The
drive to our next destination, Fort McAllister State Park in Richmond Hill, GA
was just 66 miles away. Nice! We were on the road by 11:15 that morning, in 89° heat,
arriving at 12:30 to 91° and humidity almost as high. The drive was easy, even
though we hit some rain on the way south. As we entered the park a small deer
ran in front of us. There are lots of them in the park we were told, by the
Park Ranger, as well as raccoons; and, there are some alligators in the salt
marshes and along the creek. We did see a raccoon on one of our walks, but
haven’t seen any gators.
Fort
McAllister is a beautiful and historic state park nestled between the Ogeechee
River and Redbird Creek, among giant live oaks and a huge salt marsh, about 10
miles south of Savannah. There are 52 pull-through sites all parallel to the
roads and 12 tent sites, 7 cabins and a few pioneer and primitive camp sites
farther out. The RV and tent sites have water and 30 Amp connections; there’s a dump
station on the way out. There’s plenty of space for everyone!
The fort
itself is the best-preserved earthen Civil War fort of the Confederacy, built
to protect the Ogeechee River and southern entrance to Savannah. Though there
were 7 unsuccessful attacks on the fort, it didn’t fall until General Sherman
took the fort on his March to the Sea in 1864. Onsite here in the park is a
museum as well as an exhibit of rotating machinery from the Confederate
blockade runner, Nashville (also called the “Rattlesnake”), sunk in the
Ogeechee River in 1863 by the U.S.S. Montauk. The fort was added to the
National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
As is
usual for our arrival day we had dinner out that evening at a local restaurant,
Fish Tales, located at a marina about a mile from the park entrance. What a
funky place! There’s an area for outside eating and imbibing, but we chose to
eat inside in the air conditioning. Dick noshed on seafood au gratin and I had
a blackened fish sandwich (that was oh, so good!).
Tuesday
we drove into Savannah for our first day of touring the city. Visiting Savannah
should be on everyone’s bucket list—it’s beautiful!
We
wanted to share a bit of Savannah’s history, so you have an understanding why
this city is so important in the foundation of our country. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your beverage of choice...
General
James Oglethorpe and 114 men, women and children landed on Yamacraw Bluff (what
is now the heart of the River Street district), in 1733, after a trip across
the Atlantic in a 200-ton galley ship named “Anne.” Chief Tomo-chi-chi and his
wife Senauki, from the local band of Creek Indians, greeted the new arrivals
and pledged their friendship and granted the newcomers permission to settle
there. The friendship between Oglethorpe and Tomo-chi-chi would prove
instrumental to the success of Savannah, and the town flourished without the
hardships suffered by so many of the other colonies. Tomo-chi-chi's grave and marker are located in Wright Square.
Oglethorpe
named the 13th colony Georgia after King George II, and Savannah
became the first city. This colony was chartered to provide a protective buffer
between the northern English colonies and the Spanish in Florida. This last, and
poorest, of the colonies would also serve as a religious haven for all but
Catholics who were originally banned from the new colony. Colonists had to
agree to stay for 3 years, spending the 1st year on public works.
They also had to plant 100 mulberry trees on every 10 acres of their land to
feed silkworms (an industry that never materialized here); they could claim no
more than 50 acres of land that could never be sold or mortgaged and only
inherited by a son.
There
were only 3 formal laws enacted in 1734, during the first 21 years of Georgia
history, called the trust period. There were laws against 1) the importation
and use of rum and brandies (although Oglethorpe did permit ale, beer and
wine); 2) the importation and use of black slaves (Oglethorpe believed slavery
would create an idle upper class and would create a potential for violent
uprising; this ban was upheld until 1750); and 3) a Statute requiring
compliance with the Law for Maintaining Peace with the Indians.
We
thought this was curious and brought a chuckle. In order that Georgia was to be “free from that
pest and scourge of mankind called lawyers,” lawyers were banned from 1733 to
1755. Oglethorpe and the Trustees believed each colonist was capable of
pleading his own case.
Oglethorpe
and his engineers designed America’s first planned city: Savannah. The city was
designed around a system of wards and shady public squares. Homes and shops
were built on town lots, while the larger lots facing the squares east
and west were reserved for churches and other public buildings.
The
colonists welcomed 42 Jewish refugees in July 1733, especially when they learned
there was a doctor among them (the only doctor in Savannah had recently died).
Over the next 10 years, thousands of colonists from many different countries
and faiths came to Georgia to start a new life, including Germans, Scottish,
French Huguenots, Irish Catholics, Italians, Greeks and Swiss. (It’s
interesting to note that today Savannah has the largest Irish population in the
U.S., just 2nd to Boston!)
