding treasures and stories rarely seen nor heard.

What you don't see from the highway are the many roads, paths, and trails that weave an intricate tapestry of Glynn County's African-American history. The Community is named for Henry C. Brookman, of New York, who, on 28 May 1860, purchased the 7,000 acres of land called Brookman Community today. Right now, nothing is known by me of Mr. Brookman, but as soon as I learn more, I will update this article.

This community is mostly comprised of descendants of people once enslaved upon the numerous plantations that existed during that time period. Places like Laurel Grove, Bonaventure, Spring Hill, Reedy Branch, and Magnolia were just a few of the plantations. Many more had just the family name like Myers, Palmer, Emanuel, Ratcliff, and Pyles.

Most of the enslaving families written about in local histories actually had country homes, like the Scarletts, Piles, Ratcliffs, and Blues. The enslaved people from these, and many other plantations, settled the Brookman Community after their freedom was gained and their descendants still live on the ancestral lands today.

Some of the enslaving landowners sold, or even gave, lands to the newly freed people. The Myers people received about 20 acres each. The Blue people bought their land for mere pennies per acre. Times were tough for everyone, and many of these Caucasian families considered their enslaved people as family, most tried to do right by them after Emancipation by giving the newly freed people land if they could, others sold it for a minute amount per acre. At least, this is what we are told in the romanticized versions of Glynn County's history; and, in some instances, this ideal was honored and we find property records that show the freed person BUYING the land from their former enslaver, not being gifted the land or getting it on the cheap.

Just like any community, there were ancient family homes, general stores, a post office, and even public schools. There are numerous private family cemeteries dotting the countryside and nearly all of the roads are named after ancestors, Myers, Blue, Baldwin, Ratcliff, and Williamson just to name a few. One common misconception is that Myers Hill Road is named after Myers Hill Plantation; however, no such plantation existed, Myers Hill was a man whose family settled the land bisected by this road and his father, Aaron Hill, was enslaved by the Myers family.

Aaron had several children, also adopting those whose parents may have died or moved away from work. His family comprised a large portion of the employees on Jekyll Island from the "Club Days" up until World War II closed the island to the public. You can find photos of Myers and family in the Jekyll Island Club book published by Arcadia publishers and compiled by Tyler Bagwell and the Jekyll Island Museum.

The next time you travel west on Highway 82 from Brunswick, read the street signs, pay attention to the homes, many of these homes are over a hundred years old, some were even school houses that go unrecognized by historians still to this day. Behind the New Hope Methodist Church on Hwy. 82, is the New Hope Methodist Church for African-Americans, that was built in the late 1800s by Aaron Hill and a few others from the community.

Magnolia Church was founded in 1854 to instruct the enslaved people on religious matters; the church was solely built for the enslaved people and a modern structure still stands today that is maintained by descendants of this first congregation. The church was built on property originally called Magnolia Plantation.

While traveling down Galilee Road, you will find, off to your right, a-ways down the road, a non-descript house, this house was one of the first public schools for African-Americans in the area, it is the only one of about four still standing.

On Myers Hill Road, off in the woods, just off of the west side of the road, is an abandoned house. This house was originally a boys' home, sort of an early version of the modern day after school program.

Everywhere you look, is a piece of the old south, relics of the past, that you would not find had you not gotten off of the beaten path.