I've Got Georgia On My Mind

When I think of the State of Georgia, I immediately envision Colonial-style mansions, Spanish moss dripping from the limbs of stately trees, sipping Mint Juleps on a warm afternoon, juicy peaches, and friendly southern hospitality.  So, it wasn’t a surprise to learn that Savannah is known as the “Hostess City of the South”.   

Visiting Savannah, Georgia has been “on my mind” for a long time.  I wanted to experience the southern charm and history this town has to offer.  Savannah is home to one of the largest Historic Districts in the United States.  So, when my sister suggested we take a Sunday drive to Savannah, I was excited to cross off another item on my “bucket list".  

We drive on US-17 and cross the Talmadge Memorial Bridge.  The bridge was completed in March of 1991 and has a main span of 1,100 feet and a total length of 1.9 miles.  

Talmadge Bridge

We easily find the parking lot for Old Savannah Tours (301 MLK Blvd).  The morning of our tour, we purchased our tickets on-line saving us $6 per person (regular price is $28).  The White Trolley On & Off tour is a popular tour allowing us to get on and off the trolley (at the designated stops) anytime we wish throughout the day.  Another thing I liked about this tour is that the tours are not scripted.  This allows each bus driver/tour guide to interject their own personality into the tour like doing a Forrest Gump impersonation at Stop 2.

Our plan is to do the tour's complete loop first (allow 90- 100 minutes).  This will give us a chance to see what is at each stop.  Then, we will do the loop again and get off at the stops where we want to spend some time.

So, climb aboard the tour bus and join me as I see the sites of Savannah. Oh, and here's a tip when you board the bus ...

I suggest finding a seat on the right side (not seats behind the driver) because most of what you will see on the tour will be on the passenger side of the bus.  John introduces himself as our driver and tour guide.  He tells us there are 16 stops along the tour route.  The bus is parked at Stop 1.

Stop 1- Savannah Visitors Center (301 MLK Blvd):  This old red-brick building was built in the 1850’s and 1860’s and was used as a railway station until 1972.  It is now home to the Savannah Visitor Center.

Former Train Station

Stop 2 - Savannah Theatre/Chippewa Square:  Chippewa Square’s claim to fame is the opening scene of the 1994 movie “Forrest Gump”.  The famous park bench used in the movie has been relocated to the Savannah History Museum (303 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd).  

Chippewa Square

Hodgson Hall

Stop 3 - Sorrel Weed House (6 W Harris St):   This 16,000 square foot Greek Revival/English Regency style mansion took five years to build (1835-1840).  The house was opened to the public for tours in 2005 and is reported to be haunted.   Between Stop 3 and Stop 4 you will see the Italianate-style Mercer Williams House (built in the 1860’s) and the Mary Telfair Women’s Hospital (built in 1886).  It has been converted into an apartment building. 

 Sorrel-Weed House (6 W Harris St)

 Madison Square

 Mercer-Williams House (429 Bull St)

Telfair Women's Hospital (17 E Park Ave) 

Our driver tells us that wrought iron was a sign of wealth.  Examples can be found throughout Savannah in its many balconies, stair railings, window guards, and fences.

Stop 4 - Forsyth Park:   This 30-acre city park is located in the historic district.  In the 1840’s, when the park was created, it was on 10 acres.  The unique fountain was added in 1858.  It is one of three fountains like it in the world.  The other two are located in Paris and Peru. 

 Fountain

 Telfair Square

 Confederate Monument

Spanish Moss

As I mentioned earlier, we did the complete loop first.  On our second loop around, we wanted to spend some time exploring the Forsyth Park area.  We had lunch at the Forsyth Park Café offering a great view of the park (indoor and outdoor seating is available).  It is reasonably priced and the food was good.  

We walk through the park and around the nearby area.  The 18,000 square foot Mansion at Forsyth Park was built in 1888.  It offers lodging, dining, a small bar, and a nice spa area.  There is also an exhibit called "A Century of Hats" featuring the various styles of hats worn by women from the mid-1800's to the mid 1900's.   I would recommend taking a few minutes to visit this historic place. 

