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Good news.
SAVANNAH IS HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Home sales are up... Tourism is strong... Ports are booming...JVC and Gulfstream are selling Heavy Equipment and Jets...
Miley Cyrus and Disney just finished a major motion picture in Savannah; and now.....
Robert Redford will be directing a movie in Savannah Sept - January 2010....
He is set to direct "The Conspirator," a film about Mary Surratt, the lone female among those charged with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
Rumored star is James Andrew McAvoy.
He is a Scottish stage and screen actor known for his roles in Atonement, The Last King of Scotland,The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Wanted, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune, and the British TV series' Shameless and Early Doors. McAvoy has won the BAFTA Rising Star Award and a BAFTA Scotland award.
He has also been nominated for an ALFS Award, two BAFTA Awards, a European Film Award, and a Golden Globe award. He is married to Anne-Marie Duff. He is currently working on a new film called Gnomeo and Juliet which is a remake of Romeo and Juliet in animation form and is to be released in 2010.
Lots to do In Savannah
Historical Sites to Visit
Shortest Path to the Atlantic Ocean
Savannah's Secrets
Dining in Savannah
Carriage Tours
Haunted Tours
The Club at Savannah Harbor
History of Savannah
Savannah's recorded history begins in 1733 when General James Oglethorpe and the 120 passengers of the good ship "Anne" landed on a bluff high along the Savannah River in February. Oglethorpe named the 13th and final American colony "Georgia" after England's King George II. Savannah became its first city.
Savannah is a traditional genteel Southern town with beautiful homes and restored “squares” as well as easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. Savannah has something to offer everyone --- with diverse interests including unique historical attractions; incredible Low country cuisine experiences with down home cooking as well as elegant fine dining; award winning golf courses; top ranked spas; exceptional and amble shopping; family activities; and beach fun.
Lace up your walking shoes or rent a bike or scooter and get a closer look at some of Savannah's magnificent architecture and splendid squares. A good place to start: the Bull Street and Abercorn Street corridors, which passes some of Savannah's famous landmarks and nine of the 21 restored squares. Visit beautiful Forsyth Park, which is on Bull Street and is one of Savannah's signature landmarks. Stroll down to historic River Street for a bite to eat where there are many types of casual and upscale dining experiences amid restored cotton warehouses that are home to some of Savannah's favorite restaurants and pubs. Afterward, linger awhile and enjoy the live music featured at several of these establishments.
Take a themed tour -- Savannah's 276-year-old history offers many opportunities to explore various eras of the city's history and the varied aspects of its culture. Take a walking tour emphasizing antiques, architecture, African-American heritage, the Civil War, cemeteries, ghosts, gardens, the best-selling book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” Savannah in film, cooking celebrity Paula Deen or Southern writers. Investigate cultural attractions and museums –Savannah has more than 45 historical and cultural attractions. Discover the treasures and history that lie within Savannah's many house museums, forts and other historic sites.
Savannah is always alive with the arts. Influences such as the Savannah College of Art and Design and the City Market artists' colony make the Historic District the perfect muse. Antique shops, galleries and gift shops featuring handcrafted items pepper every corner of the district and River Street.
Savannah is a city in tune with the amorous. A moonlit carriage ride is the perfect beginning to a perfect evening. The many upscale dining establishments offer exquisite Low country fare or international favorites in uniquely Southern settings. Served by candlelight, an intimate dinner is sure to spark a romantic evening.
Just 20 minutes from Savannah's Historic District is Tybee Island, Savannah's beach. Spend the day enjoying the sea breezes and seeking eco-adventures. Take a dolphin tour, a kayak tour or a deep-sea fishing excursion. Climb to the top of Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse or explore the nooks and crannies of Tybee's two forts. Watch as the shrimp boats come home to bring in their catches. Dine at one of Tybee's funky seaside bungalows or try one of its upscale restaurants. Hit the Tybee strip for nightlife and entertainment or take a moonlit stroll on the Tybee pier.
Savannah has more than 30 golf courses within 30 miles featuring some of the toughest holes around. Mild year-round temperatures make for perfect golfing anytime. Savannah has several day spas guaranteed to melt the stress away. Savannah holds 200 festivals each year.
In March, Savannah holds one of the larges St. Patrick's Day Parade in the country and it is legendary. Also in March, the Savannah Music Festival features some of the best performers anywhere.
