Mar 16 2008
Savannah’s Famous Squares
When James Edward Oglethorpe arrived in Savannah in 1733, he had a vision that the city would be laid out in a series of six wards and squares. He went to work on four of them in 1733 and planned for Lower New Square and Upper New Square—now Reynolds and Oglethorpe Squares.
On the east and west sides of the squares would be city properties, and on the north and south, 60 x 90 foot lots for residences. Families were given five acres outside city limits for personal gardens, and 44 acres beyond for crops to be raised for the good of the community.
Originally there were 24 squares in Savannah. Two were lost to “prosperity”: Elbert Square, named for a Revolutionary soldier and governor of Georgia, which became the Civic Center; and Liberty Square, named for the Revolutionary group known as the Sons of Liberty, which became the jail and courthouse. Another square, Ellis, named after the first royal governor, was converted into a parking garage, but after the lease ran out, the city re-claimed the property and is currently working on restoring it to a square (see below). It is hoped to be completed by spring of 2008.
Johnson Square was the first of Savannah’s squares and remains the largest of the twenty two. It was named for Robert Johnson, colonial governor of South Carolina and a friend of General Oglethorpe. Interred in the square is Revolutionary War hero General Nathanael Greene, the namesake of nearby Greene Square. Greene died in 1786 and was buried in Savannah’s Colonial Park Cemetery. Following vandalism of the cemetery by occupying Union forces during the Civil War the location of Greene’s burial was lost. After the remains were re-identified Greene was moved to Johnson Square. An obelisk in the centre of the square now serves as a memorial to Gen. Greene. The cornerstone of the monument was laid by Lafayette in 1825. At that time the obelisk did not yet commemorate any specific individual or event. In fact, due to financial restrictions the unmarked obelisk served for several years as a joint monument to both Greene and Casimir Pulaski (see Monterey Square). Inscriptions honoring Greene were added in 1886, but Greene’s physical remains did not arrive until 1901, following his “rediscovery.”
Johnson Square contains two fountains that once served as public ovens, as well as a sundial dedicated to Colonel William Bull, the namesake of Savannah’s Bull Street. Bull was a South Carolinian who assisted Oglethorpe with the establishment of Savannah and, as a surveyor, laid out the original street grid. The sundial has four panels, one on each side of its square granite base. The dial itself is bronze, set atop a marble shaft. One of the base panels reproduces a 1734 map of Savannah.
Famous buildings around the square include Christ Church, the original Anglican “Mother Church” of the Oglethorpe settlers and home church of many prominent Savannah citizens including Juliet Gordon Low. It’s tower houses a Paul Revere bell.
Johnson Square is located on Bull, between Bryan and Congress Streets.
Wright Square was the second square established in Savannah in 1733. It was first named Percival Square after Lord Percival, generally regarded as the man who gave the colony of Georgia its name, a tribute to Great Britain’s King George II. It was renamed in 1736 to honor James Wright, the third, last and perhaps most notable of Georgia’s three royal governors. It has also been known as the Court House Square as both the old and new court houses are still standing there.
The square is the burial site of Tomochichi, a leader of the Creek nation of Native Americans. Tomochichi was a trusted friend of Oglethorpe’s and assisted him in the founding of his colony. When Tomochichi died in 1739, Oglethorpe ordered him buried with military honors in the center of Wright Square. In accordance with his people’s customs the grave was marked by a pyramid of stones gathered from the surrounding area. In 1883, citizens wishing to honor William Washington Gordon, founder of the Central of Georgia Railroad, replaced Tomochichi’s monument with an elaborate and highly allegorical monument to Gordon; hence, he is the only native Savannahian honored with a monument in one of the city’s squares. Gordon’s widow objected strongly to this perceived insult to Tomochichi, so she and other members of the Colonial Dames planned to erect a new monument to Tomochichi made of granite from Stone Mountain. The Stone Mountain Monument Company offered the material at no cost. Ms. Gordon felt that she was being condescended to and insisted on paying. The Monument Company sent her a bill–some sources say for 50 cents, others for one dollar–payable on Judgment Day. Ms. Gordon paid the bill and attached a note explaining that on Judgment Day she would be occupied with her own affairs. The new monument was erected in 1899, and stands on the southeast corner of the square.