When the
Revolutionary War broke out most of the Georgia colonists welcomed it. Colonial
insurgents took the city at the beginning, however, British forces easily
recaptured Savannah in 1778 with the help of a slave who knew a secret passage
leading behind American lines. After a 4-day siege and a concerted direct
assault by American Patriots in October 1779 assisted by French allies during
which they attempted to recapture Savannah, they were forced to abandon the
siege. This battle was the 2nd bloodiest of the Revolutionary War
with 264 British losses, 600 French losses, and 600 American losses.
In 1793,
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin at Mulberry Grove, a Savannah plantation (owned
by Nathanael Greene, a Revolutionary War hero), thus revolutionizing the cotton
industry in Georgia. “King Cotton” became Savannah’s dominant export crop; by
1820 they were exporting 90,000 bales a year.
The wealth generated by the cotton industry, as well as other
import/export businesses in Savannah brought about the desire for large and
fancy homes, many becoming architectural masterpieces. Many of these homes are
still standing today.
One of
the darkest days in Savannah’s history took place in 1820 when a fire broke out
in a livery stable behind a boarding house off Bryan Street. By the next
afternoon over 27 square blocks in Savannah were in ashes. Two-thirds of the
population lost their homes.
Two Spaniards from Florida confessed to the arson, which caused an
estimated $5,000,000 in damage. (An earlier fire had destroyed 229 homes and
146 outbuildings.)
Then, yellow
fever hit Savannah in May 1820, and by December 10% of Savannah's
population had died. Although 1820 is associated with the “Year of the Yellow
Fever,” more than 4,000 people had died from the fever between the years 1807
and 1820. Nine more epidemics would follow. In 1856, 560 people died, and in
1876, another 1,066 died from the fever.
In
January 1861, Georgia became the 5th state to secede from the U.S.
In March a convention in Savannah ratified the constitution of the new
Confederate States of America. After the state of New York refused to release a
shipment of guns to the South, the Governor of Georgia ordered all New York
vessels in the port of Savannah seized. A
Federal fleet of 41 vessels retaliated by sailing to South Carolina, landing
just 25 miles from Savannah in October 1861. Federal cannons breached the walls
of Fort Pulaski, located at the mouth of the Savannah River east of Savannah, after
only a few hours of bombardment; the Confederate forces surrendered, and that
would be the last of the fighting in the area around Savannah.
In May
1864, General Sherman began his infamous March to the Sea, following the tracks
of the railroad running from Chattanooga to Atlanta to Macon and Savannah.
Sherman and his 62,000 soldiers left a path of destruction 30 miles wide and
300 miles long, and by December the Union army reached the outskirts of
Savannah.
By then
local Confederate commanders prepared to abandon Savannah. On December 21,
1864, Federal troops marched unopposed into Savannah, setting up a prison camp
and temporary quarters in the city’s squares. A wealthy English cotton merchant
named Charles Green, hoping to buy Sherman’s good will and keep his inventory
of cotton safe from confiscation, offered his mansion for military
headquarters. It was here that Sherman penned his famous message to President
Lincoln, “I beg to present to you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah,
with one hundred and fifty guns and plenty of ammunition and also about 25,000
bales of cotton.” Sherman occupied the home (now known as the Green-Meldrim
House) until February 1865.
Oh, and
just up the street is the Six Pence Pub, where portions of the film “Something
to Talk About” with Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid was filmed in 1994-1995.
After
the Civil War, the Port of Savannah flourished. Cotton proved to be Savannah’s
salvation—until the 1890s when cotton production increased and prices fell.
Then the boll weevil struck, eventually destroying half or more of the state’s
cotton. By the 1920s King Cotton was dead. Then came the stock market crash of
1929 and the Great Depression. WWII helped end the Depression and military
buildup saved the economy, but the city’s growth came to a halt with the war’s
end. Property values plummeted and the once stately homes degraded into slums.
Savannah
faced destruction in the 1950s as a number of architecturally significant buildings
were demolished, being replaced with parking garages, gas stations and vacant
lots. There was even discussion of opening up the squares to traffic and paving
traffic lanes through the center of the squares. Thankfully, that didn’t happen!
In 1955
seven local women formed the Historic Savannah Foundation in order to raise
money to purchase and preserve threatened historic homes. In 1964 the Foundation
established a revolving fund to purchase and then resell endangered properties,
thus saving them from demolition until private owners could be found to restore
them. Still many homes were lost and streets were closed.
What we
saw during our visit showed what revitalization in the city has done, both for
historic reasons and the economy. Thousands of tourists visit Savannah annually—and
I’ve read that the number is in the millions! It’s truly a beautiful city.
