Brunswick Town State Historic Site was established on land donated to the State of North Carolina in December, 1952, by James Laurence Sprunt and his four sons, James Laurence Sprunt, Jr., Kenneth Murchison Sprunt, Samuel Nash Sprunt, and Laurence Gray Sprunt. The 114.5-acre tract, formerly part of Orton Plantation, constitutes the entire site except for 5.25 acres donated by the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina which includes the ruins of Old St. Philips church.