Archives: Destinations

Telfair Square

Organized in 1733, the last square whose construction was completed under Oglethorpe’s supervision before he returned to England for a visit. Originally called St. James Square, the name was changed in 1883 to commemorate the significant contributions and achievements of the Telfair family. Many members of the Telfair family are remembered for their historic accomplishments. One that stands out is Edward Telfair, who eventually became Governor of Georgia.

• JEPSEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS – This is a must see for anyone visiting Savannah and a great spot for families. The Center, which opened in 2006, is home to a vast contemporary art gallery, as well as a large auditorium, studio space, and the 3,500 square foot ArtZeum. An interactive galley for children and families, the ArtZeum features more than twenty different activities designed to challenge common perceptions about art.
• TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH – It was built in 1848 and is the oldest Methodist church in Savannah. John Wesley established the Wesley Church, considered to be Trinity’s predecessor, in 1812. John Wesley and his brother lived briefly in Savannah, and John Wesley is considered to be the founder of the Methodist Church. A fine example of Greek Revival architecture was designed by John B. Hogg of Savannah. Hogg later designed the First Bryan Baptist Church in 1873.

• TELFAIR MUSEUM – The impact of the Telfair family on Savannah is not limited to the square that bears their name. As the influence of the family grew, so did their accumulated wealth, which eventually was left to Mary Telfair. The family’s last descendent, Mary Telfair is remembered for her unmatched generosity. Perhaps one of her most notable contributions was the gift of the home at 121 Barnard Street for the purpose of establishing a museum. Established in 1886, The Telfair Museum is the oldest art museum in the South. This classical mansion was designed in the English Regency style designed by architect William Jay. Originally built in 1819, a sculpture gallery and rotunda were added in 1883. Today, the museum is known not only as a house museum with impressive antiques and architecture to display but also for its sizeable collection of impressionist paintings.
• FEDERAL BUILDINGS – Two large federal government buildings with unusual tiled exteriors dominate the east side of the square. Locals, who resent the loss of the historic buildings which once occupied the area, have dubbed them “the bathroom buildings.” These more modern structures stand in stark contrast to the elaborate Regency style Telfair Museum and the Greek revival architecture of Trinity Methodist Church which can be found on this square. Telfair Square is host to some of Savannah’s most attended attractions, so be sure take your time exploring the area.

Telfair Academy

The Telfair Academy is just short walk away from the Jepson Center, but that short distance covers nearly 200 years of history. The stately two-story mansion, designed by William Jay in the Neoclassical Regency style and built in 1819, is just three historic squares away from Jay’s other masterpiece, the Owens-Thomas House. The Telfair Academy contains three nineteenth-century period rooms and houses nineteenth- and twentieth-century American and European art from the museum’s permanent collection including paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and decorative arts.

Holiday Closures:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• St. Patrick Day Observance
• Easter
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Eve, open 10am-3pm
• Christmas Day
• New Years Eve Day, open 10am to 3pm

Savannah Stroll History Walking Tour

Hear the story of Savannah’s rich cultural heritage from it’s founding to present day.

Tour Highlights:

• Learn the fascinating history of Savannah
• See the history and culture
• Hear about the best shopping and dining
• Get an overview of this beautiful city
• Tours at 10 am and 1 pm daily.
• Tours depart from Warren Square.

The Savannah Stroll is the best way to get acquainted with this fair city, and a wonderful introduction that will have you strolling the streets like a native.

If you’re only in Savannah for one day, or need a tour that gets you oriented to the major streets and squares of our fair city, then The Savannah Stroll is for you.

A great 90 minute introduction to the fascinating history of Savannah. This tour is the best way to see the history and culture of Savannah, from ancient times to the present. You’ll walk the streets with an experienced, licensed guide who’ll answer your questions and go at the only suitable pace for this city…WALKING.

The Savannah Stroll…where else can you learn about history, get recommendations for shopping and dining, and spend the day outside in the fresh air. Topics covered on this tour merely scratch the surface of city’s rich history, and are designed to give you an overview of the city, her history, and the people that have made Savannah a destination for travellers since its founding day.

Savannah History Museum

Savannah History Museum is located in the former historic Central of Georgia Railroad’s passenger station. The museum walks guests through the city’s history from 1733, spanning the American Revolution and Civil War, all the way to modern day Savannah. Many exhibits highlight Savannah’s musical, cultural and artistic contributions including the famous bench from the movie Forrest Gump. Located just across the street is Battlefield Memorial Park, which presents visitors with a free memorial to those who fought in the 1779 Battle of Savannah, second bloodiest battle of the American Revolution. This park marks the exact location where approximately 800 troops died or were wounded.

River Street

River Street is a must-visit locale if you’re in Savannah! There are a multitude of shops, restaurants, bars and of course the Savannah River flows by provided spectacular views.

