Return to Savannah - Last 10 days in Hilton Head - Part 2 of 2

With only a couple of days left before our return home, we decided to pay another visit to Savannah. We parked in the same place as before - this time noticing a sign saying “no parking on Wednesday between 12.01 a.m. - 4.00 a.m. due to street cleaning” - as this didn’t affect us, we were once again happy to park for free!
We crossed through Forsyth Park, this time taking a different route, in order to see parts of the city that we didn’t see last time. One significant difference in the park since we were there just over a week ago was that the café had suddenly closed - a fact that the local mothers at the children’s play area were complaining about.....with good reason - given that the toilet facilities, very important for their children’s needs, were also locked up in the same building!
Exiting the park on the western side, we turned north and started our walk towards the City Market. We passed through Orleans Square where some of the most majestic homes of prominent families were built. One of the oldest squares - established in 1815 - was named to honour General Andrew Jackson’s victory at the Battle of New Orleans. A peaceful, quiet place, with an attractive fountain (added in 1989 to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of Savannah) it’s a popular spot for outdoor weddings. Surrounded by the Harper Fowlkes House - built in 1842 in the Greek Revival Style - and close to the Savannah Civic Centre and the SCAD’s Oglethorpe House, this is another square where lots can be seen......or simply a place to take a seat on one of the stone carved benches, listen to the water splashing into the fountain and enjoy the scenery........but as we were in search of breakfast, we continued on our way!
The next place on our itinerary, could fill up a whole blog itself.....so to be brief.....Telfair Square renamed over a century after it was first laid out in 1733 as St. James Square, could - perhaps - take up most of a day. Surrounded by Trinity United Methodist Church, Jepson Centre For The Arts and Telfair Academy it is reason alone to return to this city.
Jepson Centre is devoted to contemporary art and travelling exhibitions. Opened in 2006, this beautiful building has over 7,500 sq ft of gallery space, an auditorium, cummunity gallery, education studios, and a 3,500 sq ft interactive gallery for families. The collection features important artists of the past fifty years and the Centre is also the home of the original Bird Girl statue - made famous in the photograph on the cover of the book - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Telfair Academy houses American and European art from both the 19th & 20th century - it also contains 19th century period rooms. Opened to the public in 1886, this neoclassical Regency mansion, with its furnishings, sculptures and paintings is the oldest public art museum in the south, and was the first in the U.S. to be founded by a woman - Mary Telfair, the granddaughter of the original owner Edward Telfair - a Revolutionary War patriot and later governor of Georgia.
Trinity United Methodist Church, originally established as Wesley Chapel in 1807 by the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, was incorporated into the current church when it was dedicated in 1848. Built with Savannah grey brick, in the Greek Revival style, it can be toured by calling ahead to make arrangements.
Tempting as it was to visit these three interesting places, we decided that together with the many other possibilities to see inside Savannah’s beautiful homes, churches, museums and buildings it would give us reason to return again......so on this sunny day we continued with our outdoor discovery of this lovely city.
Just on the edge of the City Market we found our breakfast at The Goose Feathers Café. Serving food - cafeteria style - for over 30 years, this restaurant is a popular spot for locals as well as tourists. Well organized - a menu is given to every customer upon entering, which allows people enough time to make decisions on their food order before reaching the counter.......a very efficient way to keep the line moving. After payment is made, customers find their table and food is quickly delivered by the wait-staff. Meals are made-to-order, with freshly baked bread and pastries made on-site daily. With a range of sandwiches, salads + made from scratch sweet items, the café also serves breakfast all day. Coffee is good, prices are great (my eggs Benedict on a croissant was $6.95) and the pleasant ambience at Goose Feathers keeps many customers returning regularly.
Two blocks from River Street, we finally reached City Market - an area of courtyards and cobbled streets, between Ellis and Franklin Squares. With specialty shops, art galleries + restaurants that range from casual to upscale and “high-end,” this is a place where there’s something for everyone - including your dogs if you bring them along!
The square closest to the old Market area was demolished in 1954......but after the revitalization of the area (and many years of lobbying by locals), the parking lot built there was bulldozed and the square was restored.........at that time it was renamed as Ellis Square, after the second Royal Governor of Georgia. Today this Square, which lies on one side of City Market, is a modern, attractive place with shaded tables, a life-size chess set set, a fountain and a statue of Savanah-born Johny Mercer - the writer of “Moon River.” Live music can often be heard here and local clubs boast some of the best jazz music in the city.
