Midway, located in Liberty County on Highway 17 between Savannah and Darien, has a long and distinguished history. The community was founded by English Puritans, who migrated to St. John’s Parish, Georgia, from Dorchester, South Carolina, in 1752, and established two settlements: a new Dorchester and another nearby settlement, which became the much more prominent Midway community.

The Midway colonists received sizeable land grants in St. John’s Parish primarily because the colonial officials wanted a large number of settlers there to protect them from the Creek Indians. These first settlers were soon joined by families from England, Scotland, and South Carolina, and in 1754 they founded the Midway Society, a Congregationalist group in which Christianity and daily living were closely interrelated. The first permanent meetinghouse was erected in 1756, and the first service was held in 1758.

Historic Midway Congregational Church
Historic Midway Congregational Church
Courtesy of Winston E. Walker III

The Midway settlers developed a strong, agriculturally based economy. Their wealth came from the cultivation of rice, indigo, and other crops.

These settlers held strong political opinions and took an early stand for independence. In May 1775 a St. John’s Parish resident, Lyman Hall, was sent as a delegate to the Continental Congress. A year later Hall and another St. John’s Parish man, Button Gwinnett, along with George Walton of Augusta, signed the Declaration of Independence. In 1777, as a result of this strong support for independence, St. John’s Parish combined with St. Andrew’s and St. James’s parishes to become Liberty County.

Midway Congregational Church Cemetery
Midway Congregational Church Cemetery
Courtesy of Winston E. Walker III

Historic landmarks include the Midway Congregational Church and Cemetery. The early Midway church building was destroyed during the Revolutionary War (1775-83). The present church building was completed in 1792 and has not been modernized. The Midway Museum is Georgia’s only colonial museum. The Midway Society conducts an annual service every April commemorating the town’s settlement.

According to the 2020 census figures, the population of Midway was 2,141.

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Historic Midway Congregational Church

Historic Midway Congregational Church

Historic Midway Congregational Church was completed in 1792 and was used by Union troops during the Civil War. In 1973 the church and cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Courtesy of Winston E. Walker III

Midway Congregational Church Cemetery

Midway Congregational Church Cemetery

The Midway Congregational Church Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Among those buried here are James Screven and Daniel Stewart, two American generals of the Revolutionary War. A large monument in the center of the cemetery was dedicated in 1915 to these two men.

Courtesy of Winston E. Walker III

Rosier’s Tourist Court

Rosier’s Tourist Court

Chenille bedspreads hang out to dry at Rosier's Tourist Court on U.S. Highway 17 in Midway, pictured in 1936.

Courtesy of Georgia Archives, Vanishing Georgia, # lib022.

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Midway Museum

Midway Museum

The Midway Museum is Georgia's only colonial museum. Located on U.S. Highway 17, the museum is a raised cottage-style house. It is operated by the Midway Museum Board.

Courtesy of Winston E.Walker III