Savannah

Lafayette Square in Savannah

Savannah was founded in 1732 by James Edward Oglethorpe. What is unique is that the original town was laid out in wards, comprising of 8 blocks. A public square was in the center with government or church buildings in one direction from the square and 2 blocks of housing in the other direction. By 1851, the city had grown to include 24 of these wards. It really makes for a picturesque city with so much greenery in the historic part of town. We took the hop-on, hop-off bus to see the city and made 3 stops. The first was the Massie Heritage Center. Peter Massie bequeathed $5000 to create a school for the poor of the city. The school opened in 1856 and served until 1974. Upstairs in the museum is a replica of an 1800’s classroom. The museum also has a detailed exhibit of the City plan, the original plans up to what we see today. There are also other exhibits on architecture, native Americans, preservation, and a maritime gallery. We were surprised to learn that Savannah is the largest port on the Eastern Seaboard. We had brunch at Clary’s Café, which has been around since 1903.

 

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Next we stopped at the Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. It was completed in 1896. The original charter of Savannah forbid drinking, slaves, and Catholics. But today, there is a large population of Irish Catholics. Our final major stop was the Owens-Thomas house built in 1819. This home was one of the first in the U.S. to have running water for baths, showers, and toilets. It collected rainwater from the roof into 3 large cisterns for use by the household. The home is famous for the stay of the Marquis de Lafayette (who helped in the American Revolution). During his stay he addressed the people from the balcony in 1825. The old city is decorated with many original buildings of various architectures. Due to three different fires that killed several hundred people each time, most the buildings that survive are now brick buildings. 

Owens-Thomas House