 Mansion at Forsyth Park

Relaxation Pool & Marble Garden

A stroll around the area allows us an opportunity to see other points of interest like the historic building (built in 1903) that now houses the Forsyth Park Animal Hospital, the Armstrong House (built in the late 1910’s), and the Old Warren Candler Hospital (built in 1803)

 Historic House now Animal Hospital (513 Whitaker St)

 Armstrong House (447 Bull Street)

 Warren-Candler Hospital (516 Drayton St)

Porches

Stop 5 - Cathedral of St John (222 E Harris St):  Construction on the church began in 1873 in the French Gothic style and the spires were added in 1896.   A fire in 1898 nearly destroyed the church but it was rebuilt in 1899.  The church is open for self-guided tours Monday-Saturday (a suggested $2.00 per adult donation is appreciated). Since we were here on a Sunday we were not able to tour its interior. 

St John the Baptist Church

The history of Savannah is not all peaches and politeness.  Near the cathedral is a large old tree reported to be “the hanging tree”.  A stone’s throw from the tree is a small park where it is rumored to have been the former dueling grounds (when dueling was legal in Savannah).

 Old Hanging Tree

Former Dueling Grounds is now a small park

Just north of the small park is the Colonial Park Cemetery with its tall wrought iron fences surrounding the final resting places of thousands of graves.  The cemetery extends beyond the fence wall.  In fact, when you walk or drive down Abercorn Street you are passing over graves of those that were buried in this Cemetery. 

Entrance to Colonial Park Cemetery

Have you ever wondered where some of the old sayings came from ... like “saved by the bell”.  Our tour guide tells us this phrase came about during the yellow fever epidemic.  At times, someone may have been assumed to be dead but in reality they were in a coma. Imagine their horror to wake up and discover they were inside a coffin.  Fortunately, they had a string inside the coffin which was attached to a bell on the outside.   If they woke from the coma, they would pull the string and be “saved by the bell“. 

In 2014, TopTenz listed Savannah Georgia as the second most haunted city in the United States.  Its old cemeteries and historic structures offer the perfect opportunity to perpetuate paranormal pandemonium in places like the Pirates House.  

Stop 6 - The Pirates House (20 E Broad St):   The Pirates House (established in 1753) is thought to be the oldest standing building in Georgia.   Here’s the story behind the building: In the early days, Savannah was a flourishing seaport town.  As a result, seamen visiting from ports near and far needed a place to eat, drink, and stay.  In other words, the Pirates House was a hangout for rowdy pirates and drunken sailors.  It is also the entry for one of Savannah’s many underground tunnels.  This tunnel will play a part in the Pirate's tale shared in the following paragraphs..

At various points along the 16 stops are costumed characters that board the bus for a minute or two and tell a short story about the area...like the pirate at Pirates House. 

The Pirate House with Pirate in Front of it

Boarding the bus, the “pirate” shares the story about how the term ‘shanghaied’ was coined.  It went like this:  “The tunnel here at the Pirate’s House had a notorious purpose. The captains would wait until an unsuspecting sailor was drunk and flog them over the head. The unconscious sailors would be taken through the tunnel by crew members led by the captain. The sailors would then awake to a life of bondage on the pirate's ship. The people of Savannah soon coined the term shanghaied because the sailors were thought to have been taken off to China, never to be seen or heard from again.”  It’s rumored the basement of the Pirates House is haunted and you can hear the cries of unsuspecting sailors. 

Stop 7 - Washington Square:  General James Oglethorpe came up with the idea of laying out the new city of Savannah in a grid pattern with “squares” (public spaces).  The idea would allow for future growth.    In 1733, Savannah had four squares.  By 1851, it had grown to 24 squares.  Today, there are only 22 squares remaining.  Washington Square was built in 1791 and named after George Washington (first President of the United States).  In fact, many of the squares are named in honor of persons or historical events that had an influence on the City of Savannah.  

