The Juliette Gordon Low Historic District is an area near the Colonial Park Cemetery in the Historical District of Savannah. The district includes three buildings: The Wayne Gordon House, the first Girl Scouts headquarters, and the Andrew Low House.
About the District's Homes
The Wayne Gordon House is the birthplace of Juliette Gordon, the founder of the Girl Scouts of America. Juliette was born in the house in 1860 and lived there until 1886 when she married her husband William Mackay Low. The house belonged to Juliette's grandparents, who bought it in 1831 from Supreme Court Justice and Georgia State Representative James Moore Wayne. The house was built for James Moore Wayne in 1818 who, at the time, was the mayor of Savannah. Juliette's family kept the house until the Girl Scouts of the United States of America purchased it in 1953.
After Juliette married her husband, they moved into the Andrew Low House. This house was built in 1848 for Andrew Low, a wealthy cotton broker. Juliette lived in this house from 1886-1905, and she inherited the home after her husband's death in 1905.
After Juliette's husband died, she traveled to Britain where she met Robert Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts. Robert asked Juliette to become involved with the Girl Guides, a British organization for girls that was similar to the Boy Scouts. She was so inspired by the principle instilled in the boys and girls through scouting that she decided to return to Savannah to bring the Girl Guides to the United States.
Juliette returned to Savannah in March of 1912 and began organizing and funding the Girl Guides (renamed the Girl Scouts). She held meetings at her parents' home and at the Andrew Low House. She also turned the carriage house behind the Andrew Low House into the first Girl Scouts headquarters.
The First Girl Scout Headquarters is in the back of the Andrew Low House behind the garden. The two-story building was likely built at the same time as the rest of the house. In 1912, Juliette added wings to the first story to expand the meeting place. When she died in 1927, she left the house to the Savannah Area Girl Scout Council.
Visit Historic Savannah
Many of our Savannah-area rentals are in the Historic District of Savannah, just blocks from the cities' best attractions including the Juliette Gordon Low Historic District. For information on our Savannah rentals, please contact us.