Savannah - The Haunted City - Part I

BOO!

Savannah is rated as one of the most haunted cities in North America so it stands to reason that a fair proportion of the hotels and visitor sites in Savannah are similarly afflicted. So, if you are heading to the city for a stay, before you check-in, check-out whether you've opted for one of the most frequently haunted hotels and site that offer a free unwanted extra guest or a sudden unexpected visitor..

The Marshal House is one of the oldest hotels in Savannah was built in 1851, and is a prime candidate for ghostly encounters; the Marshall is featured on the city's ghost tour and has a interesting history, being at various times a hospital - once for yellow fever - and also a Union soldiers' clinic during the Civil War. After human bones were unearthed during excavations at the hotel in 1960 guests have frequently reported strange encounters, with many reporting that they have awoken feeling as though someone is taking their pulse. Ghosts of long-dead soldiers and patients have also been seen wandering the hallways and standing in the foyer.

Built in 1852, only a year later than Marshall House, the eerie East Bay Inn backs onto the Savannah River and is home to Charley; the hotel's 'official' ghost. This apparition is a regular visitor to the Inn and in 2001 Charley was finally snapped on film by a guest; the evidence now on display behind check-in. If you plan to stay there just ask to see the picture when you arrive, so you'll be able to identify him later if he appears in your room!

The Eliza Thompson House pre-dated both of the previously mentioned hotels, its construction completed in 1847. Once a private house it is now a 25-room Inn, spread over two major buildings. Both guests and visitors have reported seeing Confederate soldiers at an upstairs window and a young girl in a white dress regularly walks the hallway.

The Olde Harbour Inn is frequently filled with the smell of cigar smoke even when no smokers are present, courtesy of Hank, the Inn's resident ghost. Holder of the 'most-often sighted ghost in Savannah', Hank also likes to indulge in a spot of coin throwing and frequently likes to move things around, such as books and other small items.

Savannah - Kehoe House Bed & Breakfast - Said to be haunted by the spirits of children. Also, by a "Lady in Gray" who haunts not only the bed & breakfast in general, but particularly room #203. People who have stayed in this room have felt their hands being gently touched and have felt kisses upon their cheeks. All have agreed that she seems to be a very friendly spirit.

The 1790 Inn and Tavern - This Inn was built in 1790 and is haunted by a girl named Anna who depending on who you asked will tell you an interesting tale of this seventeen year old girl. What she was shunned after getting pregnant by a sailor? Who jumped out of the third story window and died? Stop by this delightful Inn for refreshment and dine in their wonderful and historic tavern and ask about Anne!

The Hampton Lillibridge House - This is said to be the most haunted house in Savannah, and the only house known to have had an exorcism. When the house was being restored in the 1960s, some workmen refused to finish the job because of strange occurrences (tools disappearing, hearing footsteps when they knew they were alone, strange feelings). On one occasion, a man was seen wearing a black suit and bow tie in the third floor window when no one was living in the house. Neighbors have also heard a woman's scream coming from within the house, and a gray haired man has also been sighted.

Savannah - The Juliette Low Birthplace - two former owners haunt this house: Sarah Gordon and her daughter-in-law Nellie Kinzie Gordon, who was the mother of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouting. Nellie is said to rearrange furniture, play the piano, and slide down the banister after the museum closes down for the night. Visitors to the place often see Sarah, wearing an old-fashioned dress.

There are more than 10 “Ghost Tours” offered in the city and I am told that they are a lot of fun and the guides will give you the “real story”.

My next article will introduce other haunted spots such as the Fort Pulaski…late at night it is known to echo strange noises, such as people screaming, gun firing and a small girl crying.

Squares of Savannah

The Squares of Savannah

In this short narrative, I will just write about a some of our 24 squares and in future articles I will provide information on all of them.

Oglethorpe planned on constructing 24 squares that would be used for planting crops, holding meetings and other activities but only the squares along Bull Street were originally meant by Oglethorpe to feature the grand monuments. The rest of the squares were laid out as open commons for the people to use as parks and activities I mentioned above.

The Orleans Square was named for Andrew Jackson's victory in the Battle of New Orleans in 1814. Just to the west of the square is the Savannah Civic Center. To the east, you can view the Champion House at 230 Barnard Street. The Cupola features amber glass. Yew trees are planted in the front year.

To the south, you will arrive at Pulaski Square located on Barnard Street between Harris and Charlton Streets and was laid out in 1837. This square was named for Count Casimir Pulaski, historic Savannah's adopted foreign son who was the highest ranking foreign officer to die in the American Revolution. Additional monuments to Pulaski can be found throughout the historic district. The red brick Jewish Education Alliance building on the East side of the square is now a dormitory for the Savannah College of Art and Design. The house on the Northwest corner of Barnard and Harris is new housing, completed in 1993. The house across from it is the 1839 house of Francis Bartow, a Confederate hero. It is now several apartments. The square was once landscaped as rows of azaleas in diagonals representing the St. Andrew's Cross of the Confederate flat..the Stars and Bars. Sgt. Pulaski was a hero of the Revolutionary War.