Savannah has a multitude of trendy shops and boutiques. River Street features many specialty shops that carry artwork, sweets, candles and collectibles.
Historical Sites to Visit
Old Fort Jackson
Fort James Jackson, also known as Old Fort Jackson, has been a part of Coastal Georgia's history for nearly two centuries. Named in honor of Georgia governor and Revolutionary War soldier James Jackson, the fort is the oldest standing brick fortification in the state. Fort Jackson is also a National Historic Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The fort is one of only eight Second System fortifications (a series of forts built prior to the War of 1812) still standing in the United States. It served as headquarters for the Confederate Savannah River defenses during the American Civil War. Old Fort Jackson is now owned by the state of Georgia, but operated by the non-profit Coastal Heritage Society. Fort Jackson receives no federal or state funding for its operations. Thousands of visitors enjoy the fort every year, including numerous student and scout groups, as well as people who rent the fort for community events or after-hours gatherings. Old Fort Jackson is also known for its daily cannon firing demonstrations each summer, and is the only historic fort in the United States delivering cannon salutes to passing military vessels. Open Daily: 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. Admission: $6.00
Roundhouse Railroad Museum
The story of the Roundhouse Railroad Museum is the story of industry and how it shaped Savannah and Georgia. When the complex was begun in the 1830s as the Central of Georgia Railway headquarters and repair shops, its design was revolutionary, combining all the railroad's cutting-edge facilities in one place. The buildings fell into disuse after the Central of Georgia was merged with Southern Railway in the mid-twentieth century, and the site was abandoned by the early 1960s. A group of twelve heroic Savannahians saved the complex from demolition later that decade, and the City of Savannah invested millions in stabilizing the buildings. Now the nonprofit Coastal Heritage Society is preserving and interpreting these amazing structures for today's visitors. The site is now a National historic Landmark, a "Save America's Treasures" Site, and Georgia's State Railroad Museum. More than 40,000 visitors each year stroll through exhibits inside seven historic railroad structures and see our growing collection of locomotives and rolling stock. Our interpretive displays include a large model train layout of Savannah as well as exhibits explaining steam engines and belt-driven machinery. We have also restored the massive operating turntable in the middle of the Roundhouse. Hours of Operation 9:00 am - 5:00pm Daily. Admission Prices $4.25.
The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
A Girl Scout national center in Savannah, Georgia—has something to offer everyone. It is the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, who was affectionately known by her family and friends as "Daisy."
Built in 1821, the house has been elegantly restored to reflect the 1880s and furnished with many original Gordon family pieces, including artwork by Juliette Gordon Low. Located in the heart of the Savannah Historic District, "the Birthplace," as it is commonly called by Girl Scouts nationwide, was the city's first National Historic Landmark. Guests experience a taste of Victorian family life through guided tours of the Wayne-Gordon house, the home to four generations of Gordons. The house is the setting for a family story entwined in the history of Savannah and the United States. It features stylish Egyptian Revival and classical details popular in the early 19th century, when it was built for Savannah Mayor James Moore Wayne (who later became an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court).
In 1831, Wayne sold the house to his niece, Sarah, and her husband William Washington Gordon I, who was Juliette Low's grandfather. Girl Scouts of the USA purchased the house from the Gordon family in 1953. It was opened in 1956, as a program center and historic house museum. For more information, www.juliettegordonlowbirthplace.org.
Mercer House
The Mercer House was designed for General Hugh W. Mercer, great grandfather of Johnny Mercer. It is featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Tours are available. www.mercerhouse.com
Shortest Path to the Atlantic Ocean
Tybee Island
Drive 20 minutes east of Savannah, through a few miles of wide sky and salt marshes. This is where you'll find Tybee Island — perhaps the most laid-back location on the southeastern coast. On this uniquely charmed island, nature lovers mingle with movie stars, bird watchers with good ol' boys. Pirate raids are regular happenings. There are parties of epic proportions and silent beach sunrises. And everyone, from townie to tourist, watches out for the sea turtles. There are miles of beach; forts and museums and a great old lighthouse; endangered birds and other animal species; kayaks and bikes to rent (along with all kinds of hotels, motels and cottages, too). Days are as active, or lazy, as mood demands. Local galleries, shops and restaurants offer changes of pace and taste. And, of course, historic Savannah's nearby. This is the beautiful barrier island that ancient Indians named “salt” (“duh bee” in the old Euchee tongue)—and a place you'll wish that you, too, had discovered long ago.