Before leaving the City Market, we took a look at the second square which completes the area....situated on the Western side, it’s named in honour of Benjamin Franklin. Designed in 1790 and also known as “Water Tower Square,” it supplied the city’s water in the mid to late 19th century.......it then became one of Savannah’s “missing” squares, until it was restored in the 20th century. An interesting monument in the centre pays tribute to Haitian soldiers who, as volunteers, helped to fight for American Independence. The 12 year old drummer boy in the sculpture - Henri Christophe - went on to become the first King of Haiti.
Just a few steps away and across Bay Street is an area above the Savannah river known as Factor’s Row and Factor’s Walk. A collection of old, red brick buildings - 3 floors high above River Walk, these were formerly the offices and warehouses of the cotton brokers - known as cotton factors. We had already enjoyed the ground floor of these unique buildings on our last visit, so this time we walked along the concrete and iron walkways that connects the buildings to this bluff above the river. With antique shops and small cafés to explore, it provided us with an interesting walk that runs parallel to the river. One building we passed was the Old Cotton Exchange - with its beautiful red terra-cotta winged lion fountain, it’s now home to the oldest Masonic Lodge in the U.S. We also checked out the view from a rooftop terrace bar in a boutique, riverfront hotel - apparently it’s a great place enjoy a drink and watch the sun set over the Savannah River and the Talmadge Bridge.
After admiring everything along the whole length of Factor’s Walk, and strolling through the lovely Emmett Park - which is at its Eastern end - we finally made our way down to the River. One elevator, 3 sets of steps and a couple of winding roads give access to River Street......having previously used the the very worn and steep steps, this time we (wisely) took one of the cobbled streets! Many unique building materials can be seen throughout this area - a result of trade trips that travelled between here and England during the 18th and 19th centuries. Ballast stones that were used to stabilize ships after they had unloaded their cargo of cotton, were dumped onto the riverfront upon their return. The stones were then repurposed and used as building materials.......these attractive cobbled streets were one of the uses for these ballast stones and they are still in evidence today.
We entered Morrell Park, a quiet grassy area that contains two monuments - The Waving Girl” & one that represents the Olympic cauldron. In 1996 the yachting events were held in Savannah - the five Olympic Rings are represented with five columns, which also signify the Greek heritage of the Olympic Games.
Close by is the statue of Florence Margaret Martus, which has a more romantic story. Between 1887 and 1931 the sister of the Elba Island lighthouse keeper met every ship that went in or out of the port of Savannah....the story claims that she waved them in with a white handkerchief or a lantern. Her larger than life figure, along with the handkerchief, lantern and her dog, is depicted in the bronze statue looking out towards the Savanah River. In the statue she is seen waving - she was, according to the story, waiting for the sailor that she loved to return.
We turned our backs to the river and walked up a cobbled street in order to make our way up the Eastern part of the Historic District. We passed through both Washington and Warren Square - both quiet, neighbourhood places surrounded by lovely large (but not huge) homes and a couple of historic buildings that can be toured. Washington Square also has a 5-star boutique hotel - The Brice, which was formerly the International Seamen’s House. These two shady squares are where locals come to walk their dogs, enjoy the green space and maybe sit and sip a glass of wine.....Savannah’s Historic District is one of the few places in the U.S. where it’s legal to drink “in the streets”- up to maximum size of 16oz - and only in a plastic or paper cup - no cans or bottles allowed!
We were more in the mood for another kind of refreshment - and - as we were very close to Broughton Street, where less than 2 weeks ago we’d searched out and enjoyed Leopold’s famous ice-cream, we decided - why not?! Once again we sat at one of the outside bistro tables, savouring our cones, as we watched Savanah walk by - commenting on what a relatively small area this is - when we spotted a young lady who we’d spoken with earlier in the day as she worked behind the counter in a French café on Factor’s Walk - perhaps a student at SCAD? ......she was carrying her supplies from the large Art-Supply store a few doors away.