Our
decision to take the historic trolley ride through the city was a good one, as
it gave a sense for what we wanted to do and see on our own later. It was money
well-spent on a 90-minute ride in an open-air trolley, with Max our driver and
docent. There’s just so much history in that city…
We
started out at Oglethorpe Tours on Boundary Street, heading west into the
historic downtown area. We rode around Telfair Square where we saw Telfair
Museum of Art and the Jepsen Center.
The
Telfair Museum is the first public art museum in the southern U.S., founded
through the bequest of Mary Telfair, a prominent local citizen. One of the strings
attached to this museum was that the Telfair name would be the “top biller” on
the building, and as you can see from the photos, that holds true. Today the museum holds an extensive
collection of over 4,500 American and European paintings, sculptures, and works
on paper, housed in 3 buildings: the Telfair Academy (formerly the Telfair
family home), the Owens-Thomas House, and the contemporary Jepsen Center for
the Arts (completed in 2006).
 |
| Jepsen Center |
From
there we continued north to circle Johnson Square where we saw Christ Episcopal
Church.
Christ
Church was the 1st house of worship in Savannah, founded in 1733
with the establishment of the colony. Its location was set aside by General
Oglethorpe when he laid out the city. John Wesley, founder of Methodism, served
in this church from 1736-1737, and under his direction the first Sunday School
in North America was held here. In 1737 he published a Collection of Psalms and
Hymns, the 1st English hymnal in America.
As we
continued south we rode around Wright Square and on to Chippewa Square, passing
the First Jewish Cemetery in America, the Independent Presbyterian Church, the
First Baptist Church, and the infamous Savannah Theatre.
The
original 1733 burial plot for the First Jewish Cemetery was set aside by
General Oglethorpe when he laid out the city, commemorated by a blue granite
memorial on the median of Oglethorpe Avenue and Bull Streets. A bronze tablet
lists those known to be buried there. The marker was erected in 1983 by the
Trustees of the Mordecai Sheftall cemetery for the 250th anniversary
of Georgia.
Directly
across Bull Street from the Jewish marker is the Scottish Highlanders marker. A
monument to honor the Scottish forebears was erected in 1987 by the Savannah
Chapter of the St. Andrews Society. It’s an 8’10” blue granite obelisk decorated
with iron emblems taken from the St. Andrews Cemetery lot.
Next
on the list was the Independent Presbyterian Church, the first Presbyterian Church
in Georgia, founded in 1755. The land for this church was deeded by King George
II for use by the colonial members of the Church of Scotland. The 1st
building burned down in 1796, and another was built in 1800. The 2nd
building burned down in 1889; a reproduction was completed in 1891. We thought
this was particularly beautiful, with the tall steeple and architectural
detail.
The
next square was the Chippewa Square; the Savannah Theatre is located nearby. As
a side note, this square is where the wonderful scene from “Forrest Gump” was
filmed, where he’s sitting on a bench eating chocolates, and says, “My momma
always says, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re
gonna get.’” The bench was a fiberglass prop, rather than one of the park’s
actual benches, and is on display at the Savannah Visitors Center.
The
Savannah Theatre is one of the oldest continually operating theatres in the
U.S. It opened its doors on December 4, 1818 at 5:30 with a performance of “The
Soldier’s Daughter.” The original structure suffered severe damage from a
hurricane that hit Savannah on August 31, 1898, tearing sections of the roof
off the building, and flooding the auditorium. The structure has also had
structure overhauls as the result of fires in 1906 and 1948. After the 1948 fire,
the building was transformed into its current Art Deco style. Since 2002 the
theatre has hosted regular performances of a variety of shows, primarily music
revues.
Also
at this square is the First Baptist Church. The church, chartered on November
26, 1800 laid the cornerstone on February 2, 1831. The building was completed
in 1833. This Greek Revival building is the oldest standing house of worship in
Savannah. The 2nd pastor, William Bulllein Johnson, became the 1st
president of the Southern Baptist Convention. The sanctuary was enlarged in
1839, with subsequent renovations taking place in 1921, 1966, 1989-1990, and
1990-1999.
Farther
south we rode around Madison Square and viewed the Green Meldrim House and St
John’s Episcopal Church.
The
Green-Meldrim House was built between 1853 and 1861 at a cost of $93,000, a
pretty penny even today! I mentioned this house earlier in the history of
Savannah, when it was offered to General Sherman for his headquarters. The
house was owned by Charles Green, a wealthy, cotton merchant (and grandfather
of the writer Julien Green; author of Leviathanscreenplay, his most famous work).
Today,
none of the original furnishings are on display in the house. After the Union
troops captured Savannah in 1864, Sherman occupied the house, using it as his
headquarters. The 25,000 bales of cotton mentioned in Sherman's letter to
President Lincoln belonged to Charles Green, who had hoped to save the cotton
from being seized by Sherman—that idea didn’t work!