Tybee Lighthouse
Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th colony, in 1732, the Tybee Island Light Station has been guiding mariners' safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years. The Tybee Island Light Station is one of America's most intact having all of its historic support buildings on its five-acre site. Rebuilt several times the current light station displays its 1916-day mark with 178 stairs and a First Order Fresnel lens (nine feet tall). www.tybeelighthouse.org.
Beaufort & Hilton Head Island, SC
Within an hour's drive in South Carolina are the laidback old town of Beaufort, with its waterfront park, quaint downtown and historic district. And, a few miles further is the upscale playground of Hilton Head Island, with its beautiful wide beaches, excellent golfing, tennis and shopping. Hilton Head Island is the perfect location for a pre or post vacation from the Annual Meeting. For more information about Hilton Head Island, www.hiltonhead.com.
Savannah's Secrets
(From the Savannah and Convention Bureau)
The Pirates House, A famous Savannah restaurant, was actually a tavern frequented by pirates who sailed the Caribbean in 1794. Events at the Pirates House were the inspiration for Robert Lewis Stevenson's novel, Treasure Island.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the John Berendt novel about secrets, socialites and murder spent more than five years on the New York Times best-seller list holding the record for the longest running best-seller in history.
In 2002, the American Institute of Parapsychology named Savannah, “America's Most Haunted City.” Based on Savannah's history of fires, plagues, wars and voodoo, they determined Savannah was the perfect place for supernatural activity.
While admiring Savannah's splendid architecture, you might start to notice a recurring color painted on the doorframes, porches and windowsills of many Savannah homes. This blue/green color, or “Haint Blue,” is not only aesthetically pleasing but has an important purpose, and that is to ward off evil spirits. “Haint Blue” paint was first used by African Slaves to secure entry-point into their houses from spirits. According to the Geechee/Gulla culture of the Lowcountry, the blue/green color of “Haint Blue” represents water, which, it is believed, spirits cannot pass over.
Five months after General Oglethorpe and the original settlers landed in Savannah, 42 Jewish refugees from Spain arrived in July 1733. This was the largest immigration of Jews at one time to the new world during the colonial period.
Florence Martus, born August 7, 1868, is a Savannahian whose understanding and application of the words “Southern Hospitality” brought her fame as the Waving Girl. Martus lived with her brother, lighthouse keeper George Martus, between 1887 and 1931 near the entrance of the Savannah harbor. During this time she would wave a welcome to each incoming ship and wave a goodbye to every outgoing vessel. During her years at the lighthouse, she greeted more than 50,000 vessels. A memorial to her legacy is located on Savannah's Historic River Street. This is the first memorial to a Georgia woman in any city park.
Tomochichi, Chief of the Yamacraw Indians, was rumored to stand over seven feet tall, have only one good eye and wear a cape of bear skin. Tomochichi is buried in Wright Square; a large boulder marks his resting place.
While the Spanish Moss that hangs from Savannah's majestic oaks is a true reminder that you are in the romantic deep South, it does not make a great souvenir. Often undetectable by the naked eye, a small biting bug called a chigger makes Spanish Moss its home. During the early days of the Colony, residents often stuffed and bounded their mattresses with the soft and bountiful Spanish Moss only to wake up irritated and itchy after the tiny bugs invaded their slumber. As a result, a common phrase emerged in Savannah, and it was – “Goodnight neighbor, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite!”
Besides English, the other languages spoken in the early days of the colony were Indian languages, Spanish, Portuguese, Yiddish, French, Gaelic and German.
Savannah over the years has become the fictional home of some of the silver screen's most memorable movies including “Forrest Gump,” “Roots,” “Gator,” “Glory,” “Something to Talk About,” “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” “Forces of Nature,” “The General's Daughter,” and the Robert Redford golf epic, “Legend of Bagger Vance.” Hollywood loves Savannah because our beautiful Historic District and Low Country landscape make an instant movie set. While in Savannah take a movie tour and see the sights featured in some of pop culture's favorite films.
In a study published by the Savannah Historic Foundation, one of the most admired preservation groups in the country, more than 40 percent of 2,500 buildings inventoried in Savannah had architectural or historical significance.