Stop 8 - Owens Thomas House (124 Abercorn St):  The mansion (built in 1816) is an example of English Regency architecture.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1976. 

Owens Thomas House (124 Abercorn St)

Stop 9 - Juliette Gordon Low Home (10 E Oglethorpe Ave):  This Italianate style house was built in 1818.  The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.  Juliette was the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA.  We didn't actually go by this house.  It was pointed out to us as "Down the street ...".  I was not in a position to get a good picture of it.  Near here is Wright Square and the Chatham County Courthouse (built in 1978). 

Chatham County Courthouse

Stop 10 - City Market:   The City Market dates back to 1753 when fishermen and farmers came to sell their goods.  It is a very popular stop along the tour.   Next, we pass by the historic Lucas Theater (built in 1921).  This once opulent building was saved from demolition in 1987 but restoration didn’t begin until 1995.   The Lucas Theatre for the Arts held its grand opening in December of 2000.  Today, the Savannah College of Art & Design has formed a relationship with the Lucas Theatre for the Arts ensuring a future for this cultural asset.

Lucas Theatre for the Arts (32 Abercorn St)

Stop 11 - Reynolds Square:  The statue of John Wesley (founder of Methodism) stands in the center of Reynolds Square near the place where Wesley’s parish house once stood.  The Olde Pink House (built in 1771) is a Georgian style mansion and reputed to be haunted.  It is now a restaurant.

 Reynolds Square

The Olde Pink House (23 Abercorn St)

Stop 12 - River Street:   Our tour bus makes a right turn and we begin heading down a narrow cobblestone hill which ends at a brick wall (at the historic steps).  The bus makes a sharp left hand turn and continues a steady downhill ride toward the river.   While going down the steep incline our driver leans out his window and shouts "I don't have brakes!" A few pedestrians hastily retreat to the side of the street out of his way.  Returning to his normal driving position, he chuckles and says, "It works every time".    

Historic Steps & Cobblestone Street

River Street runs the length of the Savannah River and is paved with 200 year old cobblestones.  Over time, these waterfront buildings became abandoned.  In 1977, a multi-million dollar restoration project transformed the empty buildings into shops, restaurants and art galleries. 

Stores, Cobbleston Street, and Trolley Tracks

At the end of River Street in Morrell Park is a statue of Florence Martus (1868 - 1943) also known as the Waving Girl.  For 44 years (1887-1931) Florence greeted ships arriving or departing in Savannah by waving a handkerchief by day and a lantern by night.  The citizens of Savannah wanted to honor her by erecting this statue on the waterfront.  

Waving Girl Statue

Also in Morrell Park is the Olympic Cauldron/Torch Monument which was erected for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Olympic Torch Monument

Stop 14 - Exchange Bell:  Constructed in 1802, it is the oldest bell in Georgia.  It hung in the bell tower of the City Exchange Building on Bay Street. 

Exchange Bell 

Stop 15 - City Hall (2 East Bay St):   This early 1900's Renaissance Revival building has a 70-foot gold leaf dome and an interior fountain.  On weekdays during regular business hours, visitors can go inside the building and see its impressive interior. 

City Hall

Stop 16 - Franklin Square:  Because the City’s water tower used to be in the center of this square it is also known as “Water Tower Square”, “Water Tank Square”, and “Reservoir Square”.  Near the square is the First African Baptist Church (1859) which is recognized as the oldest black Christian congregation in the country. 

First African baptist Church (23 Montgomery St)

We saw a lot during our six hour visit to Savannah but there is so much more to see and do.  I’m looking forward to a return visit which will include staying overnight stay at one of the Bed & Breakfasts in the historic district.  This will allow me plenty of time to leisurely stroll through the squares, do some shopping, and really enjoy this beautiful town.  I might even take a horse-drawn carriage ride or how about a haunted tour – at night!  Until then – Georgia’s on my mind …