Nearby
is St. John’s Episcopal Church. The church was formed in 1841 as part of a plan
to increase Episcopal presence in Georgia, and to provide for a first bishop of
the diocese. The first building was consecrated in 1853, and when the
congregation outgrew that building the current building was built.
Monterey
Square was next on our tour, passing the Mercer House and Temple Mickve Israel.
Mercer
House is best known for the scene of the shooting death of Jim William's
assistant, Danny Hansford, as retold in the 1994 book Midnight
in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt. Construction of the house
began in 1860, and after interruption by the Civil War, was completed in 1868.
It was subsequently used as the Savannah Shriners Alee Temple, then laid vacant
for 10 years until 1969 when it was purchased by a private party and restored.
The Mercer
house, prior to Hansford’s death, had already been the scene of 2 deaths: a
previous owner tripped over the 2nd floor banister, fractured his
hip and suffered a concussion. He died 3 days later. In 1969, a boy chasing
pigeons on the roof fell over the edge and impaled himself on the iron fence
below.
As an aside, Johnny Mercer, the famous songwriter/musician is from Savannah is the grandson of George Anderson Mercer, whose home is above. Johnny Mercer grew up in the house below.
The Temple Mickve Israel was founded in 1733 by the 42 Jews who arrived in Savannah. The first communal act by the worshipers was the initiation of divine services. The fact that more than a quorum of 10 men was immediately available, and a Torah Scroll was carried by the settlers to their new home facilitated this action. The congregation was granted a Charter from the state of George, confirming the legal status of the 3rd oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S. in 1790. The Torah, as well as other cherished possessions of the congregation, including letters from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and several other presidents, are on display in Mickve Israel’s archives and museum. The synagogue was dedicated in 1878.
Forsyth
Park and a ride through a portion of the Victorian section of Savannah was next
on the list. (It was pointed out to us that in the historic section of the city
all the parks were called “squares,” while in the Victorian section they were
referred to as “parks.”)
Forsyth
Park, occupying 30 acres of prime Savannah land, houses the historic
Confederate Memorial Statue. A Confederate bronze soldier stands in uniform,
facing north, following the long-standing tradition of placing a statue to face
his enemy. The base features a raised relief carving depicting a grieving widow
sitting under a weeping willow tree, surrounded by 4 winged angels. This work
of art was created to commemorate those volunteers who gave their lives
fighting for the Confederacy. It’s quite an impressive memorial, and stands
tall on elevated ground, surrounded by a locked iron fence. The Confederate War
memorial also features 2 busts of Civil War heroes, Major General Lafayette
McLaws and Brigadier General Francis S Bartow.
The
Savannah Ladies Memorial Association raised $10,000 by 1874, just 8 years after
they started, and began making plans for the monument. Although much of the
monument’s design was left to the sculptor, they demanded 3 things: that the
monument not be made of any Northern materials, it could not be built by
Northern workmen, and when complete, could not travel through any Northern
state.
This
tall bronze soldier wasn’t the original monument. The original, unveiled in
1875, met with such unfavorable responses that a local citizen offered to pay
the cost of having it “fixed” if the Association would give him free reign. The
new monument with the Confederate soldier was unveiled in 1879 to more
favorable reviews. In 1897 the monument was deeded over to the city of Savannah
to provide for the upkeep of the monument.
Traveling
back north we rode past Calhoun Square and the Wesley Monumental Methodist
Church and the Massie Heritage School.
The
Wesley Monumental Church is one of the most impressive Methodist churches in the
South. Established in 1868, it pays tribute to John Wesley and his brother Charles.
John Wesley founded the movement that became the Methodist denomination, while
his brother Charles wrote the words to about 6,000 Christian hymns.
Groundbreaking
for the chateau-like church was held on June 30, 1875. Due to financial hardships and the outbreak of the
yellow fever epidemic, the street level wasn’t completed until 1878. It would
be 12 more years until the 2nd story sanctuary was completed. The
church has 2 spires measuring 136’ and 196’ in height. European stained glass
windows are dedicated to Methodism’s historic personalities. The magnificent
“Wesley Window” faces the pulpit from the rear balcony, and features life-sized
busts of John and Charles Wesley.
The
Massie Heritage School, is named for its benefactor, Peter Massie, who died in
1841, leaving $5,000 for the establishment of a school for Savannah’s poor. It
operated as a public school until it closed in 1974, and was the oldest school
in continuous operation in Georgia. The school now serves as a resource center
for living history, with exhibits of period costumes and information on state
and local history, as well as historic preservation.
As
we continued north on Abercorn Street we passed the Colonial Park Cemetery, one of Savannah’s oldest, and the final resting place for many
of Savannah’s early colonists. More than 700 victims of the 1820 Yellow Fever
epidemic are buried in the cemetery, in a mass grave.