While wandering around Savannah, if you happen to take a stroll down St. Julian Street, you will notice you are walking on oyster shells. You have discovered Tabby. Tabby is a type of cement or plaster used for mortar, walls and walkways. Because limestone was not available along the coast, the colonists burned oyster shells and mixed the ash with sand and water to make cement.
When the Colony of Georgia was founded in 1733, Catholics, lawyers and hard liquor were banned. But considering that Savannah is now home to the largest celebration in the South honoring St. Patrick (an Irish Catholic Saint) and is famous for the “To-Go Cup” (thanks to the city's liberal view on cocktails to-go), Savannah has obviously dropped all bans created long ago.
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. was founded in Savannah in 1912 by a Savannah woman named Juliette Gordon Low. Her childhood home now serves as the Girl Scouts' National Headquarters.
Dining in Savannah
Enjoy low-country classics like creamy she-crab soup, or cosmopolitan offerings like delicate scored flounder with apricot glaze. Or, try old-time soul food like a crispy plate of fried chicken and fresh collard greens.
The Lady & Sons (Paula Deens Restaurant)
102 W. Congress St., Savannah
(912) 233-2600
17 Hundred 90 Restaurant
307 East President St., Savannah
(912) 236-7122
The Olde Pink House
23 Abercorn St., Savannah
(912) 232-4286
Carriage Tours
Carriage Tours of Savannah
802 Wheaton St., Savannah
(912) 236-6756
www.carriagetoursofsavannah.com
Historic Savannah Carriage Tours
100 Aberdeen St., Savannah
(912) 443-9333
www.savannahcarriage.com
Haunted Tours
Savannah has a thousand ghost stories to tell and several interesting and unique ways to get you spooked! Walking lantern tours, horse and carriage rides under the stars, theatrical rides in a converted hearse or a Haunted Pub Crawl where the occasional libation helps to calm the nerves, are just a few ways you can explore America's Most Haunted City.
America's Most Haunted City
615 E. 54th St., Savannah
(912) 292-0960
www.sixthsensesavannah.com
America's Most Haunted City - The Tour
888-DR-GHOST
www.americasmosthauntedcity.com
Bonaventure Cemetery Tours
615 E. 54th Street, Savannah
(912) 292-0960
www.bonaventurecemeterytours.com
The Club at Savannah Harbor
The Club is in close proximity to the Westin Hotel, one of AAGP's headquarters' hotels. The Club is home for The PGA Tour's Champions Tour Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Tournament and offers an 18-hole championship course designed by renowned Architect Robert Cupp in conjunction with the legendary “Slammin' Sam” Snead. Recently named one of the "Top 60 Golf Resorts in the United States" by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, and awarded a “Four Star Best Places to Play” by Golf Digest, The Club at Savannah Harbor offers unparalleled views of historic downtown Savannah while it gently winds its way through tidal wetlands. In the true Troon Golf tradition, you can be assured a round at The Club at Savannah Harbor is certain to provide an enjoyable and challenging golfing experience for players of all abilities.
In addition to our Championship golf course, the club also contains The Greenbrier Spa at Savannah Harbor. Modeled after its namesake spa at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia's world-renowned resort, The Greenbrier Spa offers over 35 individual treatments. A day at the Greenbrier Spa at Savannah Harbor is sure to relax and rejuvenate both body and soul.
History of Savannah
Savannah's recorded history begins in 1733 when General James Oglethorpe and the 120 passengers of the good ship "Anne" landed on a bluff high along the Savannah River in February. Oglethorpe named the 13th and final American colony "Georgia" after England's King George II. Savannah became its first city. The plan was to offer a new start for England's working poor, and to strengthen the colonies by increasing trade. The colony of Georgia was also chartered as a buffer zone for South Carolina, protecting it from the advance of the Spanish in Florida.
Under the original charter, individuals were free to worship as they pleased and rum, lawyers and slavery were forbidden - for a time. Upon settling, Oglethorpe became friends with the local Yamacraw Indian chief, Tomochichi. Oglethorpe and Tomochichi pledged mutual goodwill, and the Yamacraw chief granted the new arrivals permission to settle Savannah on the bluff. As a result the town flourished without warfare and accompanying hardship that burdened many of America's early colonies.
Savannah is known as America's first planned city. Oglethorpe laid the city out in a series of grids that allowed for wide open streets intertwined with shady public squares and parks that served as town meeting places and centers of business. Savannah had 24 original squares with 21 still in existence.
