It was decided. We were driving to Savannah. Linda P drove while I navigated with my phone’s GPS. We parked at the Welcome Center parking lot which was almost immediately after we crossed the bridge.
Our plan was to take a trolley tour to get an overview of Savannah. Our trolley driver was Jamie. We did one complete loop before getting off again at stops we thought were the most interesting.
Gen. James Oglethorpe and his settlers founded Savannah in 1733. They designed the town with the village square system. Originally there were 24. Through the efforts of some preservation minded ladies, the Historic Savannah Foundation was formed. Today 22 squares remain. All new buildings must follow guidelines to preserve the architecture of the square. Savannah’s successful preservation has brought about other civic renewal projects elsewhere.
During the Civil War when Gen. Sherman burned a trail through Georgia, the Conferderate Gen. Hardee knew that resistance was useless and withdrew his troops to prevent Savannah from destruction. Sherman entered Savannah on Christmas Day 1864 and offered it as a Christmas present to Abraham Lincoln.
Throughout the tour reenactors boarded the trolley to tell their role in Savannah’s history. This lady told about how Savannah was saved from being burned because they surrendered!The squares in each ward had huge old oak trees with Spanish moss. Each one had its own district history and statues. Another reenactor talked about the “Real McCoy.” That was alcohol that was served pure without being diluted. Sailors knew their liquor.
Savannah once had three cemetaries. Over the years when they needed more space, they voted to relocate two of them. Moving the caskets was very expensive, so they decided to move just the markers. Savannah has the distinction of “building over their dead”.
This lady portrayed Julliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girls Scouts in 1912. While traveling in Europe she got the idea to start the Girl Scout program. Her birth home is in Savannah and is open for tours as is her home when she married Andrew Low.Savannah has the distinction of having the only walk through MacDonald’s window. This is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Church. It was built in 1896 but had to be rebuilt three years later after a fire. It is one of the largest cathedrals in the South. It reminded me a lot of the cathedrals we have seen in Europe, just not as old but quite impressive. The columns, floors, railings and altar were marble; beautiful murals and stained glass window filled the walls.
The organ was made of solid oak with a lot of pipes -2,081 !
Savannah was built on a bluff next to the river. Getting to the river means going down a big hill. This is the third floor of the cotton warehouses. The managers had their offices on the third floor and had cat walks out and stairs to get to the loading docks. Our trolly bumped its way down this cobble stoned road to River Street. The old cotton warehouses have been preserved and changed into restaurants, bars, art galleries and of course t-shirt and souvenir shops. The Savannah River Queen which offers several different tours. With just a day’s visit, we did not take a ride. Maybe next time. This building is Savannah’s gold domed city hall. This is the Waving Girl Statue along River Street. In the early 1900’s the city’s light tender’s sister, Florence Martus, waved to every ship that came into port. Ledgend has it that she was waving in hopes of finding her long lost love, a sailor who had promised he would come back to her.
We got to see the square where Tom Hanks sat on a bench to say “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get” in the movie Forest Gump. Also the idiom about “keeping up with the Jones” came about from Savannah’s gorgeous oak lined Jones Street.
Of course, a day of adventure with the four of us cannot be had without a bit of drama. We had to switch trollies when we were done the complete loop. In doing so, I realized on the second trolley that I did not have my cell phone. I told our new driver and he contacted the office. Luckily we remembered out driver’s name was Jamie. Calling the trolley company later the day, I was told to find Malcom at the last stop to get my rescued phone. What a relief! Just like I said before, there’s always something!
2 Replies to “A Visit to Savannah, GA-April 8, 2019”
When we were there, years ago, Forest Gump’s bench was there. They took it away! 🙁
When we were there, years ago, Forest Gump’s bench was there. They took it away! 🙁
They took it and put it in one of their museums.