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.

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Madison Square, on Bull Street between Chippewa and Monterey Square, is possibly the most monumental in Savannah. With a magnificent 1888 tribute to William Jasper as its centerpiece, Madison offers a wealth of things to see both inside the square and around it.

South Carolinian revolutionary hero Sgt. Jasper was mortally wounded during the Siege of Savannah. He had found fame during an earlier battle with the British, when he recovered a shot-down South Carolina flag and held it aloft in the midst of heavy fighting. The statue pays tribute to that event, and includes other scenes from his life. Cannons from the Savannah armory protect Madison’s southern flank, and a monument to the ill-fated rebel siege on British-controlled Savannah can also be found in the square.

Around Madison, there’s enough to occupy an entire afternoon. You can visit the Green-Meldrim House, where General Sherman famously stayed during his time in Savannah. With its cast-iron fence and extended covered porch, this National Historic Landmark from 1861 is a stunning example of the Gothic Revival style. It’s connected to the St. John’s Episcopal Church. According to legend, the ladies of the congregation, offended by the next-door presence of the enemy Yankee, rang the bells without pause, through the night. Sherman responded by having the bells removed.

On the northwest corner of Madison is one of Savannah’s most famous residences: The Sorrel-Weed House. One of Savannah’s best examples of Greek Revival and Regency architecture, the house has found itself the subject of numerous ghost stories. It was even the subject of a 2009 episode of Ghost Hunters. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, the house is worth visiting.

Across Bull Street is of Savannah’s most unfortunate buildings: the Hilton DeSoto. An ugly, towering blight on the city’s skyline, the Hilton has loomed over the middle of Savannah since 1966, when it replaced the lovely red brick DeSoto hotel. Continuing clockwise around the square brings you to the most popular bookshop in Savannah: E. Shaver’s. We stocked up on Savannah literature here when we first arrived; the staff is helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. With every conceivable genre represented, it’s a fun place to browse.

On the southeast corner of Madison is the SCAD shop, which is a great place to hunt for unique gifts. And should you need a break while touring the houses, shops and churches of Madison Square, you can stop in at the popular Gryphon Tea Room. With its high ceilings, comfortable furniture and classy interior, this former pharmacy is a great place to relax your tired feet.

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Laid out in 1791, Warren Square was named in honor of General Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary hero from Massachusetts who was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Warren Square itself looks like a battlefield — in a fight being waged between the forces of preservation and development.

On the square’s west side is a hulking parking lot, damaging Warren’s aesthetics and rudely truncating the lovely St. Julian Street, which is notable for the oyster shells in its pavement. Turn your attention to the east of the square, however, and an entirely different picture emerges.

On Habersham and especially on St. Julian, there are a number of splendidly restored houses, some of which were moved here from other locations. With its Savannah grey brick, the house at 420-422 E. St. Julian is particularly striking, as it’s so isolated from other buildings. Another excellently restored house is at 24 Habersham, which was built in 1797 by a plantation owner from Daufuskie Island. It hosted Marquis de Lafyette in 1825, and served as a makeshift hospital during the yellow fever epidemic of 1876.

Warren Square itself is almost completely nondescript. There’s a nicely kept yard, but no statues or markers of any kind. But with its location near the river, the beauty of the homes on the east side, and since you probably parked in that hideous garage on the west side anyway, there are plenty of reasons to make a swing through it.

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