Located on the southern banks of the Savannah River, the Savannah Historic District lies at the heart of this Georgia city. It is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States, with atmospheric cobblestone streets, architectural landmarks and picturesque oak-shaded parks.
The Savannah Historic District roughly corresponds with the city bounds prior to the American Civil War, and it was designed into individual wards, each of which was set around a central square. Public buildings such as schools, churches, museums and government offices were built around each square, with residential housing beyond. The result is more than 20 green squares within the Savannah Historic District, with an outstanding collection of the 18th and 19th century architecture in between. Buildings of note include the elegant Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the oldest African American Baptist congregation in the country at the First Baptist Church, as well as one of America’s oldest synagogues at Temple Mickve Israel. The birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, now houses a museum dedicated to her within its Regency-style building, while the Telfair Academy is one of the oldest public art museums in the South, with an outstanding collection of 19th and 20th century American art. Modern art is showcased at the SCAD Museum of Art to the west of here and just a short walk from the Georgia State Railroad Museum with its historic railcars and train rides.
The Savannah Historic District is well served by public buses which travel along its main thoroughfares, as well as ferries which connect it with the northern bank of the Savannah River. There are also old-fashioned trolley tours for those wanting a historic perspective, although its narrow laneways and beautiful public squares are best explored on foot.
When British officer General James Oglethorpe and his settlers landed at Yamacraw Bluff in 1733, he was greeted by Tomochichi, chief of the Yamacraw Indians. The town of Savannah was established and became the British colonial capital of the Royal Colony of Georgia in 1751, developing into the southernmost commercial port of the British Thirteen Colonies.