During the American Revolution, the British took Savannah in 1778, and held it into 1782. A land-sea force of French and Americans tried to retake the city in 1779, first by siege and then by direct assault, but failed.
After independence was secured, Savannah flourished. Soon, farmers discovered that the soil was rich and the climate favorable for cultivation of cotton and rice. Plantations and slavery became highly profitable systems for whites in the neighboring "Lowcountry" of South Carolina. So Georgia, the free colony, legalized slavery. The trans-Atlantic slave trade brought many African-Americans through the port of Savannah. Many who stayed in the area formed the unique Gullah culture of the coastal communities in Georgia and South Carolina. With the wealth brought by cotton, residents built lavish homes and churches throughout the city. After the invention of the cotton gin on a plantation outside of Savannah, the city rivaled Charleston as a commercial port. Many of the world's cotton prices were set on the steps of the Savannah Cotton Exchange. The building is still in existence.
But Savannah was not spared from misfortune. Two devastating fires in 1796 and 1820 each left half of Savannah in ashes, but residents re-built. The year 1820 saw an outbreak of yellow fever that killed a tenth of its population. Savannah also survived fires, epidemics and hurricanes, but always bounced back.
Pre-Civil War Savannah was praised as the most picturesque and serene city in America. It was known for its grand oaks festooned with Spanish moss and its genteel citizenry. The Georgia Historical Society was founded in that era. Magnificent Forsyth Park got its ornate fountain, a sight worth seeing.
During the Civil War, the city suffered from sea blockades so strict that the economy crumbled. "Impregnable" Fort Pulaski at the mouth of the Savannah River was captured by Union soldiers in 1862. The city itself did not fall until Union General William Tecumseh Sherman entered on December 22, 1864, after burning the city of Atlanta and everything else in their path on his "march to the sea." Upon entering Savannah, Sherman was said to be so impressed by its beauty that he could not destroy it. On December 22, 1864, he sent a famous telegram to President Abraham Lincoln, offering the city as a Christmas present. Reconstruction began. Food was scarce in Savannah, and the economy was in ruins. Despite these hardships and the added burdens of prejudice, the freed slaves who remained in Savannah built a thriving community, with its own churches, schools and economic strength. Savannah became one of the most historically significant African-American cities in the nation.
At the turn of the 20th century, cotton was king again. Savannah thrived, as did her new industries, including the export of resin and lumber. Then the boll weevils came, destroying most of the cotton and the state's economy—about the same time that the Great Depression began.
It wasn't until the post-war years that Savannah bounced back again, not just economically but also culturally and aesthetically. A group of women banded together in the 1950s to preserve historic structures threatened by the wrecking ball. Their brave endeavors began the Historic Savannah Foundation, which is credited with saving the beautiful architecture that was the foundation of Savannah's charm. Savannah's Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It is one of the largest historic landmarks in the country.
Significant buildings that were saved and restored include the Pirates' House (1754), an inn mentioned in Robert Louis Stevenson's book "Treasure Island"; the Herb House (1734), oldest building in Georgia; and the Pink House (1789), site of Georgia's first bank. Also saved were the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, (completed in 1821), now owned and operated by the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. as a memorial to their founder. The Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, built in 1812 as a mansion, was one of the South's first public museums. Restored churches include the Lutheran Church of the Ascension (1741); the Independent Presbyterian Church (1890) and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (1876), one of the largest Roman Catholic churches in the South. The First African Baptist Church was established in 1788. Savannah's Temple Mickeve Israel is the third oldest synagogue in America. (From the Savannah Convention and Visitor's Bureau)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Savannah Events Guide
www.savannahvisit.com
Savannah Visitor Information Center
301 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Savannah, GA 31401
912.944.0455
Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
River Street Hospitality Center
1 River Street
Savannah, GA 31401
912.651.6662
Daily 10 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Hours are subject to change depending on events and seasons.
Tybee Island Visitor Information Center
S. Campbell Ave. and Highway 80
Tybee Island, GA 31328
912.786.5444 or 800.868.BEACH(2322)
Daily 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Savannah Airport Visitor Information Center
464 Airways Avenue
Savannah, GA 31408
912.964.1109
Daily 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Interactive Map of Savannah
map.mapnetwork.com
*info provided by howard spiva |
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