All 24 Savannah Squares

At the top of Abercorn Street is Reynolds Square, originally laid out in 1734 as Lower New Square, but renamed in honor of the Royal Governor John Reynolds.

A stern 1969 statue of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, dominates the center of the square. The British preacher arrived in Savannah, on an invitation from Oglethorpe, to be the new city’s religious leader. He had a troubled time here, becoming romantically involved with a young woman, only to later refuse her communion after their affair came to an end. She brought suit against him, but he escaped to Britain plagued by self-doubt, and never returned to Georgia. The statue strikes an imposing figure, with Wesley forcefully clenching a Bible that looks small in his over-sized, powerful hands.

The northeast trust lot of Reynolds Square is where the colonial filature was found; this is where silk from the experimental Trustees Garden would be spun. The garden’s planters wo
uld spend a lot of time in around the square, and a couple of the buildings reflect that fact. The Planters Inn is a 200-year old hotel on the southwest side of the square and the tavern on the bottom floor of the Pink House is called Planters Tavern.

We walked about Reynolds Square somewhat wistfully. It was the last of Savannah’s 22 squares that we had documented, and although we were relieved to have completed the course, it was a little sad. We’d spent so much time around the squares, trying to capture their individual characteristics; many of them started to grow on us. What’s your favorite Savannah square? Leave a comment, and let us know why.

I was surprised to find that both Juergen and I agreed upon our favorite… can you guess which it is? If you have some time to kill, check out an index of all the squares and links to our posts, here.

Location on our Savannah Map

- Best Prices for Car Rentals in Savannah

All for Jesus The Story of a Faithful Woman Who for Jesus’ Sake Followed the Salzburgers to Ebenezer Georgia

A striking whethered gray memorial stone in Emmet Park pays tribute to a group of Lutherans from Salzburg who came to Georgia to escape religious persecution. Oglethorpe welcomed them with open arms, and suggested they settle a town along a river, about 25 miles north of the new colony’s capital. And Ebenzer was born.

Although we knew nothing about Ebenezer other than the text on the memorial, we decided to stop there during a recent day trip. Ebenezer is difficult to find, barely on the map, and we kind of doubted we’d find anything there. A “Dead End” sign greeted us as we turned onto Ebenezer Road; not very encouraging, but we discovered some signs of life at its end.

Stepping out of the car, we were swept into the arms of Ebenezer’s welcoming committee. An older man greeted us and led us around what’s left: a museum dedicated to the Salzburg Lutherans, the Jerusalem Salzburg Church built in 1769 and still in remarkable condition, and an original cabin filled with colonial artifacts of German and Austrian design.

Ebenezer doesn’t really exist anymore. But at its inception, the Lutheran community had been immediately successful. The town served briefly as the capital of Georgia, and was the home of a state governor. But the war with the British devastated Ebenezer, and it never recovered. In 1855, it was abandoned for good and the remaining residents were incorporated into the nearby city of Rincon.

This history was fascinating, as was seeing the original cabin and stepping inside the ancient church. We had a great time talking to our guide, his son, and another man who’s lived and worshiped there his whole life. Before Juergen had said more than two words, they had him pegged as German, making him flush and me laugh. We spent probably an hour chatting with them, and only reluctantly said goodbye to get back on the road home.

Super nice people, and our visit to Ebenezer was a lot more fun than we had figured it would be. On the way back into Savannah, I reflected on how diverse and interesting our country really is. An abandoned, historic town in the middle of the Georgia backwoods, founded by persecuted Austrians. Crazy.

Official Website: Georgia Salzburger Society

Location on our Day Trip Map

- Most Insane Festival we went (do check out the links – it’s incredible)

The Music of Johnny Mercer

One of the most beautiful squares in Savannah is doubtlessly Monterey, named in honor of the 1846 Battle of Monterey from the Mexican-American War. With an outstanding memorial to Casmir Pulaski in its center, incredible houses surrounding it, and plenty of history, Monterey is one of our favorites.

The most famous house on Monterey Square is the Mercer-Williams House, where Jim Williams lived and shot Danny Hansford dead, as detailed in The Book. The film was filmed on location here, making the Mercer-Williams house is probably the most well-known in all of Savannah. Contrary to popular belief, Johnny Mercer never lived in it; his family built the house, but never occupied it. We’ve yet to take the tour, but plan on it soon.

Across the square is the Congregation Mickve Israel, the only Gothic-style synagogue in America. It’s also one of the oldest Jewish congregations in the country, having formed in 1733. Oglethorpe’s colonial Georgia was welcoming to Jewish immigrants, and some of the city’s original settlers were Spanish and Portuguese Jews, looking for freedom from Catholic persecution. They brought with them a handwritten copy of the Torah (a Sefer Torah) which is still used today for special occasions.

Just as the statue of Oglethorpe is in Chippewa and not Oglethorpe Square, the obelisk honoring the revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski probably should be in Pulaski Square, over on Barnard Street. Oh well, it’s a magnificent tribute regardless. Pulaski was Polish, but played a major part in the American Revolution, taking a leading role in the development of our nation’s cavalry. He died in Savannah, and the city has pulled out all the stops to honor him: an obelisk, a square and even a fort.

In the four-story house on the southwest corner of Monterey Square, there’s a great antiques store, which we’ll be writing about soon. The antiques occupy all four floors, and you could spend hours wandering around.

What are your memories, thoughts or stories from Monterey Square? Leave a comment!

Location on our Savannah map

- All of the Savannah Squares