Oglethorpe Day

History of Oglethorpe Day

Oglethorpe Day honors General James Edward Oglethorpe and celebrates the founding of Georgia. On this day in 1733, Oglethorpe and about 100 other Englishmen sailed up the Savannah River and landed at Yamacraw Bluff. Oglethorpe organized the colony of Georgia - the thirteenth British colony - and became its first governor. He also founded Savannah, which became the first capital of Georgia.

The colonists left Gravesend, England, in November 1732, sailing on Anne. Before reaching Georgia, the boat stopped on Port Royal Island in South Carolina, where a number of tourists disembarked. Oglethorpe had sent a team ahead to Georgia to find a settlement, so, in fact, Oglethorpe first set foot on Georgia soil on February 2, not February 12. Oglethorpe got permission of the Creek chief Tomochichi to settle. The colonists named Georgia after King George II, who had given them a charter the previous year. Their motto is Non Sibi Sed Aliis, which means "not for oneself but for others," and they forbade slavery and extensive land grabs.

In 1909, the Georgia General Assembly officially established Georgia Day, marking "the anniversary of the landing of the first colonists into Georgia under Oglethorpe." By law, holidays will be celebrated in schools. Georgia and Oglethorpe were unofficially celebrated on February 12 many years before this date. Currently, the official legal status of the holiday is unclear: this law has never been repealed, but it is not currently included in the Georgia code. Currently, the holiday is mainly celebrated by schools and neighborhood groups. On the day of 1933, a biennial stamp was issued. In the year 1983, a postcard was issued.

How to celebrate Oglethorpe Day

Perhaps the best way to celebrate this day is to visit Yamacraw Bluff in Savannah, to where Oglethorpe and the colonists landed in 1733. Oglethorpe Square and the Oglethorpe Memorial are also nearby and you can visit. While you are in Georgia, you can check out civic groups that organize events for the day. Schools also often participate in this day, and the University of Oglethorpe has an event each year. You can also search for things to do in Georgia in general. If you can't make it to Georgia, celebrate the day by learning more about Oglethorpe or Georgia by picking up a book about them.