There
are also many victims of Savannah’s tragic dueling era. History records the 1st
Savannah dueling death in 1740 and the final shot fired in 1877. Many of the
duels left a number of men dead from what one source calls acts of “too much
honor.” Some of the duels were fought in and around the cemetery. This photo is
adjacent to the cemetery, and is where most of the duels were fought.
The
cemetery was already closed to burials before the start of the Civil War, and
no Confederate soldiers are buried there. However, the war did leave its mark
on the cemetery. Federal troops took over the cemetery during their occupation
of Savannah, and many of the graves were looted and desecrated. These grave markers were strewn about the cemetery, without indication where they should be placed. Therefore, they're mounted to this wall as a reminder.
The cemetery is also popular for ghost tours, if one dares walk through the
cemetery at night. It’s home to one of Savannah’s most famous ghosts, that of
Rene Asche Rondolier, a disfigured orphan who was said to have called the
cemetery his home in the early 1800s. Accused of murdering 2 girls whose bodies
were found in the cemetery, he was dragged to the nearby swamps, lynched, and
left for dead. More dead bodies turned up in the cemetery in the days that
followed, however; the townspeople were convinced it was Rene’s ghost. Some
folks still call the cemetery Rene’s playground.
From
there we rode past Columbia Square and on to Oglethorpe Square, past the Isaiah
Davenport House, the President’s Quarters, and the Owens-Thomas House.
The
1820 Isaiah Davenport House was built in the Federal style, to house Isaiah
Davenport, his wife, children and slaves. It was his family home until his
death in 1827, when his wife converted it into a boarding house. She lived
there until 1840 when she sold it to the Baynard family of South Carolina, who
retained ownership of the house for the next 109 years. The once-stately home in
a once fashionable neighborhood became a rundown rooming house in a seedy part
of town, until the Historic Savannah Foundation that I mentioned earlier
purchased the home just hours before it was scheduled to be demolished. The 1st floor was restored and
opened to the public as a museum in 1963, and by the mid-1990s museum leaders
began an effort to restore the house to a more authentic experience, including
period wallpaper and period room furnishings to reflect the home as it was in
1827.
Next
we passed the Presidents’ Quarters, which today is one of the premier and
historic bed and breakfast establishments in Savannah’s Historic District. Originally,
in 1754, the property belonged to British-Colonial Georgia’s Trust Lots, with a
modest home on it. By 1855 the property had changed hands and the house had
been demolished. The lots were sold for a meager $1,900, and 2 Federal-style
homes were constructed on the property. (These homes make up the Presidents’
Quarters today.) Each house was built for $7,600. General Robert E. Lee enjoyed
a meal there in 1870 as he traveled to Savannah to visit his daughter. Many
other Confederate generals and “men of position” also gathered with him—men he
had not seen since the Civil War had ended. It would be Lee’s final visit to
Savannah. The 2
Federal-style mansions were renovated in 1986 and again in 2007, and united to
form the Inn as it is today, with 16 guest rooms and private balconies.
We
passed the Owens-Thomas House, too.
The
Owens-Thomas House was completed in 1819, occupying a full block. The home interior
features a columned entrance portico, a handsome cast iron balcony, winding
double stairway, and arched second story windows. A magnificent stairway of
mahogany leads to second floor; brass and elegant furnishings make this one of
the most beautiful homes in the historic district. The foundation of the home
and garden walls are built of tabby (material made of sand, shells and lime).
It was first a private home, then an elegant lodging house. One of the more famous
guests was Marquis de Lafayette, who visited Savannah in 1825. It is said that
he reviewed Savannah’s militia from the south balcony, addressing the thousands
of cheering citizens gathered below.
The
home, in 1830, was purchased by a private party, Savannah Mayor Owens, for
$10,000. The home remained in the Owens family until 1951 when the Owens family
bequeathed it to Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences. The home is a National
Historic Landmark.
Our last
stop on our tour was to Franklin Square and City Market.
Franklin
Square was designed and laid out in 1790, by General Oglethorpe, and named for
Benjamin Franklin in 1791, who served as an agent for the colony of Georgia
from 1768 to 1778, and who died in 1790. Originally the square held a 40’ tall
water tower to distribute water to residents of the colony. It was built after
the previous system of public and private surface wells was overwhelmed by the
flood of people coming into the city. The square was destroyed in 1935 with the
routing of U.S. Highway 17, but was restored in the mid-1980s. It now anchors
the western edge of the city’s retail area.
A
memorial honoring Haitian volunteers who fought with General Pulaski during the
Siege of Savannah. It was unveiled on the 228th anniversary of the
battle.
