Visit Savannah Georgia is incomplete without visiting its historic sites – from grandiose churches to peaceful parks – Savannah offers plenty of noteworthy sites.
Wright Square is one of Savannah’s must-see spots, housing both the Gordon Monument and a memorial boulder to Tomochichi, Chief of Yamacraw Indians.
Sorrel-Weed House
If you are in Savannah looking for an eerie experience, Sorrel-Weed House should be at the top of your list. This classic Greek Revival mansion provides Historic House Tours by day and Ghost Tours by night; even being featured on HGTV!
This home was constructed for shipping merchant Francis Sorrel (1793-1870). Born in Saint-Domingue, he immigrated to Savannah in 1810.
Sorrel sold his house to Henry Davis Weed in 1859, who later was interred in the northern section of Laurel Grove Cemetery. But in 1870, Matilda Weed jumped from one or more second- or third-story windows after discovering her husband was having an affair with Molly (a slave girl).
Monterey Square
Monterey Square is one of Savannah’s most beloved squares, home to the Mercer-Williams House made renowned by John Berendt’s non-fiction novel and 1997 film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. This notorious house served as the backdrop for prostitute Danny Hansford being killed by Jim Williams (an unscrupulous businessman).
Casimir Pulaski was a Polish nobleman and Revolutionary War hero who moved to Savannah looking for better living conditions; eventually dying during the Siege of Savannah during Mexican American War in 1846. This square is named in his honor due to its role in Battle of Monterey where an Irish Jasper Green unit from Savannah participated.
Bonaventure Cemetery
Bonaventure Cemetery may not be top of mind when planning an outing, but Savannah’s Bonaventure cemetery should be. Just 20 minutes from downtown Savannah, this stunning cemetery borders Wilmington River and boasts lush vegetation including Spanish moss and resurrection ferns – an experience unlike any other in Savannah!
Bonaventure’s crypts and monuments once served to display wealth through intricate designs. One such design includes a grotto chapel featuring an obelisk.
Many of the statues and sculptures were created by local artist Charles Walz, best-known for his work at Telfair Academy where obelisks were considered status symbols.
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
Girl Scouts from around the world and across America visit this Historic House Museum to gain more knowledge of its founder. Tours are available daily; reservations are recommended.
Clermont Lee designed this mansion known as the Wayne-Gordon House and First Girl Scout Headquarters as part of his design of Clermont Lee Gardens that reflect Daisy’s childhood years. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965 along with Low House and Andrew Low Carriage House.
The Birthplace commemorates Daisy’s belief in girls’ power to affect social change, as well as her legacy with Girl Scouts of the USA operating the house today.
Temple Mickve Israel
Temple Mickve Israel stands as one of America’s premier synagogues. Designed by Henry G. Harrison – an influential New York architect known for his Gothic-style architectural projects – this impressive new structure established Savannah’s Jews as integral part of local religion landscape.
Temple Mickve Israel, established by Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews who arrived aboard the William and Sarah in 1733 a few months after Oglethorpe established his colony, is America’s third oldest Jewish Congregation. Governor Edward Telfair granted them a perpetual charter in 1790.
In 1954, as its congregation outgrew its small facility on Liberty Street and Perry Lane, Mordecai Sheftall Memorial Hall was constructed to offer more space for worship services and community events.
First African Baptist Church
First African Baptist Church stands as one of Savannah’s most distinctive historic places and is believed to be home to America’s oldest African American congregation, established by enslaved preacher George Leile in 1773 and completed in 1859 with many original elements such as stained glass windows, light fixtures and balcony pews nailed in place by slaves nailed securely into place by slaves themselves. Located on Franklin Square, First African Baptist Church offers visitors an unforgettable historic experience.
Leile preached to slaves along the Savannah River before eventually moving away to Jamaica when the British were defeated in the Revolutionary War. Today, her church is open for visitors from Tuesday through Saturday for tours.
