Savannah

We cut this week short and headed off to Savannah for a few days before eventually making our way to Hilton Head for a college friend's wedding.  Our first day was mostly spent in the historic district walking along the riverfront spotting lighthouses, throughout the squares (to find fun monuments), and of course, squeezing in some time for a few breweries / brewpubs.

Thus, we started the day with the latter stopping just down the street from our hotel on Bay Street at Moon River Brewing Company, technically Savannah's only brewpub, for lunch.  While the food and beer were sub-par, the atmosphere and beer sampler shape received thumbs-up from us!

Savannah's historic district is actually a national historic landmark, thus, I had a to find the sign to check that off on our imaginary list of landmarks visited.  The district encompasses the original town plan laid out in 1733 by Gen. James E. Oglethorpe, founder of the British colony of Georgia.   

After passing City Hall and the Custom House, we headed inward to see some of the 24 infamous Savannah Squares (you may want to take a look at this map so you can follow along as we hit all these squares over the course of 3 days!) starting with Johnson Square.  This was the first square designed in 1733 in honor of the Royal Gov. Johnson.  We also breezed by Ellis Square and City Market (which we didn't find all that impressive) before heading down to River Street along the Savannah River.

The colony of Georgia began on Savannah's waterfront in 1733.  The River Street's revitalization began in 1977. It includes nine blocks of brick concourse ideal for strolling, shopping, ship watching, or dining.  Walking along River Street, we noticed that there probably was a streetcar roaring through here back in the day.  We stepped inside the Cotton Exchange Tavern once we realized that within the historic district, open carry laws go by the wayside.

Above is a few of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge that spans the Savannah River between downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island.  We saw quite a few large barges pass through during our time in Savannah.   Today, Savannah is one of the busiest ports in the country, with more than 2,000 large cargo ships passing this point each year. 

It took us awhile to find the Savannah Harbor Light because it wasn't really along the waterfront nor did it look like a real lighthouse.  The lighthouse was erected in 1858 as an aid to navigation of the Savannah River. It stands 25 feet and still active today.  Standing 77 feet above river level and illuminated by gas, it remains in Emmet Park.

Back to the Savannah Squares, we passed Washington Square (designed in 1790 named to honor President George Washington), Warren Square, Reynolds Square (which has a statue of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and the Anglican minister to the colony in 1736), Wright Square, and Telfair Square.  After some serious mileage on our feet, we arrived back at our hotel in time for happy hour!

On the way to dinner, we stopped in at The Distillery for a drink and appetizer.  This building used to be a reputable distillery back in 1904.  By 1920, with prohibition, this place shut down and became a drug store, soda fountain, etc.  The Distillery is the area’s only true craft beer bar and restaurant with 21 Craft Beers on tap.  They're not messin' around.  For dinner, we ended up going to the
Olde Pink House, Savannah’s only 18th century mansion.  It was the perfect setting for a nice meal and the food lived up to the restaurant's charm.  While we didn't venture downstairs, apparently, there was some live music to entertain the guests.

Our second day in Savannah started off with a short drive to Old Fort Jackson Historic Site, another national historic landmark.  President Jefferson authorized the construction of a national defense system of fortification to defend the new nation.  In 1808, Fort Jackson was started constructed over a battery from the Revolutionary War.  Following the War of 1812, construction continued on the fort adding the moat, drawbridge, brick barracks, privies, rear wall, etc.  Fort Jackson was the headquarters for the Savannah River defenses for the Confederacy.   It protected the city until December 20, 1864.  In 1874, Confederate troops upon evacuating Fort Jackson burned the barracks, booby-trapped the front gates, spiked the guns, etc.  The following morning Union troops entered the smoldering fort, bringing Fort Jackson back under the U.S. government.

We toured the fort getting some up close instruction on how the cannons worked.  Later, we received a demonstration from one of the soldiers on how it took several men to aim, move, load, and fire the cannons.  This fort location was chosen to best protect Savannah because any ship traveling to Savannah must pass this point.  The Coastal Heritage Society has been operating the fort since 1976 through a lease with the State of Georgia. Interesting that it's not State or Federal property.

But that brings us to a little further down the road on Cockspur Island where we entered Fort Pulaski National Monument, another national landmark, which became a National Monument in 1924 and placed under the National Park Service in 1933.  It was named for General Casimir Pulaski, the Polish hero who was mortally wounded at the Siege of Savannah, 1779.  There is a 7-foot moat that surrounds the fort.  This fort is also protected in the rear with large earthen mounds that overlay powder magazines and passageways to gun emplacements.  Fort Pulaski was completed in 1847.

Walking along the Fort Perimeter Trail, a few of the 5,275 shots fired can still be seen in the wall.  The 7.5-foot-thick walls were demolished by the Union rifled artillery firing from a mile or more away on Tybee Island.  Fort Pulaski was never garrisoned until its seizure by Georgia troops in January 1861 to prevent occupation by Federal forces.  On April 10, 1862, Federal batteries bombarded the fort for 30 hours breaching the walls causing Col. Olmstead to surrender.

Just outside the fort, we followed a 1.7 mile Lighthouse Overlook Trail (initially the wrong trail) to Cockspur Island Light.  Designed and built in 1848 by John S. Norris, the Cockspur Island Light was destroyed by a hurricane in 1864. A larger replacement was built.  The lighthouse survived the 30-hour Union bombardment of Confederate-held Fort Pulaski in 1862.  The Cockspur Island Light was built on the mouth of the Savannah River in 1856 to guide ships into the Savannah River's South Channel.

Back in town, we continued our Savannah Squares tour as we passed Forsyth Park, where saw some amazing trees and a replica of fountain in Cuzco (not sure if we saw it in Cuzco or not).  After crossing through the park, we passed the Monterey Square, Calhoun Square, Whitefield Square, Troup Square, Lafayette Square (designed in 1873 to honor the Marquis de Lafayette, who aided the Americans during the Revolutionary War), Madison Square (designed in 1837 and named to honor James Madison, the fourth president of the United States), Chatham Square, and Pulaski Square (designed in 1837 and named in honor of Casimir Pulaski of Poland, the highest ranking foreign officer to die in the American Revolution).  

After all those squares, we did stop in at the Crystal Beer Parlor, Savannah's second oldest restaurant opened in 1933 during the Great Depression, for a refreshment.  It was one of the first eating establishments to serve alcohol after the repeal of Prohibition.  For dinner, we headed over to Circa, a gastro pub, that served some fantastic Southern French cuisine.  

On our last day in Savannah, before heading out to Tybee Island, we completed the Savannah Squares tour starting with Orleans Square (which had a beautiful fountain), Chippewa Square, Crawford Square, Greene Square, Columbia Square, and Oglethorpe Square (which was designed in 1742 in honor of James Edward Oglethorpe, the founder of Savannah, Georgia's First City).  I didn't record them but I'm sure we also saw Liberty, Franklin, and Elbert Squares.