Though
not well known in the U.S., Haiti’s role in the Revolutionary War is a point of
national pride for Haitians. On October 9, 1779, more than 500 Haitian gens de couleur libre (free men of
color) joined American colonists and French troops in an unsuccessful push to
drive the British from Savannah. It was the largest unit of soldiers of African
descent to fight in this war. They were free men volunteering for this
expedition, and they were relatively inexperienced; they participated in the
battle of September 24th and the siege of October 9th,
serving as a reserve unit to the Americans and French forces.
Twenty-five
of them have their names recorded as wounded or killed during the battles. Over
60 were captured in the fall of Charleston 8 months later. The British Navy
captured 3 transports carrying these men, who were then made “prizes of war”
and sold into slavery. Others were kept away from their homes and families for
many months as part of French garrison forces and as part of the French and
Spanish campaign against Pensacola where they faced some of the same regiments
of British troops that their comrades faced in Savannah.
After
returning home from war, Haitian veterans soon led their own rebellion that won
Haiti’s independence from France in 1804.
Also in
this area is the First African Baptist Church. The present building dates from
1859-1861 and was built by members of the oldest Negro congregation in the
U.S., many of whom were slaves. The original lectern and pews are still in use.
The ends of the pews are marked with African symbols etched by African-American
carvers. The church was a haven for runaway slaves during the turbulent years
of the Civil War. Runaways were hidden in a 4’ high space between the basement
and foundation below. Air holes can still be seen in the basement floor. During
the 1960s the church served as a base for the Civil Rights Movement. Today the
church houses a museum containing archives and memorabilia that date the church
back to the 18th century. The church lost its original bell tower in
a hurricane; it was never rebuilt.
Across
the street is the City Market, dating back to 1755. A center of commerce and
public market, here’s where fishermen and farmers brought their goods to sell.
The first 2 markets were destroyed by fire in 1788 and again in 1820. A third
was torn down shortly after the Civil War. The 4th market, built in
1872, was an ornate brick structure with Romanesque arches and large circular
windows.
However
after “King Cotton” died the area started to die and buildings went into a
state of disrepair. Plans were made to tear down the market, replacing it with
a new parking garage. In 1954, after years of heated debate, the old market was
lost, but not before it was honored with an elaborate grand Market Ball in
1953, and there’s no parking garage there that we saw. Today, City Market is
thriving with warehouses filled with art studios and galleries, casual and
upscale restaurants, and specialty gift shops. Live music fills the evenings,
and several of the clubs feature some of the best jazz in the city.
By the
time our 90-minute tour was over, we were starved! Can you imagine! We wandered
through City Market to “Your Pie,” a fabulous little artisan
pizza place on the corner of Bryant and Whitaker streets.
Then, we just had to stop at the
famous Paula Dean’s store, where I could’ve spent a lot of time. However, the
city called (as well as Dick), so off we went to do more exploring.
We did
some more walking, retracing many of the routes taken during our 90-minutes
trolley tour, mainly to capture photos of the places we had passed. By the time
we were finished, we were totally wrung out. The heat and humidity had taken
its toll; we headed to our truck for the ride home. I have never felt like I
could wring out my clothes from sweat, but holy smokes—we were wet! Whew!
Wednesday
we took it real easy, just taking a walk around the park to take photos. Dick
also rode the motorcycle around to take the photos of Fort McAllister, as seen
above. These photos were taken during our walk.
Thursday
it was another trip back into Savannah to photo what we missed. Among those
were Juliet Low’s home (headquarters of the Girl Scouts of the USA), photos of
monuments found in the squares, and other miscellaneous sites. The day had
promised to be just like those before, with sun, clouds, and the chance of
rain. Oh boy…
Our
first walk was through a part of the Victorian district on the south side of
Savannah. Here we saw beautiful Victorian homes that can’t be described. Here
are some photos.
Following
are just some of the monuments in the squares throughout the squares in Savannah.
Nathanael
Greene monument, Johnson Square: honors one of America’s top Revolutionary War
officers, second only to George Washington. He and Washington were the only 2
Continental generals that served throughout the entire American Revolution.
William
Jasper monument, Madison Square: Unveiled in 1888, this monument memorializes
the Georgia Revolutionary War hero, killed at the Siege of Savannah in October
1779 while attempting to rescue the colors of his regiment. The statue portrays
Jasper holding the flag of the Second Regiment of South Carolina Continentals
during the assault; and he’s holding a sabre in his right hand, his hand
pressed against the wound in his side. His bullet-ridden hat lies at his feet.
James
Oglethorpe monument, Chippewa Square: This 9’ bronze statue, dedicated in 1910,
pays tribute to the founder of the Georgia Colony. Oglethorpe faces south so he
can “keep a watchful eye on the Spanish.”
John
Wesley monument, Reynolds Square: this statue stands near the place where
Wesley’s parish house once stood. John is depicted as a young man wearing his
Church of England vestments, holding his Bible, stretching out his right hand
in love, invitation and exhortation.
