Named by Conde' Nast Traveler as one of the top 10 U.S. cities to visit, Savannah, Georgia takes you back to a time of opulent mansions, moss-draped oaks and impressive churches. For the locals, Savannah is a state of mind, a place to feel a part of the community, a place where joie de vivre is a part of everyday life.General James Oglethorpe founded Georgia in 1733. He developed Savannah's unique city plan, which is laid out in squares, or miniature parks, which serve as the organizing system for the historic district. The population grew as Jewish refugees from Spain arrived followed by Moravians and Salzburgers from Germany. Other early settlers were French Huguenots, Scottish Highlanders, Swiss, Greek, Welsh and Irish. When Oglethorpe grudgingly lifted the colony's ban on slavery, Africans and West Indian natives were brought to the city.
Cotton contributed to the city's wealth, and splendid homes were built throughout downtown Savannah. Two devastating fires in 1796 and 1820 each left about half of the city in ashes, including homes, businesses and the city market. 1820 was also the year of a yellow fever epidemic in which over a tenth of Savannah's population died. Savannah survived through these and other disasters, including hurricanes, always bouncing back to glorious life afterwards.
In 1864, General William T. Sherman captured Savannah and presented the city as a Christmas gift to President Lincoln. During the Civil War, Savannah was spared the fate of so many other Southern cities that were burned to the ground during Sherman's legendary March to the Sea. |
