In 1733, General James Oglethorpe, founder of the British colony of Georgia, directed the design and settlement of the new town of Savannah, high on a bluff overlooking the Savannah river. Today, Savannah is still famous for its English grid design with green areas regularly interspersed throughout the downtown. Much of Savannah's outstanding 18th and 19th century architecture also survives. The Savannah Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, encompasses much of Oglethorpes's town plan based on divisions of wards, squares, and "trustee lots."

Most of the original squares remain and are surrounded by fine examples of buildings in a variety of architectural styles and types, ranging from Gothic Revival mansions to Greek Revival rowhouses. Notable buildings include the Federal style Davenport House built c. 1820 (East State Street), the Owens-Thomas House built in 1818 (Oglethorpe Square), the Beaux-Arts style Edmund Molyneux Mansion circa 1917 (Bull Street), the Spencer Woodbridge House built in 1795 (Habersham Street), and the 1853 Gothic Revival Greene House (Madison Square). Important sites associated with the African American community in the district include the Beach Institute (East Harris St.), constructed in 1865 as the city's first black school, the First African and First Bryan Baptist Churches, and the King-Tisdell Cottage, the 1896 home of a working-class African American family.

LOCATION

The boundaries of the Savannah Historic District are the Savannah River, E. Broad Street, Gwinnett Street, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

TELEPHONE

(912) 944-0455 Savannah Visitors Center
1 (800) 444-CHARM Savannah Convention and Visitor's Bureau

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING

Summers are hot and humid. Winters are mild and normally pleasant. Recommend light clothing April to November. Inspect repellent recommended in spring, summer and fall. Good walking shoes.

DIRECTIONS

From I-95, exit onto I-16 east. Downtown Savannah is 10 miles ahead off of I-16.

This map was created using MapQuest

TRANSPORTATION

Bus: Greyhound Bus Lines serve Savannah. Taxi Service is available from the bus station to downtown Savannah.

Air: Large airlines carriers operate in Savannah. Car rental is available at the airport.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES

Savannah offers a wide range of tours and related activities. As a result, fees vary. Information is available from the Savannah Visitors Center, in the restored Central of Georgia railroad station at 301 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, at the end of Interstate 16.. The visitor center is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Educational and entertaining tours are available, and the Visitors Center provides cassette tapes in several languages for walking and driving tours. Tape players are also available. In addition to the tours listed below, professionally guided bus tours are available from the Visitors Center on a daily basis. For more information, visit or call the Visitors Center at (912) 944-0460 or consult sightseeing tours in the yellow pages.

Walking Tours - Four map tours are available of the Historic District including the squares and various restoration areas (1 - 2 hours).

Driving Tours - Four map tours are available including Old Savannah and nearby Thunderbolt and Tybee Island (1 - 4 hours).

Carriage Tours - Horse-drawn carriages provide an overview tour of the Historic District. Two carriage companies are available for group or individual tours. Call the Visitors Center for more information.

Cruises - Several tours are available for the Savannah River (including dinner cruises), the Low Country coast, and surrounding bodies of water. Call the Visitors Center for more information.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Savannah has a wide range of restaurants and other visitor attractions. A popular tourist destination is River Street, a cobblestone street along Savannah's Historic Waterfront. River Street has numerous shops, galleries, and restaurants

ADJACENT VISITOR ACTIVITIES

  Fort Pulaski

  First Bryan and First African Churches

  King-Tisdell Cottage

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

On the World Wide Web, more information on historic sites and other attractions can be found at Savannah Online.