In route to Vero Beach, Florida to retrieve a new trailer for our boat Karen and I stayed a night in Savannah. Georgia’s oldest city is ideal for walking and gawking. We spent most of our time in the Historic District where in 1733 James Oglethorpe laid out the streets around park-like squares to form a perfect grid for wandering tourists.
Tomo-Chi-Chi of the Yamacraw tribe was Savannah’s co-founder. The Creek Chief was received by the King in the English Court and buried right here in Wright Square.
The steeple of the Mother Church of Georgia’s Presbyterians was used as the backdrop in movie credits earning it the nickname, “The Forest Gump Church.”
Juliette Low founded the Girl Scouts of the USA on March 12, 1912 in Savannah. Her niece, Daisy Gordon was the first member enrolled. JLo’s statue sits in the garden behind her birthplace and home at 10 E. Oglethorpe Ave.
We withstood a long line in sweltering heat to buy a scoop of Leopold’s Ice Cream for 99¢ to celebrate their 99th Birthday. Mr. Stratton Leopold runs the business and confirmed my view that, “Vanilla is the best flavor to judge a maker’s ice cream the first tasting.” He was a sweet treat, so was the ice cream.
The Big Duke Alarm Bell was built in 1872 to warn residents a fire was blazing. It was dedicated as a memorial to firefighters in 1985 and named after Alderman Marmaduke, chairman of the city’s fire committee.
Once ship’s ballast, these cobblestones now pave the streets along the Savannah River. The walk is lined with 200-year-old cotton warehouses renovated as restaurants, shops and watering holes. Gold-topped City Hall looms in the background.
We stayed in the Historic Planters Inn but skipped the buffet breakfast to dine with the locals at Henry’s. A Savannah native sitting next to us at the counter told me, “I’ve lived here all my life. This is the best working-man’s breakfast in town.”
In 1764 Colonel Mullryne started a plantation on St. Augustine Creek three and one-half miles from Savannah. He named it Bonaventure or Good Fortune. A large tract became the Bonaventure Cemetery and made Savannah one of the first cities to organize a Department of City Cemeteries for maintenance and supervision.
Bonaventure’s star resident is “Little Gracie.” Her father managed the Pulaski House in Savannah and she was adored by all who visited the hotel. Gracie died of Pneumonia at age six in 1890 and John Waltz carved her image from a photograph to honor the child everyone loved.
We left a lot to explore in Savannah. We had a great time, met many nice people, learned a ton of history and ate some of the best, homemade ice cream I’ve ever had. Not bad for a one-night stand.