Savannah on the coast of Georgia
In
1733, General James Edward Oglethorpe and 120 travelers landed on a
bluff high along the Savannah River, naming the thirteenth and final
American colony, Georgia, after England's King George II. Savannah became
its first city.
Oglethorpe was befriended by the native Yamacraw Indian chief,
Tomochichi, who granted the new arrivals permission to settle on the
bluff, thus allowing the town to flourish without the warfare and
hardship that stifled the beginnings of many of America's early colonies.
Oglethorpe laid the city out in grid form, with wide open streets
intertwined with shady public squares and parks to serve as meeting
places and business centers. Of 24 original squares, 21 still exist.
As farmers discovered, Savannah's soil was rich, and the climate
favorable for the cultivation of cotton and rice. Plantations and
slavery became highly profitable for whites in the neighboring South
Carolina areas, causing Georgia, the last free colony, to legalize
slavery. The transatlantic slave trade brought millions of Africans to
the Americas, and many of them passed through Savannah, forming the
Gullah culture of the Atlantic coastal communities in Georgia and South
Carolina.
The economic boom from exporting cotton allowed residents to build lavish
homes and churches. With the growth in trade, especially after the
invention of the cotton gin, the city rivaled Charleston as a commercial
port. Many of the world's cotton prices were set on the steps of the
Savannah Cotton Exchange, which still stands today.
From 1819, Savannah was the home port of the S.S. Savannah, the first
steam-powered vessel to cross the Atlantic. After more than half a
century of growth and prosperity, Savannah suffered two devastating fires
in 1796 and 1820, each leaving half of Savannah in ashes. In 1818 a tenth
of the population was lost to an outbreak of the yellow fever epidemic.
The glorious
city managed to bounce back and pre-Civil War Savannah, with its grand
oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, was hailed as the most picturesque
and serene city in America.
During the Civil War, in 1864, when General William Sherman entered the
city, having burned every southern city north of Atlanta to the ground,
he was so taken by its beauty that he sent a telegram to Abraham Lincoln,
presenting the city of Savannah to him as a Christmas present. The war
was over for Savannah and reconstruction began. After the war many freed
slaves remained in Savannah, founding their own churches, schools and
communities. Savannah, Georgia's oldest black community, went on to
become one of the most historically significant African-American cities
in the nation.
As the economy grew and cotton regained its importance, Savannah entered
the new century re-establishing herself as the 'Belle of Georgia'. The
Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark, and
remains one of the largest historic landmarks in the country.
Many restored old buildings survive, including: the Pirates' House, built
in 1754; the Herb House, dating back to 1734 and the oldest existing
building in Georgia, and the Pink House, built in 1789 as the site of
Georgia's first bank. There are also several restored churches.
The fourth largest city in Georgia, Savannah is known not only for its
historical architecture and famed cemeteries, but also for its jazz and
blues, tranquil and pristine beaches, excellent golf courses, deep-sea
fishing and exceptional museums.