The next square south on Barnard Street is Chatham Square, named for England's William Pitt and the Earl of Chatham. The Barnard Street School, now part of the Savannah College of Art and Design has a Terra Cotta roof. The tile was made in Ludowici, Georgia. Gordon Row dominates the southeast corner of the square and you are now at the edge of the Victorian District with the Republican Blues Homes on the right, a dignified old row built of Savannah Gray bricks.

Take your camera and take some photos of these wonderful and historic squares.

Famous Forts near Savannah

From the beginning Savannah has been fortified to protect its inhabitants and its strategic port. In the early years the whole city was walled against the Spanish. Later artillery fortification protected Savannah from the British and the Northerners. Today the forts stand as fascinating memorials to U.S. History.

FORT JACKSON: Three miles from downtown Savannah is the oldest remaining brickwork fort in Savannah. It was constructed from 1809 to 1842 and saw service in the War of 1812 and the War Between the States. It is situated on the south bank of the Savannah River occupying a site fortified since colonial days guarding Five Fathom Hole, the 18^th century deepwater port in the Savannah River. The fort has numerous displays and artifacts. Seasonal demonstrations and exhibits depict camp life, woodworking and weaponry. Scuttled Rebel ironclad CSS Georgia lies off the fort’s north face. The fort is open from 9AM to 5PM daily. Located at 1 Fort Jackson Road (912) 232-3945

FORT McALLISTER: It is coastal Georgia life at its finest. The broad, winding Ogeechee River wraps around narrow islets of land jutting off randomly from either bank. This is Fort McAllister, on a peninsula of land known as Genesis Point.

The flat, coastal plain on which Fort McAllister lies is a haven for wildlife. Pelican, seagulls and terns, the land is rich with waterfowl. The land is sandy with occasional patches of thick black loam woven throughout the sand.

At the entrance a Civil War era cannon greets the guests, a fitting welcome for the centerpiece of this state park is the fort. Inside the visitors’ center is a small museum, gift shop, and a 17 minute video about the naval and land attacks on the fort. Pay a small admission and you are welcome to walk to the fort, a short hike along a broad, flat plain that was probably constructed as a road.

Along the side of this road, the remains of the CSS Nashville, which also served duty as a blockade runner and privateer. This boat sank on February 28, 1863, during one of the 8 naval battles which occurred here on the Ogeechee River. The rusted parts of this steamship lie to the right of the path, with an interpretive marker nearby.

The fort is surrounded by pickets, foreboding pieces of pointed wood leaning out at an angle. Follow the path around to the entrance and you are walking along a parapet with the river on one side and formidable cannon on the other. The path has informative signs along the way, with information about both the sea and land battles and life in the fort.

At the center of the fort is a bombproof, a sand and mud covered living quarters for the troops. Deep within the mound were the barracks for the men stationed at the low-tech fort. You may enter the mound and walk through, an exceptionally interesting part of the tour. Unlike its neighbor, Fort Pulaski, Fort McAllister was built with earthen walls, yet it withstood repeated Federal bombardments.

In addition to the museum, fort, and the hike involved in visiting the fort, there is a 3.1 mile trail through a typical low-land marsh. The culmination of this trek is a viewing tower over a small creek that runs near the park. If you are intending to hike this trail, bring repellant. There is a nature trail in the campground. A fishing pier offers excellent opportunities to watch the abundant wildlife and to fish if you desire.

Lodging

The park is a combination historic site/camping area, containing 65 campsites with water and electricity. There is an on-site dump station. Richmond Hill has lodging, restaurants, full grocery stores, a modest downtown shopping area and history museum. Open 9AM to 5PM daily (912-727-2339). The fort is located just east of Richmond Hill and follow these directions: Take I-95 to Georgia exit 90 (south of Savannah). Go east through Richmond Hill, for just over 6 miles. Turn left at the state park sign onto Fort McAllister Rd. The park is ahead 4 miles.

Interesting Stops - Near Historic Savannah

Just a few miles out of town, take the time to visit these stops:

SKIDAWAY INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY. Located 10 miles southeast of Savannah on Skidaway Island, you can visit the Aquarium exhibit of marine life found in Georgia waters, tours of institute which is conducting studies on area sea creatures and their potential uses. The Aquarium is open to the public. Call 912-598-2300 for more information.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. Located just across the Savannah River on SC Highway 170, the entrance to this intriguing to-be-driven tour is just past the Houlihan Bridge in Pt. Wentworth, GA. Get your camera ready because you will see alligators half-asleep in the waterways, eagles tending their young in the trees and an amazing variety of birds who rest and shelter in this, their federal safe-haven. The drive-through is free. Take a picnic lunch and just enjoy the raw beauty of this refuge. Please do NOT feed the alligators.