And, the monument for William Pulaski, a Polish patriot who died in the cause of America's independence.
Florence
Martus, River Street Memorial: Known most familiarly as “The Waving Girl,”
Florence became a legend as she waved at all the ships entering or leaving the
Port of Savannah At the age of 19 she began waving, and it is said that for the
next 44 years Florence waved a white handkerchief by day and a lighted lantern
by night, stopping in 1931 when her brother, who was the lighthouse keeper on
Elba Island, retired and moved away. Her story spawned many myths including the
most popular: she had been engaged to a sailor, and she waved at every ship
that passed in hopes of being the first to welcome him home. He never returned,
and Florence never married.
Some
interesting architecture in Savannah includes the “Olde Pink House,” so named
for the beautiful shade of pink stucco, covering the old red brick. Over the
years the red from the bricks leached through to the stucco. The Georgian
mansion, built in 1771, was one of the few buildings to survive the fire of
1796. The fanlight over the front door is one of the oldest in Georgia. One of
the earliest restorations, it’s now an elegant restaurant, known for romantic
dinners, and cellar tavern. This home is also popular for ghost hunters, who
have found themselves in conversation with James Habersham Jr., the original
owner of the home, a wealthy cotton planter, who died in the basement in 1799
under suspicious circumstances.
Also in
this list is the Cathedral St. John the Baptist in Gothic Revival style. It’s
the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Georgia. As I mentioned earlier, the
colonial charter of Savannah prohibited Roman Catholics from settling in the
city. This prohibition faded shortly after the Revolutionary War. Construction
on this building began in 1873 and was completed in 1896 with addition of the
spires. The structure was nearly destroyed by fire in 1898, leaving only the
walls and towers. However the congregation quickly rebuilt the building and were
able to celebrate Christmas Mass in the sanctuary in 1899.
By this
time the rain that had started as a drizzle, was becoming a downpour. We waited
for our On-and-Off bus near Juliette Low’s home.
Juliette
Low’s birthplace is now owned by the Girl Scouts of the USA. It was
built for the then mayor of Savannah in 1818-1821. He moved to Washington DC in
1831 to fill an unexpired term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and then
to the U.S. Supreme Court. The home was then sold to Juliette Low’s
grandparents. Juliette spent much of her life in England, visiting Savannah and
New York every year. She married in 1886, but was widowed by 1911, after which she met
the founder of the Boy Scouts. He recruited Juliette to become involved in the
Girl Guides, and in 1912 she returned to Savannah to start the movement in the
U.S., of what we know today as the Girl Scouts
Our
driver was so good to us that, with the deluge, instead of dropping us off at
one of their “designated” drop-off/pick-up stops he dropped us at the Cotton
Exchange for lunch, a restaurant down on River Road. We were starving once
again.
The
Cotton Exchange is a grand reminder of the influence that cotton had on
Savannah. Built in 1886, it was one of the first major buildings to be
constructed entirely over a public street. Built of red brick with a terra
cotta façade, iron window lintels and copper finials and copings, the building
is one of the best surviving examples of the Romantic Revival period.
We dined
on fish and chips and a seafood quesadilla. YUM-YUM!!!
The rain
was still coming down when we finished our lunch, so we literally ran up the cobblestone
streets to the Factors Walk shortcut to the On-and-Off bus stops. Factors Walk is
located just above River Street where the Cotton Exchange is located. It’s a
collection of red brick buildings, formerly a center of commerce for Savannah’s
cotton brokers. Two sets of very steep and high steps led from the cobblestone
road to the parking lot where we were to meet our ride, and where we took
shelter (sort of) under the tall trees lining the parking lot. Thankfully, it
wasn’t a long wait, but we were drenched! He took us back to our truck and we
drove home, dripping all the way. I don’t think we’ve ever been caught in a
downpour like this—at least without an umbrella!
Friday
we chilled again, giving me time to write this blog. There’s just so much…
Saturday
we woke to 80° and 100% humidity. Whew! There wasn’t a breath of air moving,
even at the tree tops. That didn’t deter us from venturing out, this time to
nearby Richmond Hill, where we visited the Richmond Hill History Museum.
 |
| Wonderful tour of the museum, led by museum manager and docent, Roy Hubbard. So glad we didn't miss this! |
The
museum is housed in the building Henry Ford and his wife Clara built in 1940 to
house a kindergarten for local children. But there’s so much more to share
about this man.
When we
think of Henry Ford we think of the Model T automobile, assembly lines, and the
unbelievable wealth that resulted from them. Henry, it turned out, was much
more interested in helping people become successful and independent Americans.