The square houses the Lutheran Church of the Ascension built in 1844.
Wright Square is on Bull, between State and York Streets.
Ellis Square is located on Barnard between Bryan and Congress Streets. It was named after Henry Ellis, second Royal Governor of the Georgia colony. It was also known as Marketplace Square, as from the 1730s through the 1950s it served as a center of commerce and was home to four successive market houses. Prior to General Sherman’s arrival in December 1864 it was also the site of a slave market. In 1954 the city signed a fifty-year lease with the Savannah Merchants Cooperative Parking Association, allowing the association to raze the existing structure and construct a parking garage to serve the City Market retail project. Anger over the demolition of the market house helped spur the historic preservation movement in Savannah. When the lease expired in 2004 the city began plans to restore Ellis Square. The old parking garage was demolished in 2006, and construction is underway on a new underground lot that will have twice the capacity of the old structure. Above ground, the square is to feature an open space for public concerts and other gatherings. Development of hotel and residential space on adjacent properties is taking place concurrently with the Ellis Square project. The restoration is slated to be completed in the Spring of 2008.
St. James Square, later changed to Telfair Square, was named in honor of a green space in London and marked one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in early Savannah. It was renamed in 1883 to honor the Telfair family. It is the only square honoring a family rather than an individual. The Telfairs included former Governor Edward Telfair, Congressman Thomas Telfair (Edward Telfair’s son), and Mary Telfair (1791-1875), benefactor of Savannah’s Telfair Museum of Art. The square also contains tributes to the Girl Scouts of America, founded by Savannahian Juliette Gordon Low, and to the chambered nautilus. The Square is the site of the Telfair Museum of Art, the Jepson Center for the Arts, and the Methodist Church. Telfair Square is located on Barnard, between State and York Streets.
Reynolds Square (Lower New Square) was laid out in 1734 and was later renamed for Capt. John Reynolds, governor of Georgia in the mid 1750s. The square contains a bronze statue by Marshall Daugherty honoring John Wesley, founder of Methodism. Wesley spent most of his life in England but undertook a mission to Savannah (1735-1738), during which time he founded the first Sunday school in America. The statue was installed in 1969 on the spot where Wesley’s home is believed to have stood. The statue is intended to show Wesley preaching out-of-doors as he did when leading services for Native Americans, a practice which angered church elders who believed that the Gospel should only be preached inside the church building.
Reynolds Square was the site of the Filature, which housed silkworms as part of an early—and unsuccessful—attempt to establish a silk industry in the Georgia colony. It is located on Abercorn, between Bryan and Congress Streets.
Oglethorpe Square (Upper New Square) was laid out in 1742 and was later renamed in honor of Oglethorpe. The square contains a pedestal honoring Moravian immigrants who arrived with John Wesley and settled in Savannah from 1735 to 1740 before resettling in Pennsylvania. The square is the site of the Owens-Thomas House, supposedly the finest example of Regency Architecture in the United States, and now a museum. It is located on Abercorn, between State and York Streets.
Eighteenth Century Squares
Savannah grew rapidly in the late Eighteenth Century and six new wards were established in the 1790s alone, including the four that now comprise the northeastern quadrant of the Historic District. The new wards expanded the grid by one unit to the west and by two to the east. Due to space restrictions these new wards are slightly narrower east-to-west than the original six.
Built in 1790, Washington Square was named in 1791 for the first President of the United States, who visited Savannah in that year. Washington Square had been the site of the Trustees’ Garden, named for the trustees of Oglethorpe’s colony. The garden was the proving ground for a variety of experimental crops—including mulberry (for silkworms), hemp, and indigo—viewed as potential cash crops for the new colony. Most of these experiments proved unsuccessful. Washington Square was one of only two squares named to honor a then-living person (Troup Square was the other). Washington Square was once the site of massive New Year’s Eve bonfires; these were discontinued in the 1950s. Washington Square is on Houston, between Bryan and Congress Streets.