To be transported back in time, simply look beneath your feet. The cobblestones used to pave the street itself and the ramps connecting Bay Street to River Street were initially brought to Savannah as ballast. The stones were loaded aboard ships on distant shores hundreds of years ago as place-holders for the bales of cotton that would fill the ship’s hold on the return voyage. These stones, brought here from all over the world, were usually just tossed overboard, and for years during the city’s early days they simply sat in huge piles along the riverbanks. By the mid-1800s, city engineers had devised plans to use the stones to pave the streets and build retaining walls to prevent erosion of the white sand that covered the riverfront.

Reynolds Square

 This square was laid out in 1734. It was the center of colonial government and was the original location for the House of Assembly, where the first reading of the Declaration of Independence took place in Georgia. Named for Georgia’s first colonial Governor, Reynolds square is one of the oldest areas of the city but many buildings have not survived to modern times due to the location of the square in the heart of the city’s present commercial district. The square started out as home to the colony’s Filature, which housed a failed experiment in Silk making. When the colony was founded there were great hopes that silk could be produced in Georgia to eliminate the need to import more costly material via the Silk Road that was established from China through Italy. Unfortunately, the cocoons of the silk worm could not mature properly in the humid Georgia climate. The Filature was converted to a meeting house, and even hosted a dance in honor of George Washington in 1791. Sadly, the building has not survived to present times.

• REVEREND JOHN WESLEY STATUE – The center of the square boasts one of Savannah’s most photographed monuments, a bronze statue of Reverend John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church. John Wesley lived and ministered in Savannah for two years and was rector of nearby Christ Church for that period. It is said to depict him preaching outdoors to the Native Americans, a practice that caused some controversy. Church officials in England are said to have been scandalized by this practice.
• LUCAS THEATRE – Many important houses and buildings surround Reynolds Square and perhaps the most prominent is the Lucas Theater. A lovely example of how old treasures can be restored, the Lucas Theatre sits at the corner of Abercorn & Congress Streets. Built in 1921 to host silent film and vaudeville acts, the theater was refitted to show “talkies” when they made their debut. The theater fell into disrepair and was closed in 1976. Eventually in danger of demolition, a community partnership was formed to save the Lucas. Now beautifully modernized and painstakingly restored, the Lucas Theater is once again a notable entertainment venue in Savannah.
• OLIVER STURGIS HOUSE – (Southwest corner of square) Located at 27 Abercorn Street, it is one of Savannah’s most architecturally significant houses. Built in 1813, the home has many unique features. For example, it is one of only a few homes in Savannah known to have incorporated stabilizing iron earthquake rods into its construction, a feature seen more commonly to the north in Charleston. Note the decorative dolphin spouts that finish the rain gutters. Other features include an octagon shaped room added to the rear of the home before 1819 and a distinctive window above the portico.
• THE OLDE PINK HOUSE – Located at 23 Abercorn Street, is so named because of the distinctive color that comes from its walls which have a light, translucent layer of stucco applied over red brick. The magnificent home was built in 1789 for one of Savannah’s most successful cotton factors, James Habersham Jr. The building has served many purposes over the years, having been a private residence, a bank, and headquarters for Union General Zebulon York following the city’s surrender to General Sherman in 1864. Now home to an upscale restaurant and tavern, the home is often sought out by ghost hunters who claim the house to be haunted by the original owner’s ghost. James Habersham Jr. is reported to have hanged himself in the basement, and his spirit is said to be the most restless on Sunday afternoons.

Pounce Cat Cafe

Children under the age of 12 are not allowed. If your group has 8 or more people please call ahead.

What you receive: 1 hour at the Cat Cafe along with one non-alcoholic beverage per person

Pounce Cat Cafe is a place where you can come to enjoy freshly brewed coffee or tea, sip on wine or craft beer, snack on delicious pastries, and cuddle with adorable (and adoptable!) cats. We’ve teamed up with our local shelter, Charleston Animal Society, to provide our cats, so if at the end of your visit you’ve fallen in love with your new feline friend, you can take them home with you!

Visits to the cafe include 1 hour in the cat lounge along with one non-alcoholic beverage per person while you hang out with the kitties. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased for an additional fee. Fresh, local pastries are also available for purchase at the cafe if you would like a snack. Additional time can be purchased at the cafe if the cat lounge is not fully booked for the next hour.

AGE RESTRICTIONS: The minimum age for visiting Pounce Cat Cafe is 12 years old. A parent or guardian will need to sign a minor waiver for anyone visiting the cafe between the ages of 12 and 17.

MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE: Parties larger than 8 people are required to reserve the space as a private event. Not only can large groups be loud and distressing for our cats, they can also be disturbing for other guests who are visiting the cafe during the same hour.

Pinpoint Heritage Museum

Pin Point Heritage Museum is located in the former A.S. Varn & Son Oyster and Crab Factory. The community was founded in 1896 by freed slaves after the Civil War. The former factory has been transformed into an educational center for visitors to authentically learn about the Gullah/Geechee culture directly from residents who grew up in the small, close-knit community. Guests can discover these unique lifeways, from daily life to religion, language and food.

Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters

Built as a beautiful Regency style mansion in 1819, the Owens-Thomas House, along with its adjacent gardens, carriage house, and slave quarters, allows visitors to explore the complicated relationships between the most and least powerful people in the city of Savannah in the early 19th century.

History of the Richardson-Owens-Thomas House

In November 1816, work began on the new home of banker, shipping merchant, and slave trader Richard Richardson and his wife, Frances. The home was designed by English architect (and relative to Richardson by marriage) William Jay, but was constructed by builder John Retan and the team of free and enslaved men in his charge. The site also included a two-sided privy and a building located on the east end of the lot, which was divided into a carriage house and slave quarters.

The Richardsons moved into the home with their six children and nine enslaved men, women, and children in January 1819. Unfortunately for the Richardsons, the next three years saw steady decreases in their prosperity, including the financial Panic of 1819, a yellow fever epidemic, a fire that destroyed half the city, and the death of Frances and two of the children. By 1822, Richardson decided to sell the house and move to Louisiana, where he had family and business interests. He had been shipping enslaved people, mostly children, from Savannah to New Orleans for years.

By 1824, the Bank of the United States owned the house, which they leased to Mary Maxwell as a boarding house. The Marquis de Lafayette was a guest of Mrs. Maxwell when he visited Savannah in March 1825 as part of his whirlwind tour of the United States for the 50th anniversary of the American Revolution.

In 1830, George Welshman Owens, then mayor of Savannah, purchased the property at auction for $10,000. Owens, who was also a lawyer, planter, and politician, moved in with his wife, Sarah, and their six children in 1833. Over the years, Owens kept nine to 15 enslaved people on the property and held almost 400 men, women, and children in bondage on his plantations.

The last Owens descendant to live in the home was George Owens’ granddaughter, Margaret Gray Thomas. When Thomas passed away in 1951 with no direct heirs, she willed the house to the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences to be run as a house museum in honor of her grandfather, George Owens, and her father, Dr. James Gray Thomas. The site opened to the public in 1954.

Carriage House

Orientation Gallery

The south half of this building originally housed horses and carriages on the first floor with a hay loft on the floor above. Beginning in;November 2018, the first level of this building will house our Orientation Gallery. Exhibits in this space help put the story of the site into the larger context of local, regional, and national history. The site of the original hay loft now houses The Loft, a workspace for Telfair’s historical interpreters to study primary documents, examine archaeological artifacts, and research our sites’ history.

Slave Quarters

The north half of the building contains the original slave quarters for the site. This two-story structure was composed of three rooms on each level. Nine to 15 enslaved people, about half of whom were children, lived and worked on the site at any given time between 1819 and the end of the Civil War. Once the war ended, the space became servants’ quarters, housing many of the same people.

Now these these wonderfully preserved spaces offer new interactive exhibits to help visitors understand the day-to-day lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked in the space, as well as the most unique architectural feature of the house, the indoor plumbing.

Holiday Closures:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• St. Patrick Day Observance
• Easter
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Eve, open 10am-3pm
• Christmas Day
• New Years Eve Day, open 10am to 3pm

Old Fort Jackson

Old Fort Jackson is a must-see National Historic Landmark offering daily cannon firings and exciting interactive programs for adults, kids and families! Only minutes away from historic downtown Savannah, you can experience unique views of Savannah’s riverfront and walk on the grounds of one of the oldest brick fortifications on the East Coast.

History

This fortification is located on the Savannah River, just 3 miles east of the city. It was constructed in 1808 as part of President Thomas Jefferson’s Second System coastal defense initiative and named after Revolutionary War patriot James Jackson. This brick fort was constructed over an old earthen battery from the Revolutionary War which had been called “Mud Fort.” Soldiers were stationed at Fort James Jackson to guard Savannah during the War of 1812. Following the War of 1812, two periods of construction continued expansion of the fort from the 1840s-1850s, prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War.

Local Confederate militia units occupied the fort at the start of the Civil War in 1861. In 1862, it became the headquarters for Savannah’s river defenses after the fall of Fort Pulaski. In 1864 the Confederate troops quickly evacuated Fort Jackson just prior to the arrival of federal troops under the leadership of General William Tecumesh Sherman after his infamous “March to the Sea,” leaving Fort Jackson under control of federal troops. The last American soldiers to be stationed at Fort Jackson were members of the 55th Massachusetts, an African- American unit of the Federal Army.

The War Department abandoned the fort in 1905 and the state of Georgia reopened it in 1965 as a maritime museum. After the state decided to close the museum in 1975, the newly formed nonprofit Coastal Heritage Society approached the State in 1976 asking permission to re-open and operate the site, which was granted. The historic site was now referred to as Old Fort Jackson. In 1978, Fort Jackson and CHS came under the leadership of Scott W. Smith. Operation continued to grow with modest success as did development of educational programming for regular guests and student field trips.

Currently, Old Fort Jackson has a successful model of independent operation and a solid reputation of delivering high-quality, engaging educational programming for booked groups. This program offering has been expanded to regular operation for daily museum guests and includes cannon, musket firings and other interactive & hands-on activities.