In
Detroit he is credited for doubling the minimum wage for Ford Motor Company
employees, from $2.34 a day to $5.00, but what isn’t well known is that for the
employee to be eligible for this pay raise a worker had to submit to an
exhaustive and intrusive inspection of their homes, activities, dress and
hygiene. Ford carried this “social experiment” to the coastal Georgia, to what
is now Richmond Hill.
Henry
Ford first visited this part of Georgia (Bryan County) in the late 1920s, as he
searched for a place for a winter home away from the busyness of Detroit. He
arrived to see one of the most impoverished areas in coastal Georgia, the
poverty having hit the area following the Civil War and the decline of the rice
business. Poverty wasn’t limited to any one ethnic group—it had hit everyone,
leaving them far behind the progressive 20th century. He set about
to make a difference.
 |
| The socks are made from pine, black gum and sweet gum. Hmm... |
By 1925
Ford began buying property, eventually owning about 85,000 acres on both sides
of the Ogeechee River. To provide jobs for the area he started agricultural
operations, housing for his employees, medical facilities, churches, a
community center, and schools for both blacks and whites. He also developed a
sawmill, a vocational trade school, and improved the infrastructure of the area
including improving roads. (Ford thought that Richmond Hill would be the
perfect place to grow crops that could be used, by Ford chemists, to create car
parts.
However, lettuce became the most profitable crop. The chemists were quite inventive, creating clothing, car parts, etc., from the crops grown on the farm (obviously these ideas never took off…). Some of the products made from pine trees, however, are on the market.
However, lettuce became the most profitable crop. The chemists were quite inventive, creating clothing, car parts, etc., from the crops grown on the farm (obviously these ideas never took off…). Some of the products made from pine trees, however, are on the market.
Ford’s
wife Clara wasn’t just a stay-at-home wife.
She was instrumental in the
creation of homes for the residents of Richmond Hill, dictating the layout of
the 2 and 3-bedroom homes, colors and furnishings. This area became known as “The
Bottoms,” referring to the landscape. When Ford began building homes for his
employees he had dirt hauled in to raise the land high enough to safely be
built on. In the Bottoms there were 75 homes built for the workers, as well as a
recreation hall and a baseball field. No rent was charged for the homes until
1945 when the IRS required that rent be charged; Ford agreed, and charged just
$15 per month. He then raised the workers’ pay $15 per month to cover it.
Clara's
ability to design and oversee building was also evident in the creation of a scale model of
the Richmond Hill Ford family residence she designed, complete with furnishings and décor. It
was a grand home when it was finished.
Ford’s
generosity extended to individuals in the community with physical disabilities,
as well. He met a girl named Mary Lou Martin, who was crippled by polio. He had
a chair built for her, and a walkway created so she could easily get from her
home to school. She went on to graduate high school and college with a teaching
degree. She married, had 4 children and returned to Richmond Hill to teach
elementary school. She passed away in 2007.
Ford
built a barber shop for Bailey Carpenter, the local barber, which was used for over
50 years. Ford also purchased the barber chair for Bailey, who was Ford’s
barber during his stay in Richmond Hill. The shop building is now located at
the Richmond Hill Historic Museum.
Ford
bought an industrial mixer for the Wombles, who ran the bakery, so they wouldn’t
have to do all the mixing by hand. The mixer is in the museum, and is almost as
tall as I am!
Oh, and I
can’t leave this out… Henry Ford received a letter from Clyde Barrows, of the
Bonnie and Clyde duo, 40 days before they were apprehended, telling Ford what a
great car he made.
Ford
died in 1947 at the age of 83, at his home in Dearborn, Michigan, reportedly of
a cerebral hemorrhage. By that time Richmond Hill was already declining, and
within a few years his experiment would be shut down completely. His home and property
of more than 85,000 acres of farm and timber land would be sold to the International
Paper Company, and eventually would fall into ruins. All Ford operations in Richmond Hill were officially suspended
in June 1952.
 |
| The home has been sold 6 times since Ford was in residence. It is now a beautiful private plantation home. |
Some Ford building are still used today: the church that had been named Martha Mary
Chapel (after his mother-in-law and mother) is now St. Anne’s Catholic Church;
the bakery that was so successful is now empty (cakes baked there were even
sent to Ford at his home in Michigan!); the court house has become a senior
citizen center; the community center, a large 2+ story building is now a
funeral home; and, the commissary is now a church.
Whew!
What a week! Sunday we kicked back and stayed in the AC all day. The temps had
reached the mid-90s by mid-day, and the humidity was just as high. We hope you’ve
enjoyed this trip through history—I know there’s a lot to read this week. Actually,
this week’s blog is more like a book!
Monday
we head farther south to Jacksonville, Florida for a week, where we’ll visit
historical St. Augustine and much, much more. Until next week…
RJ and
Gail
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