Franklin Square was laid out in 1790. In 1791 it was named for Benjamin Franklin, who served as an agent for the colony of Georgia from 1768 to 1778 and who had died in 1790. It was also known as Water Tank Square, Water Tower Square and Reservoir Square, having been the site of the city’s water supply. Franklin Square almost suffered the same fate as other Montgomery Street squares that were lost to development in the 1970s but was restored during the following decade. Franklin Square is located on Montgomery, between Bryan and Congress Streets, and anchors the western end of the City Market retail area. The Square is the site of the First African Baptist Church, a stunning building erected by slaves in 1859, and home church to many distinguished Civil Rights leaders including Reverend Ralph Mark Gilbert. Martin Luther King visited and preached in the church several times, and its history includes involvement in the Underground Railroad System. The Square also houses a memorial honoring Haitian volunteers who fought with Pulaski during the Siege of Savannah.
Warren Square was laid out in 1791 and named for General Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary War hero killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill who had served as President of the Provincial Government of Massachusetts. British gunpowder seized by Savannahians had been sent to aid the Americans at Bunker Hill. The ‘’sister city’’ relationship between Savannah and Boston survived even the Civil War, and Bostonians sent shiploads of provisions to Savannah shortly after the city surrendered to Gen. Sherman in 1864. Warren Square is on Habersham, between Bryan and Congress Streets.
Columbia Square was laid out in 1799 and is named for Columbia, the poetic personification of the United States. It is located on Habersham, between State and York Streets. In the centre of the square is a fountain that formerly stood at Wormsloe, the estate of Noble Jones, one of Georgia’s first settlers. It was moved to Columbia Square in 1970 to honor Augusta and Wymberly DeRenne, descendants of Jones. It is sometimes called the “rustic fountain,” as it is decorated with vines, leaves, flowers, and other woodland motifs.
Columbia is the site of quite a few historic buildings, most important being the Isaiah Davenport House, a Federal-style home built in 1820. In the 1950’s this home was slated to be demolished for a parking lot. Seven citizens of Savannah “stood in front of the wrecking ball” and saved the house from destruction. These seven ladies went on to found the Historic Savannah Foundation which now governs all buildings and changes in the historic district. The Foundation headquarters are also located on the south end of the Square.
The Square also is the home of the Kehoe House, built in 1892 by an iron magnate who boasted that anything you can do with wood in building a house you can do with iron, and he proved it. Outside window casings, the columns, the ornamentation-all are iron. The building was once owned by NY Jets quarterback, Joe Namath, and is now a bed and breakfast.
Greene Square was laid out in 1799 and is named for Revolutionary War hero General Nathanael Greene, an aide to George Washington. A native of Rhode Island, Greene commanded southern forces during the Revolution, and after the war settled at Mulberry Grove, an estate fourteen miles above Savannah. Greene, along with his son, is actually buried in Savannah’s Johnson Square. Greene Square was once the center of Savannah’s African-American community and is the home of the Second African Baptist Church, and supposedly the scene of Sherman’s reading of the article that promised freed slaves “ten acres and a mule.” It is also said to be the place where Martin Luther King practiced his speech, “I Have A Dream.” It is located on Houston, between State and York Streets.
Nineteenth Century Squares
Chippewa Square was laid out in 1815 and named in honor of American soldiers killed in the Battle of Chippawa during the War of 1812. (The spelling “Chippewa” is correct in reference to this square.) In the centre of the square is a bronze statue of Georgia founder General James Oglethorpe created by sculptor Daniel Chester French and unveiled in 1910. Oglethorpe faces south, toward Georgia’s one-time enemy in Spanish Florida, and his sword is drawn. Due to the location of the monument, Savannahians sometimes refer to this as Oglethorpe Square, although the actual Oglethorpe Square sits just to the northeast.
