Learn about Benjamin Franklin

The only square on Montgomery Street to survive into the present day is Franklin Square. Like the lost squares of Liberty and Elbert, Franklin Square had been a victim of urbanization, but was fortunately restored in the 1980s.

The most western of Savannah’s squares, Franklin is also one of the oddest. The tourist hub of City Market is nearby, meaning grease-caked gawkers hunting for Paula Deen are a constant presence, as are the panhandlers who’ve established a constant presence. Franklin is definitively not among Savannah’s most enchanting squares, but it does boast an incredible memorial to the Haitian Volunteer Army. The Haitians played an invaluable role in the US Revolution, particularly during the Siege of Savannah. Soon after our freedom was won, they returned home and staged a revolution of their own. In 1804, Haiti became the first independent republic in Latin America, and the first black-led nation in the world.

At the western end of the square is the First African Baptist Church, which we recently took an excellent tour of. Back in the days of slavery, the church’s priest would regularly be brought into Franklin Square and whipped. His crime? “Educating” other slaves with his sermons. I’m sure Benjamin Franklin, an abolitionist and all around humanitarian, would have just loved that.

Enjoy our pictures of this interesting corner of Savannah.

Location on our Savannah Map

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Listen more to Johnny Mercer

Layed out in 1733, Ellis Square has the distinction of being one of Oglethorpe’s “original four” squares, along with Johnson, Telfair and Wright. It also has the distinction of being the most singularly ugly of all Savannah’s squares.

But it’s not Ellis Square’s fault! Don’t hate on poor Ellis. In 1954, before the historic preservation movement really got going, Ellis Square was sold to a parking association, which demolished it and built a parking lot on top. Hmmm… Ellis Square was sold and lost its dignity. Before the Civil War, Ellis Square was the site of Savannah’s slave market, where people were sold. Karma!

The parking company’s 50-year lease ended in 2004 and Savannah wasted no time in redeveloping Ellis and reclaiming its 22nd square. But, aesthetically, there’s little doubt they did a poor job. You know, it’s modern times and I suppose they wanted to push the envelope, but Ellis is not beautiful or charming. With plain cement in a circular shape and an utter lack of vegetation, most tourists don’t even realize they’re in one of Savannah’s most historic squares.

City Market sprouts off to the west of Ellis Square, right where Susie Chisolm‘s bronze Johnny Mercer leans happily against his fire hydrant. The Lady and Sons is nearby, as is Goose Feather’s cafe and a number of shops. All this marketplace activity is really the only reason to come to Ellis Square. It won’t be for the view.

Location on our Savannah Map

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Hey, you know what Savannah has plenty of? Tours. Carriage Tours, walking tours, hearse tours, haunted tours, pub tours, haunted pub tours, Civil War tours, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil tours.

Hold on, I’m just getting started! Black history tours, Girl Scout tours, dolphin tours, gates and gardens tours, Paula Deen tours. And trolley tours. Lord, are there trolley tours. There are more trolleys than cars in Savannah! THERE ARE MORE TROLLEYS THAN BLADES OF GRASS. Yesterday, I got hit by a trolley on the street and another trolley rushed me to the hospital, which was itself inside a trolley. The Hospital Trolley Tour. It’s awesome, check it out.

So we’ve done a few trolley tours. How could we not? I won’t mention the less impressive ones … the dumpy ones with plastic covering the windows, you know who you are. No, I suppose if you’re in the city and must do a trolley tour, hunt down the Old Town Trolley. Orange and green. A bit more expensive, but worth it.

First off, the trolleys have sparkly clean glass windows; none of this plastic nonsense. Our driver was good, and managed to be interesting and legitimately funny, which is a tough thing to do when your audience includes a cynical jerk who thinks he’s heard it all before (“me”). He got amusingly frustrated once when our trolley was blocked by an SUV trying to parallel park. While he was complaining, all us tourists pressed our faces to the glass to point and laugh at the dumb-parking idiot. Heh, tourists laughing at locals! Eat it!

The tour is llooooong and comprehensive; perfect for people who don’t have all that much time in the city. You can get on and off as often as you want during the day. As I mentioned, at $25 per person, it’s not the cheapest thing in the world, but package tours are available and I think you can usually find a discount.

Book here and receive a discount: Old Trolley Tours

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