Brunswick’s Wright Square dedicated to memory of Jerry Spencer
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Wright Square Memorial Monument to Jerry Spencer. (Islander Staff photo)
Wright Square Marble Columns. (Islander staff photo)
By Pamela Permar-Shierling
On Friday, Oct. 23 friends, city commissioners, business owners, and members of the SoGlo community gathered to honor Landscape Architect Jerry Spencer during the dedication of Brunswick’s Wright Square in his memory.
Julie Martin, Executive Director, and a founder of Signature Squares, began the effort to restore Brunswick’s 14 historic squares in 2006 when the group partnered with the City.
Martin has worked tirelessly to raise funds as well as in-kind services from many sources to bring the squares back to life.
To say that Jerry Spencer is a landscape architect doesn’t come close to describing his talent, education or passion for making sure perfection and historical accuracy were maintained when he was involved in any historical project.
Jerry died in May of this year and the loss to his family and community is large. But he left a wonderful legacy in the squares in which he oversaw the design and plantings.
Wright Square, one of the two largest of the original 14 squares of Brunswick, was named after Georgia’s last Colonial Governor, Sir James Wright (1716-1785).
The city began discussing recreating Wright Square in 2019. In the 1950s a road, George St., was cut through Wright Square, east to west, and the northern portion was dedicated to the Glynn County School System.
Glynn County Junior High School was built on the northern portion of Wright Square and remained there for about 60 years before it was torn down and rebuilt on Lanier Blvd. as Glynn Middle School.
When the school was demolished in 2012, a burial ground beneath the square was discovered. Archaeologist Bill Weeks supervised an excavation of the site and the outlines of 37 burial sites, believed to be over two centuries old, were revealed.
It was discovered that gas lines and other intrusions had unintentionally crossed the burial shafts of Colonial settlers when the school was built.
The Glynn County Board of Education deeded the Wright Square Property back to the City, and Wright Square was put back together through the efforts of Signatures Squares and the City of Brunswick.
In 2020 Martin was made aware of the existence of two marble columns, caps, and bases that once stood inside the Oglethorpe Hotel.
Martin said the owners of the former Island Sea Designs, which purchased antiques and vintage treasures, notified her of a “find” in Sterling.
The “find” turned out to be the two marble columns from the Oglethorpe.
Martin quickly made a deal and in 2020 acquired the columns for $15,000 for Phase I of Wright Square.
Instrumental in the funding of Wright Square’s Phase I are the DeLong Sweet Family Foundation and the local Colonial Dames who provided $15,000 to $20,000 in grants to Signature Squares.
Bailey Monument from Waycross including Keith Hawthorne, Bailey Monument President and Owner, along with John Lee, lead setter, and Steven Wyllard spent several days in the hot sun in Wright Square assembling the columns.
The beautiful hand-chiseled columns, bases and caps, are white Georgia marble quarried in Tate, Georgia.
City Manager Regina McDuffie inherited the Squares Projects when she arrived in Brunswick.
“The Squares have been a big part of the revitalization of Downtown Brunswick and helped bring Downtown to life,” she said.
“We didn’t get to be downtown of the year without the squares,” she continued.
“Jerry was very insistent on how the squares should be done,” she said. “I appreciated his diligence regarding the squares.”
Mayor Cosby Johnson said, “When I became mayor I inherited Julie as part of the family.”
In reference to the tree donated by the Sea Island Co. and planted in Wright Square, Mayor Johnson said, “Planting a tree in Brunswick is like food at a Baptist Church. You can’t have enough. It stands for coming together.”
Brunswick City Commissioner Lance Sabbe said, “It’s about building community. When I walk into one of the city’s green spaces I almost always see someone I know. It’s about the quality of life here. And you simply cannot put a dollar figure on that.”
Many thanks to Signature Squares and Julie Martin for her hard work along with all those who continue to donate to the Squares and those who continue to volunteer.
The community is grateful to Jerry Spencer for his knowledge, diligence and caring in helping create Brunswick’s beautiful squares.