The “park bench” scene which opens the film Forrest Gump was filmed on the north side of Chippewa Square. The bench was a fiberglass prop, rather than one of the park’s actual benches. A prop bench used in the film is on display at the Savannah Visitors Center. Chippewa Square is located on Bull, between Hull and Perry Streets.
Orleans Square was laid out in 1815 and commemorates General Andrew Jackson’s victory in the Battle of New Orleans that same year. In the centre of the square the German Memorial Fountain honors early German immigrants to Savannah. Installed in 1989 it commemorates the 250th anniversary of Georgia and of Savannah, as well as the 300th anniversary of the arrival in Philadelphia of thirteen Rhenish families. The headquarters of the Society of Cincinnati are located on this square. Orleans Square is located on Barnard, between Hull and Perry Streets, and is adjacent to the Savannah Civic Center.
Lafayette Square was laid out in 1837 and is named for the Marquis de La Fayette, the French hero of the American Revolution, who visited Savannah in 1825. The square contains a fountain commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Georgia colony, donated by the Colonial Dames of Georgia in 1984, as well as cobblestone sidewalks. Several prominent sites are located on the square: The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the inspiring and stunning Catholic home of the Bishop; The Andrew Low Home and carriage house, married home of Juliet Gordon Low and the place where she held the first Girl Scouts meeting; the Flannery O’Connor childhood home; and the Hamilton Turner House, a beautiful historic building that is now a bed and breakfast. Lafayette Square is located on Abercorn, between Harris and Charlton Streets.
Pulaski Square was laid out in 1837 and is named for General Casimir Pulaski, who died in the Siege of Savannah. It is one of the few squares without a monument—General Pulaski’s statue is actually in nearby Monterey Square. Prior to the birth of the historical preservation movement and the restoration of much of Savannah’s downtown, Pulaski sheltered a sizeable homeless population and was one of several squares that had been paved to allow traffic to drive straight through its center.
Pulaski square is located on Barnard, between Harris and Charlton Streets and is known for its live oaks.
Madison Square was laid out in 1837 and named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States. In the centre of the square is a 1888 statue by Alexander Doyle memorializing Sgt. William Jasper, a soldier in the Siege of Savannah who, though mortally wounded, heroically recovered his company’s banner. Madison Square features vintage cannon from the Savannah Armory. These now mark the starting points of the first highways in Georgia, the Ogeechee Road leading to Darien and the Augusta Road to Augusta. The square also includes a monument marking the center of the British resistance during the Siege. Madison is the site of the Green-Meldrim House, the place where General Sherman stayed during his time in Savannah. It is now the parsonage for the Episcopal church next door. Madison Square is located on Bull, between Harris and Charlton Streets.
Crawford Square was laid out in 1841 and named in honor of Secretary of the Treasury William Harris Crawford, born in Savannah in 1772. Crawford ran for President in 1824 but came in third, after winner John Quincy Adams and runner-up Andrew Jackson. Although Crawford is the smallest of the squares it anchors the largest ward, as Crawford Ward includes the territory of Colonial Park Cemetery. It is located on Houston, between Hull and Perry Streets on the eastern edge of the historic district. During the era of Jim Crow this was the only square in which African-Americans were permitted. While all squares were once fenced it is the only one that remains so. Crawford Square has also retained its cistern, a holdover from early fire fighting practices. After a major fire in 1820 firemen maintained duty stations in the squares, each of which was equipped with a storage cistern.
Chatham Square was laid out in 1847 and named in 1851 for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. Although Pitt never visited Savannah he was an early supporter of the Georgia colony and both Chatham Square and Chatham County are named in his honor. The square is located on Barnard, between Taylor and Gordon Streets.
