Savannah Historic District Walking Tour

We explore the oldest, and most architecturally significant areas of Georgia's first city and America's first planned city.

The city's largest square, often called Bank Square by locals, is where the colony was first organized in 1733 and became central to its culture and commerce as it still does today. Home to City Hall, the burials of Washington's 2nd in Command, Nathanael Greene, his son George Washington Greene, The Church of England and much more.

Erected in 1906, the former site of the 1799 City Exchange is where city government flows from today with its 22-carat gold dome.

The South-east corner of Johnson Square is where The Church of England has been in various houses of worship since 1733 and is considered a masterwork in Classic Greek Revival.

One of Savannah's most charming of city squares and one of the original 4 squares laid out during Oglethorpe's founding period. Originally home to the first burying ground, courthouse, jail and eventual burial site of the Indian King, Tomochichi. Few squares have as much history.

Named for South Carolina Royal Governor Colonel William Bull, who assisted in the laying out of Savannah, this central axis is really the main artery of the walking life that Savannah is world reknowned for and features endless architectural styles, churches, shops, cafes and more and is comprised of the 5 city squares that makes up our tour route.

While this is a touring home business and we do not enter it, we do spend quality time at this location. This 1820 home built by prodigy architect, William Jay, first housed a U.S. Supreme Court Judge, but would become central to the grand family of The Gordons, daughter Juliette Low, arguably the most famous for her Girl Scouts of The USA. This family however is a great American tale of immigrants who became pioneers who became industrialists and military and the women's history level with Juliette Low in the mix, a dynamic family story of The American Dream realized.

With its towering 119ft cast iron steeple as the highest point in the city, this 1819 architectural wonder built by John Holden Greene is one of the religious epicenters of Savannah, particularly its Scottish heritage. Woodrow Wilson married in the courtyard.

Originally built as an elite school for boys, The Chatham Boys Academy, with frieze work done by noted Gettysburg Battlefield and Bonaventure Cemetery sculptor, John Walz, is today home to our Board of Education for Chatham County.

Yet another city masterpiece with both Colonial & Victorian rowhouses, churches, inns, pubs, coffeehouses Savannah Theater and monument of Georgia's Founder, Oglethorpe done by Lincoln Memorial sculptor, Daniel Chester French.

Savannah's first boarding house was built and run by an industrious woman and remains one of Savannah's most beautiful and time-honored inns.

This monolithic, stuccoed gem of 1830, is Savannah best survived and most intact religious structure. Not only where Union and Confederates prayed for the first time together after the war but includes a balcony setting once used by slaves and freedmen.

Daniel Chester French may have done The Lincoln Memorial, but he called the statue of Oglethorpe in Savannah, "my life's finest work." As Oglethorpe himself was 6'11, the statue is often called lifesize but is actually over 9 feet in reality!

America's oldest continually operating theater even if multiple fires have altered the original appearance but this is where everyone from Oscar Wilde lectured, the Booth Family acted and where players like Cesar Romero first performed on stage as a child.

Savannah's longest standing coffee house is a local favorite and when time allows, may permit a coffee and bathroom break.

With the London phonebooth outside as a major signifier, there's no mistaking the facade as a pub that would be found in any English town. Founded by a former chef of Kenny Rogers and always popular.

Originally a Victorian stable for Arabian horses, this Moorish inspired building with stunning rounded glass corners and complete terra-cotta facade, is where Henry Ford first opened a showroom in 1905. Today, a popular cocktail bar.

With every square, is a new wonder on the eyes, mind and spirit. Madison Square with its wonderful book seller, two tea houses and 2 of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture and Greek Revival in America with other monuments, its a square you'll get lost in and we'll help you! The Savannah College of Art & Design, America's largest private art school, was founded here in 1976 inside of The Chatham Artillery.

While this is a touring home business and we do not enter it, we do spend quality time at this location. An early Cotton Boom masterpiece and often called The Finest Example of Greek Revival Architecture in America, this touring home has become a modern paranormal phenomenon if because in part, our company's founder, Shannon Scott, was the producer on the Ghost Hunter's episode that made it such a successful attraction! We discuss The Sorrel & Weed families who were empire level agrarian names of The Victorian Age.

