Stephen Johnson
The Georgia Salzburgers and their importance to colonial Georgia
The Georgia Salzburgers were a group of Protestants expelled from Salzburg, Austria, by the Catholic Bishop in 1731. Arriving in Savannah in 1734, they founded the town of Ebenezer on the Savannah River, which grew over the years. They were the Georgia counterpart of the Pilgrims and Puritans in Massachusetts, but they have been almost completely forgotten. Most of their records and correspondence have now been translated and published, giving us fascinating details of their daily life and struggle for survival in colonial Georgia.
Bonus: A short “Jeopardy” quiz on colonial history, with door prizes.