Monterey Square was laid out in 1847 and commemorates the Battle of Monterrey (1846), in which American forces under General Zachary Taylor captured the city of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War. (The correct spelling in reference to the square is “Monterey,” with a single r.) In the centre of the square is an 1852 monument honoring General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish-born Revolutionary War hero who died of wounds received in the Siege of Savannah (1779). The cornerstone of the monument was laid by Lafayette—in Chippewa Square. Due to financial limitations an obelisk in Johnson Square served as a joint memorial to Nathanael Green and Pulaski for several years. By 1852 funds had been collected to give Pulaski his own monument. The sculptor was allowed to chose the site for the project and he had the cornerstone moved to Monterey Square. Deterioration of the Pulaski monument was noted as early as 1912, and pieces began to fall in the 1990s. Restoration of the monument was completed in 2001 and the discovery of bones located underneath the monument led to the re-burial of those bones (now believed to be Pulaski’s) in the square.
Monterey Square is the site of Mercer House, built by Hugh Mercer and more recently the home of antiques dealer and restorationist Jim Williams. The house, and the square itself, were featured prominently in John Berendt’s 1994 true crime novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The square has been used as a setting for several motion pictures, including the 1997 film version of the novel.
The square also is home to Congregation Mickve Israel, the third oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. The synagogue, dating from 1878, is the only Gothic-style synagogue in America.
Monterey Square is located on Bull, between Taylor and Gordon Streets and is widely considered to be the most picturesque of Savannah’s squares. All of the surrounding buildings but one (the United Way Building) are original to the square.
Troup Square was laid out in 1851 and named for former Georgia Governor, Congressman, and Senator, George Troup. It is one of only two squares named for a person living at the time (the other being Washington Square). A large iron armillary sphere stands in the centre of the square, supported by six small metal turtles. The armillary has been the source of some controversy, as it is one of the only examples of modern sculpture in the squares. A special dog fountain is located on the west side of the square. The Myers Drinking Fountain was a gift from Savannah mayor Herman Myers in 1897 and originally placed in Forsyth Park. When moved to Troup Square its height was adjusted for canine use and has become the site of an annual Blessing of the Animals. Troup Square is the site of the Universal Unitarian Church (known as the UU church) also known as the Jingle Bell church as James Pierpont, the man who wrote Jingle Bells, was once organist there. Troup Square is located on Habersham, between Harris and Charlton Streets.
Calhoun Square was laid out in 1851, one of the last squares created, and is named for South Carolina statesman John C. Calhoun, who served as Secretary of War, Secretary of State, and as Vice President under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. It is sometimes called Massie Square in reference to a neighborhood school still standing there, and considered to be the oldest, continuously running school in Georgia. It is the only square with all of its original buildings intact, including the Wesley Monumental Methodist Church. It is located on Abercorn, between Taylor and Gordon Streets.
Whitefield Square was laid out in 1851, the last of Savannah’s squares, and was named for George Whitefield (pronounced witt-field and thus often misspelled Whitfield), an English clergyman. A friend of John Wesley, Whitefield founded a home for orphans which is still in existence, and ministered to some of Savannah’s earliest settlers. The square and much of the surrounding ward became the first burial ground for African-Americans in Savannah, after the backyard burial of slaves was prohibited in 1818. Many of the remains were removed to Laurel Grove Cemetery when the ward was developed. The square’s gazebo is a popular setting for weddings, and the square is the sight of several houses with Victorian architecture and serves as the boundary between the Historic District and the Victorian District. It is located on Habersham, between Taylor and Gordon Streets.
Forsyth Park
After 1851, as the city expanded south of Gaston Street, further extensions of Oglethorpe’s grid of wards and squares were abandoned. Forsyth Park, named for a governor of Georgia and located just south of Monterey Ward, was intended to be a single large park that would serve the growing southern portion of the city just as the squares had served their individual wards. The original northern portion of the park, surrounding the well-known fountain, occupied an area the size of an entire ward from the old city, and the park more than doubled in size during later years. The park’s acreage was a gift from Wm. Hodgson, and the park houses the fountain, a fragrant garden for the blind, a dummy fort, a monument to the Confederate Solider, a monument to the soldier of the Spanish American War, tennis courts, and a splendid walking path lined with majestic Live Oaks.
Other, smaller neighborhood parks have been established in the southern portions of the city.
Source for some of this information: Wikipedia - www.wikipedia.org
