History of Brunswick County

On March 9, 1764, the Governor of North Carolina signed the legislative act that created Brunswick County out of New Hanover and Bladen Counties. It was named after the Town of Brunswick, which was named in honor of King George I, who was the Duke of Brunswick and Lunenberg.

The County Seat's first location was Brunswick Town, a town located on the west bank of the Cape Fear River. The town was founded by Maurice Moore, son of James Moore (Governor of South Carolina, 1700-1703). In 1779, the County Seat was moved to Lockwood Folly, and in 1808, the County Seat was moved to Smithville, known today as Southport, where it would remain for 167 years.

On July 19, 1975, a referendum passed moving the County Seat from Southport to its present location just below the Town of Bolivia.

More About BrunsCo's History

For more about Brunswick County's history, you can view the following resources.

• Find documents, maps, and more on the Brunswick County Historical Society website.
• Visit museums located in Brunswick County.
• An online article about Brunswick County as it was published in 1956 in The State magazine (known today as Our State magazine). The online article is also available in a PDF document format.
• The Brunswick County Historical Society's Souvenir Booklet (PDF), prepared for the county's 200th anniversary in 1964.
• Copies of "The History of Brunswick County North Carolina," written by Lawrence Lee and published in 1980, are available in all the Brunswick County Library branches.
• View the Brunswick County Unincorporated Communities and Cemeteries Report (PDF) prepared by Brunswick County's Planning and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) departments in 2010.
• Learn about the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor (designated by Congress in 2006) and the feasibility study for the Gullah Geechee Trail in Brunswick County. The feasibility study was approved by the WMPO Board on November 20, 2024. View the feasibility study document (PDF).