This classic English appearing bookseller and teahouse is one of the most popular stores in the entire city and connected to The Eliza Jewett Home who was one of Savannah's empire women.

While this is a touring home business and we do not enter it, we do spend quality time at this location. This 1853 Gothic Revival Home was built complete with gas powered jet air conditioning by New York architect, Robert Norris. Some credit owner, Charles Green with saving Savannah from Sherman's wrath by offering him his personal house to serve as his resident headquarters for the 8 weeks that General Sherman occupied the city.Visited by Harper's Weekly in December of 1865 where they illustrated Sherman and his Generals' roundtable style, where Sherman sent President Lincoln our fair city as a Christmas gift.

Seargent William Jasper, a South Carolinian plantation owner, gave his life to the defense of Savannah during The American Revolutionary War and few monuments anywhere, demonstrate such heroism of the individual and the fight and love for freedom.

One of Savannah's most elite, local, force of guardsmen, of which they are still many proud members today, were once housed in barracks here as The Chatham Artillery. In 1976, two educators from Atlanta, founded what would become America's largest private art school going on to restore over 100 building in Savannah with campuses extending as far away as Lacoste, France.

Inside this massive Roman-styled Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, now owned by The Savannah College of Art & Design, is a tea room that has shared few rivals as far as Victorian authenticity and delicious fare. True Savannahians remember it as Solomon's Drugstore where most of the original interior is derived. Place of sheer beauty!

With its original brick and asphalt brick streets, this largely residential street is Savannah's most desirable and routinely called The Most Beautiful Street in Savannah, the whole east to west Jones Street corridor is perhaps the best example of rowhouses on one block, and exemplary of what it is to live inside of communal Savannah. Homes ranging from 1847 to moderne takes on the old styles.

Among locals, and tourists, Monterey Square usually takes the prize as the city's most beautiful, serene and European. Home to towering rowhouses, some Barbados style, this is where Poland's greatest hero, Count Casimir Pulaski was laid to rest in 1779, where Jeff Davis hid out during The Civil War, and where famous preservation names like Lee & Emma Adler resided until their recent deaths. No tour would be complete without The Mercer House famed to Midnight In The Garden of Good & Evil. Also stopping by The Temple Mickve Israel

To put it simply, there is no finer monument in Savannah, and to the people of Poland, no greater hero. Designed and installed by the Latvian sculptor, R.E. Launitz, and where much controversy occurred when an international debate arose as to who's remains were under the monument and were they actually Pulaski's? The debate will shock you as will the prevailing mystery!

While there is a paid-to museum here, we do not patron interior but spend quality time at the location outside. It shocks and amazes when you tell people that there's a Jewish community this old, and this far South. Savannah claims America's 3rd oldest and to make it extra interesting, the most antique congregation of them attends Temple inside of a Christian styled building. The Temple Mickve holds the oldest Torah in the world at over 1100 years of age and we share with our guests, the most unconventional wisdom about why this all occurred but far closer to the real story than simply the parable!

While the home is an operating museum or touring house, we do not enter the location but spend quality time around property. The 1860 mansion, built by the great-grandson of General Hugh Mercer (Washington Crossing The Delaware), later became a Masonic Temple and then the private home of preservationist, antiques' dealer, Jim Williams, for 20 years. It was here in 1981, a tragic killing occurred that became the subject of the novel, Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil, which some same, became The New York Times Bestseller of All Time. While most tours cover this subject, we bring personal levels to it like no other tour in the city.

For over 30 years, notable Savannah character, Alex Raskin, sold some of the city's most amazing antiques out of the opulent and towering Colonel Hardee Mansion with its stunning cast iron window lintels and wrap-around, decorative balcony along with one of the few surviving grand cupolas. Sold recently to The Ralson College for over 5 million dollars.

This recently restored 1917 mansion, complete with sweeping lion's paw colonnade, is now the private home of hotelier, native Savannahian, Richard Kessler, who founded The Day's Inn company in 1980. Originally the private home of shipping great, George Armstrong, his widow later donating it to the school. It was sold to Jim Williams who lived there prior to moving into The Mercer House. Also featured in the 1962 film, Cape Fear starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck.