What is the history of Savannah Georgia ?

This lead to the formation of the Historic Savannah Foundation and Savannah’s Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.

Oglethorpe and the chief became lifelong friends. The Yamacraw Indians would prove instrumental to the success of Savannah, and the town flourished without the warfare and hardship suffered by so many of the other colonies.

Buildings such as The Pirates’ House (1754), Independent Presbyterian Church (1890) and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (1876) all stand today and have been restored to their original grandeur.

Oglethorpe named the thirteenth colony Georgia after King George II, and Savannah became the first city. Under the charter, the colony was to benefit the poor, increase trade, and to provide a protective buffer between the northern English colonies and the Spanish in Florida

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” and “Forrest Gump” are the two most notable movies to be filmed in Savannah, and “Something to Talk About”, “Cape Fear” and “Glory” also feature scenes in the city. Don't forget to take your box of chocolates (or pralines) for a picture opp in Chippewa Square.

Today, Savannah is Georgia’s fifth-largest city and third-largest metropolitan area. It is an industrial center, important Atlantic seaport and one of the busiest tourism destinations of the Southeast.

The last and poorest of the colonies would serve as a religious haven for all but Catholics who were originally banned from the new colony.

Through wars, fires, widespread disease and the threat of demolition, Savannah has remained a cultural and historical hub of the South.

The “DOT” Express Shuttle is Savannah’s free transportation around the Historic District, but guided trolley tours will get you from point A to B and fill your head with fun facts.

The Trustees selected only those were not able to support themselves in England. The colonists had to agree to stay for three years, spending the first year on public works.

The Importation and Use of Rum and Brandies. Oglethorpe tried to curb strong spirits, but permitted ale, beer and wine.

One of the first things you’ll notice when walking around Savannah is that it’s got a lot of squares -- 22 to be exact.
Why so many? The city’s squares were originally developed as a fire prevention method, but today they serve as peaceful gardens and grassy areas where you can take a second to learn a little history or just take a break in the city.

Savannah is downright balmy in the winter, with high temperatures in the 60s and low 70s between January and March. It cools off a bit at night, so be sure to layer, but your snow boots can definitely stay at home.

Many of the colonists believe that slaves were necessary for the cultivation of Georgia and the work too difficult. Still the ban was upheld until 1750.

A Statute requiring compliance with the Law for Maintaining Peace with the Indians.

Do yourself a favor and wait however long it takes to get into Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room for lunch. Their slogan is “If the colonel made chicken this good, he’d be a general,” so yeah, they know their stuff.
Stuff yourself silly and make new friends at the communal table while chowing down on homemade food such as this ...

Lawyers were also banned from 1733 to 1755. Georgia was to be “free from that pest and scourge of mankind called lawyers.” Oglethorpe and the Trustees detested them, believing each colonist was capable of pleading his own case.

You’re going to want more, so make your way down to The Olde Pink House.
Set in an 18th century mansion, the restaurant boasts both formal and casual dining options, some of which you can enjoy to live music. Be sure to start your meal off right with the delicious Low Country She Crab Soup or fried green tomato and choose from Southern dishes like Bourbon molasses grilled pork tenderloin, sweet potato with pecan vanilla butter and collards or sautéed local shrimp with country ham gravy and cheddar cheese grits cake.

Oglethorpe and his engineers designed “America’s first planned city” around a system of wards and shady public squares, which were used for public services and as meeting places.

Homes and shops were built on the town lots, while the larger trust lots facing the squares east and west were reserved for churches and other public buildings. The squares provided for good defense and an equal division of labor. Savannah’s historic squares have been designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

This is not a drill. There’s more delicious dining out there and you’ll definitely want to make a stop at Vic’s on the River.
Along with serving Southern cooking like wild Georgia shrimp and smoked cheddar stone ground grits, Vic’s also dishes up history. Set in a 19th-century warehouse, the building was used during the Civil War by General Sherman’s officers. The main dining room still has a map on the wall hand-drawn by Union soldiers, detailing Sherman’s march from Tennessee through Georgia.

Forty-two Jewish refugees arrived on July 11, 1733, having fled persecution in Portugal. The colonists welcomed them, especially when they learned there was a doctor among them, for their own doctor had recently died.

After all that eating, you'll need to go for a walk. May we suggest a ghost tour? If ghosts are real, you’re sure to find them in Savannah.
Restless spirits are said to haunt historic homes and cemeteries. Just ask any Savannah native and they’ll be sure to tell you their favorite ghost story (or two).

Most of the Jewish families settled in the area of Ellis Square. Descendents of two of the families; the Sheftalls and Minis’s, are prominent Savannah families today. The Mickve Israel synagogue now sits on Monterey Square and houses the South’s oldest Jewish congregation, the third founded in America.

Rent a car or catch a ride out to Bonaventure Cemetery, a “you’ve gotta see it to believe it” experience. Break out the black and white filters on your Instagram to up the spooky factor.
Visit the famous graves of famous haunters like Little Gracie, a young girl who died and was buried in the 1800s, but whose parents are buried in New England…. or Johnny Mercer, an Academy Award-winning songwriter who wrote “Moon River” and “Hooray for Hollywood”.