Sustained by the jolt of intense chocolate-chip, chocolate ice-cream, we easily walked the next 1/2 block which brought us to Columbia Square. A unique fountain brought from the Wormsloe Plantation, home of one of the first settlers of Savannah, stands in its centre. One side of the square is occupied by a popular bed & breakfast that is housed in the historic and grand Kehoe House - reportedly the most haunted house in Savannah. On another side of the square is the house that started the restoration movement in this historic district - Davenport House. Originally built in 1820, but threatened with demolition in 1955, it was saved by a group of women from Savannah who raised the money to purchase it - thus becoming the first act of the newly formed Historic Savannah Foundation. It was later converted into a museum, and by using restored furnishings and wallpaper it adheres accurately to the era of when the Davenport family lived in the house.
Leaving the square we found our next destination, which covers a very large area.
The Colonial Park Cemetery, established in 1750 and enlarged in 1789, was closed for any further burials after being declared full in 1853. Initially used only for the citizens of the surrounding parish, after its expansion was used for the internment of members of many of Savannah’s prominent families. It was also the burial ground of over 700 victims of the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1820. It is said that the Federal troops who occupied the cemetery during the Civil War desecrated and looted some of the graves.......this story together with the fact that many of the duels fought for over 150 years in the cemetery (and the casualties from these duels being buried there) leads to it now being a popular spot for stops on many of Savannah’s guided ghost tours! Named a city park in 1896, we discovered that Colonial Park Cemetery to be on of Savannah’s most beautiful restorations.
With our allotted time in the city fast running out, we left the cemetery to see one of our last, but certainly one of the most stunning sights in Savannah - the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Built in 1873, this beautiful French-Gothic cathedral narrowly missed being burnt to the ground after only 25 years - but the inside was totally destroyed. Completely repaired, with an impressive alter, stained glass windows made by Austrian Glassmakers, and murals painted by the city’s own artists, it can be visited most days - either by a pre-booked tour or independently. After admiring the exterior, we peeked inside before taking a look at its adjacent “home” square - Lafayette.
Although there are no monuments in this square named for Washington’s Aide de Camp - The Marquis de Lafayette - there is a fountain and some interesting architectural and historical buildings - one of which is the carriage house adjacent to the Andrew Low House - which was left by his widow for the purpose of housing Girl Scout memorabilia - she was the founder of the Girl Scouts of America.
On another side of the square is The Hamilton-Turner House. This “new gem on Lafayette Square” has rapidly gained the reputation as one of the best historic Inns in the area. Now a popular venue for honeymoons and special occasions, its food was described by Rachel Ray as “glorious.” Built in 1873 for a jeweller - Samuel Pugh Hamilton who later became a mayor of Savannah - no expense was spared in its construction and furnishings. This “Grand Victorian Lady,” as it was known to locals, was famous not only for its tall windows and cast iron balconies, but for the indoor conveniences of “talking-pipes” which allowed conversation throughout its 4 floors. It boasted an indoor bath and “privy” + electricity which was added just 4 years after Edison invented the lightbulb - not so surprising as Hamilton was also president of the power company! It is said that Lafayette Square, in the early to mid 1880’s, was a popular place for people to gather together in the evening to watch the lights go on inside this house.
We took our leave of Savannah after one last walk alongside Forsyth Park.
A few years ago on a previous visit, we had aimlessly strolled the city in the scorching heat of an August afternoon and taken the “tourist trolley.” Another occasion, on a colder than usual late-December night, we’d taken a chilly stroll through the almost deserted City Market streets that sparkled with Christmas lights, before enjoying a great dinner.
This time with almost perfect temperatures and sunny skies, we’d spent 2 full days doing some serious walking and in-depth exploration of the streets, parks, various areas within the Historic District and, of course the squares......although we still did not manage see all 22 of them!
Any visitor who would like to see the interior of the churches, houses, museums, art galleries and other indoor cultural attractions of Savannah - not to mention sampling its culinary offerings - would need to spend many hours in this city. Indoors or outdoors - whatever time of year it is visited - Savannah’s traditional southern charm and beauty seems to blend effortlessly with its young and artsy vibe.....to become familiar with this city would, in our opinion, only make it more enjoyable. We will be back.....but for now, it’s time to head home and start planning our travels for 2018!