Savannah offers a colorful destination, rich in history and culture. As one of the most visited cities in the South (and one of the oldest), there are an array of interesting tidbits to know about Savannah.
1) Savannah’s First African Baptist Church is the country’s first black church. This cherished landmark served as a safe house for enslaved people, including as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Visitors can still see the holes in floorboards used to ventilate concealed spaces.
2) Savannah is Georgia’s oldest city and the first planned city in the U.S. In 1733, Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe founded Savannah, organizing it into grids with plenty of squares and green spaces.
3) Speaking of old, you can dine at the oldest building in Savannah, The Pirate’s House. First opened in 1753 as an inn for seafarers, The Pirate’s House became a meeting point for pirates and sailors from the Seven Seas.
4) Savannah is home to one of the oldest Jewish congregations in the country, the Congregation Mickve Israel, founded the same year as the city. You can visit the magnificent sanctuary, built in 1878, which features Gothic-style architecture. Or attend a Friday night or Saturday morning Shabbat service.
5) The lyrics to “Moon River” were written by Johnny Mercer, who composed the song about his childhood along the Savannah’s waterways.
6) You can take your drinks to-go when you visit Savannah. The city allows you to take a to-go cup inside the Historic District boundaries. Ask for a cup from your bartender.
7) Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman spared Savannah because of its beauty on his infamous southbound march to the sea during the Civil War. He burned Atlanta and other towns along the route. But instead of destroying Savannah, Sherman sent a telegraph to President Abraham Lincoln, offering the city to him as a Christmas present.
8) The popular The Olde Pink House restaurant was once home to Georgia’s first bank, Planters Bank. Now it’s a bankable spot for a delicious meal.
9) The Forsyth Fountain that has graced the park for more than 150 years was ordered from a catalog. The Janes & Kirtland Co., offered the model of the Forsyth fountain in its Illustrated Catalogue of Ornamental Iron Work.
10) You can still enjoy Savannah like folks did 200 years ago. Take a ride aboard a riverboat or on one of the Old Savannah Trolley Tours. Stroll the squares and relax in a century-old carriage house.