One of the exhibits is this carriage of the Gordon family, who included William Washington Gordon, who founded the Central of Georgia Railroad. His son, William Washington Gordon II, served as a Confederate officer in the civil war and as Brigadier General in the Spanish American war. His granddaughter, Juliette Gordon Low, founded the Girl Scouts of America. That happened in Savannah, on March 12th, 1912 – almost exactly a hundred years ago.
Across the hall from the carriage was this early automobile – a 1902 Crestmobile, which was manufactured by Crest Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts. It was originally purchased by Dr. H. A. Jones, in August of 1902. That seems appropriate, as the vehicle was called The Doctor’s Runabout.. It had a single cylinder engine and, according to a poster on the internet, sold for around $750.
The Museum also had a display on Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin. Whitney is famous for two inventions – the cotton gin, and manufacturing firearms from interchangeable parts. He demonstrated the worth of the process by taking a number of guns to congress, where he disassembling them. mixed up the parts and quickly reassembling the guns.
The cotton gin helped revitalize the economy of the South and its dependence on slavery. Later, the North adopted his manufacturing process, contributing to their victory in the civil war.
After leaving the museum, we found this beauty in the City Market, just down from Ellis Square, where she seems to be staring at Johnny Mercer’s statue.
Or maybe he is staring at her, while he pretends to read the morning newspaper.
During our second day of wanderings, we ended up on River Street. It is filled with restaurants and shops and, of course, boats, which offer another way to tour Savannah.
The tour companies offer combination boat and horse drawn tours but we just did the trolley tour. There are several tour companies, but we picked the Savannah Tours, and really enjoyed the tour. The driver was very entertaining and knowledgeable.
Many of the buildings on River Street date to late 17th and early 18th century.
Everywhere you go in Savannah there are magnificent trees and flowers, like this view up to Bay Street from River Street.
This is Kehoe House, a Historic Inn on the east side of Columbia Square. It was originally built by William Kehoe, an Irish immigrant. He worked his way up from labourer to owner of the Iron Works. The house was home to William, his wife and ten children.
It was designed by Dewitt Bruyen who, at Kehoe’s insistence, used iron in many places where wood would normally be used such as window frames, doors and the entry staircase. Yes, all of that intricate trim is made from iron!
On the north corner of Columbia Square is the Davenport House and Museum. This magnificent building, built by Isaiah Davenport, was very nearly demolished in the 1950’s. A group of seven Savannah women raised the cash to buy the house and prevent the demolition.
Subsequently, the Historic Savannah Foundation restored the house to its original grandeur. It was the first of many homes they have restored.As you can see a grand home.
Here is Hodgson Hall, named for William B. Hodgson, a Prominent Savannah scholar and Diplomat. It was donated by his relatives to the Georgia Historical Society for their headquarters in his memory.
Every where you go there are the stately Live Oaks spreading their limbs and reaching for the sky.
Even in the middle of the City Market.
In the south end of Historic Savannah is Forsyth Park, a large multi-purpose park with a beautiful fountain, and memorials to Confederacy and Spanish American war. In the 1850’s the city planners abandoned the ward and square structure that typifies the historic district, and put this large park in the south end.
As well as a band shell, the park has large open spaces and bike paths.
Back in the early days, when there was a fire in Savannah this bell would ring two sequences. The first rings would indicate which ward the fire was in. The second rings indicated the fire’s severity. After hearing the bells, everyone would grab a bucket and head to the river, and a bucket line would try to put the fire out. Now it only rings once a year, on September 11th.
The Chandler tree, named for the hospital that is behind it, was estimated to be 270 years old when it was registered in 2001. The tree has a spread of 107 feet, a circumference of 16 feet and a height of 50 feet.
As you arrive in Savannah over the Talmadge Memorial Bridge, one building that stands out is this one with its gold dome roof. It is City Hall and is located at the northern end of Bull Street which seems appropriate.
City Hall is just a short distance from where General Oglethorpe and the colonists first came ashore.
Well it was long and enjoyable day filled with history, architecture, legends and great food. Here is final look out over the Historic District
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