Savannah Things to Do Tips by Ewingjr98

Walking in High Cotton!

While Savannah was built around the cotton industry, this is not where cotton is typically grown. Georgia's best cotton producing region is in the southwest corner of the state, including Dooly, Colquitt, Worth and Mitchell counties. These four counties together produce more than one fifth of the state's total cotton crop.

Did you know:
Georgia ranks second in the U.S. in cotton planted acres and 4th in number of bales produced each year.
Cotton is the most widely grown row crop in Georgia.

Spring Hill Redoubt in Battlefield Park Battlefield Park Review

By 1778 the American Revolution was at full swing. While the British had won, or at least held earned a draw in most early battles, in late 1776 and into 1777 the tides of the war slowly started to swing in favor of the Colonial Army as the British forces were soundly defeated at Trenton, Princeton, Bennington, and Saratoga. These victories brought France into the war on the side of the Colonists, and forced Britain to embark on a new strategy. Britain's efforts in 1778 focused on the southern colonies with an attempt to enlist the support of the large number of southern Loyalists. Their first success in the southern theater was the capture of Savannah, Georgia in late 1778.

After Savannah fell on December 29, 1778, Major General Benjamin Lincoln, commander of Continental Army forces in the South, began organizing an army to retake Savannah. As he gathered some 5,000 men, he also contacted French Admiral the Comte d'Estaing requesting his help blockading the port. D'Estaing arrived on September 12, 1779 along with some 25 war ships and 4,000 soldiers. He bombarded the city from October 3 to 8, destroying many of the buildings, but leaving the defending entrenched British forces unscathed. On October 9, the combined French-Colonist forces, which numbered about 9,000 troops attacked the 3,200 entrenched British. The battle lasted just an hour, with the main assault against the British lines at the Spring Hill Redoubt. The British easily repelled the assault, inflicting over 800 casualties while suffering just 100 killed and wounded of their own. This was the second bloodiest battle of the entire war, costing the life of Polish nobleman Kazimierz Pułaski.

In 2005 parts of the battlefield were rediscovered at the Spring Hill Site, which is considered the focal point of the failed attack. Parts of the original battlefield were excavated, and a replica of the Spring hill Redoubt was constructed nearby.

A plaque on a stone monument marks the spot of the original fortification:

Spring Hill Redoubt

Upon this spot stood the Spring Hill Redoubt.

Here on October 9, 1779 one of the bloodiest engagements of the Revolution was fought when repeated assaults were made by the allied troops of Georgia, South Carolina and France in an effort to retake Savannah from the British.

Directions: The park is located between the Savannah History Museum and the Roundhouse Railroad Museum.

The City of Savannah

Savannah was founded in 1733 and was the first capitol of Georgia when it was both a colony and later a state. Savannah is considered America's first planned city, with its square blocks and large squares. In the American Revolution, Savannah was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the war, which turned into a major British victory. Near the end of the Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman finished his infamous "march to the sea" at Savannah in December 1864. Even after the Civil War, Savannah remained a key city in the cotton industry and one of the largest cotton ports in the world.

Savannah's downtown area was designated a National Historic Landmark Districts in 1966. This area, including the Savannah Historic District, the Savannah Victorian Historic District and 21 squares is one of the largest historic districts in the United States.

Old City Exchange Bell - oldest bell in Georgia

On Bay Street near the Cotton Exchange building, is an usual copper-topped structure containing a bell. This bell was minted in 1802 and once hung in the City Exchange. The City Exchange was basically the town's predecessor to City Hall. The City Exchange was completed in 1801 and served as the home of the custom house, post office, various military units, and various city offices. The building was demolished in 1904 and replaced by the City Hall building in the same location. In 1957 the bell was placed in this replica of the original bell tower.

A plaque beside the bell reads:

Old City Exchange Bell

This bell, which is believed to be the oldest in Georgia, bears the date 1802. Imported from Amsterdam, it hung in the cupola of the City Exchange from 1804 until a short time before that building was razed to make way for the present City Hall.

In its day, the bell signaled the closing time for shops and was rung by a watchman when fire broke out. Its rich tones were heard in celebration of American victories during the War of 1812.

It pealed a welcome to such distinguished visitors to Savannah as Monroe, LaFayette, Polk, Fillmore, Clay and Webster and it tolled tributes for America’s illustrious dead.

The tower of the City Exchange, where the bell hung, was a favorite resort of those anxious about arrival of vessels. The replica of the tower in which the historic bell presently reposes was erected in 1957 through the combined efforts of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, the Pilot Club of Savannah and the Savannah-Chatham Historic Site and Monument Commission.

The Cotton Exchange Factors Walk Review

The red Romanesque Cotton Exchange building was constructed in 1887 when cotton was king in Savannah. In front of the exchange is a fountain whose centerpiece is a terra cotta sculpture of the mythical winged lion called he griffin. Around the fountain is a fence with with medallions featuring the images of US Presidents and famous poets. The fountain was constructed in 1889, but the statue was destroyed by an out-of-control car in September 2008.

A plaque at the Cotton Exchange Building reads:

Old Savannah Cotton Exchange
The Savannah Cotton Exchange building was completed in 1887 during the era when Savannah ranked first as a cotton seaport on the Atlantic and second in the world. In its heyday as a cotton port over two million bales a year moved through Savannah. The Cotton Exchange was the center of activity in the staple which dominated this city's economic life before its evolution into a leading industrial seaport.

The Exchange was designed by the nationally-known Boston architect, William Gibbons Preston (1844-1910). His design won out in a competition participated in by eleven architects. The Exchange is believed to be one of the few structures in the world erected over an existing public street.

The beautiful iron railing around this grass plat, with panels featuring medallions of famous statesmen, authors and poets, once graced the ante-bellum Wetter House in Savannah.

The former Cotton Exchange is now the headquarters of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, which cordially invites you to drop in for a visit.

Address: Bay Street

Factors Walk Factors Walk Review

The area known as Factors Walk was Savannah's original cotton trading area. It was constructed in 1817, with just two floors along the river that housed the cotton coming into port. In 1853, three more floors were added for additional storage and offices. The upper floors can be reached from street level via numerous narrow iron pedestrian bridges that cross over the street known as Factors Walk. Below the iron bridges are cobblestone streets leading down to the water's edge.

"Factor" was the name given to the men who estimated the amount of cotton in a shipment. They calculated, or "factored" the amount of cotton and its worth. Today the entire area is generally referred to by this same name.

This old port and warehouse district is now the core of the tourist area with shops selling tourist junk, restaurants, a few bars, a museum, and a hotel named the River Street Inn. The place is really, really touristy and really didn't seem to be worth my time.

Address: Bay Street

See City Hall's Golden Dome City Hall Review

Savannah's City Hall is the most distinctive building in town with its clocktower topped with a gold dome and a toering American flag. It is interesting to note the dome was historically copper, but was coated in gold leaf as recently as 1987.

Here is the description from the plaque at City Hall:

City Hall is the first building constructed by the citizens of Savannah expressly and exclusively to serve as the seat of municipal government. Opened on January 2, 1906 it has served continuously in this role since that date. City Hall was preceded on this site by the City Exchange, built in 1799 and razed in 1904. Along with municipal offices, the City Exchange housed the Custom House, a post office, and newspaper offices. City Hall was designed by Savannah architect Hyman W. Witcover and built 1904-1905 by the Savannah Contracting Company during the administration of Mayor Herman Myers. It is a Renaissance Revival structure of granite and limestone exterior. The original copper dome was first gold leafed in 1987.

Address: 2 East Bay St., Savannah, GA

Directions: historic district