HISTORIC SAVANNAH-OGEECHEE BARGE CANAL. One of the prime relics in the history of Southern canals. Beginning at the tidal lock on the Savannah River, the waterway continues through four lift locks as it traverses 16.5 miles before reaching another tidal lock at the Ogeechee River. Along the way, the canal passed through Savannah's 19th century industrial corridor, former rice fields, timber tracts and a lush tidal swamp. Local citizens in the 1990s began to restore and interpret the waterway and turn it into a park. Most of the effort is centered at the Ogeechee River terminus, where a small museum and nature center is open to the public near Lock 5. For more information contact Nature Center at 912-748-8068. The Center is located off GA 204 a short distance west of I-95. Open daily from 9AM to 5PM.

For more information on Historic Savannah, please go to The Savannah Traveler On-Line

The Lucas Theater

Arthur Lucas and architect C.K. Howell opened the Lucas Theater in December 1921. The theater became a favorite venue for movies, touring vaudeville acts and a short-lived, in-house theater stock company. Staying on the cutting edge of technology, the theater was the first building in Savannah to install air conditioning in 1923, making the balcony a welcome retreat during the sultry summers. The front row in the mezzanine became known as “lawyer’s row” after local businessmen began spending their lunch hours sleeping in the cool, comfortable balcony.

With the advent of television and the population shift to the suburbs, the theater era began to wane. Downtown businesses began to feel the sting of suburbia, and the Lucas Theater was no exception. The Lucas Theater closed in 1976.

In 1986 the owners obtained a demolition permit and made arrangements to turn the once thriving Lucas Theater into a parking garage. The news motivated a group of Savannah citizens who founded The Lucas Theater for the Arts. The group pooled their resources, purchased the building and began what would be a $12 million restoration.

With a starting budget of $3 million and donations from Savannahians and celebrities such as Kevin Spacey, Clint Eastwood and the cast and crew of the film “Forrest Gump,” the complete restoration spanned nearly 13 years.

The Lucas Theater reopened in December 2000 with a screening of “Gone with the Wind,” and in the following months hosted Broadway shows and famous musicians. Although show attendance was high, the operation of the building proved too expensive to sustain on its own. The Savannah College of Art and Design recognized the theater as an important cultural asset in the community, and formed a relationship with The Lucas Theater for the Arts.

For a schedule of events, visit the Lucas website at http://www.scad.edu/venues/lucas/schedule.cfm

Also, for more information on Historic Savannah, please visit our popular on-line Savannah Traveler Magazine at www.savannahtraveler.com.

John Wesley - Methodist - Monument

The John Wesley Monument in the center of Reynolds Square was erected in 1969 by the John Wesley Monument Committee. and consists of a stepped and blocked rectangular granite pedestal, inscribed on all sides, supporting a bronze statue of John Wesley.

John Wesley is the founder of Methodism. Wesley came to Savannah in 1736 as an Anglican clergyman to the Colony of Georgia. Returning to England in 1738, his stay in Savannah was short. inspired by his associations with Moravians in Georgia and later in England, he revised his ideas and eventually formed the United Societies, a Protestant sect which evolved into the Methodist Church. In Savannah, Wesley resided near Reynolds Square. The Wesley Monumental Church, located on the periphery of Reynolds Square, is named in his honor.

For more on Savannah, please go to popular travel site: www.savannahtraveler.com

Once on this Island - A Great Show!

Last Saturday night, my wife and I went to see "Once on this Island" and WOW! This one act play was a joy to see and hear the great voices of its cast. When you consider that the actors are not professional, their performance equaled what I have seen in NYC. They are that good. If you are in the city, go see this wonderful show.

What is it about?

The City of Savannah’s Cultural Arts Theater announced that it will be presenting its summer "big stage" production of Once On This Island at the Trustees Theater, Aug. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10.

Once on This Island is a one-act musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, the musical is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid set in the French Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Originally staged off-Broadway in 1990, the play was the winner of London's Olivier Award for "Best Musical," and was nominated for eight Tony ® Awards, including "Best Musical," "Best Book," and "Best Score."

Once On This Island is a jubilant Caribbean fantasy in which a young girl must prove to the mythical gods of her island that the power of love is stronger than death. It tells the story of Ti Moune (played by Brittany Hargrove) a peasant girl from one side of the island, and Daniel Beauxhommes, (played by Nick Bushkar) who is from a well-to-do family on the other side. As recounted by storytellers, Ti Moune pleads with the gods of the island to help her find true love, and the gods respond with a game of love, life and death, to see which is stronger. They devise an encounter for Ti Moune and Daniel, who eventually fall in love and, despite cries from their families and intervention from the gods, seek to prove that love will prevail. Social barriers and traditions prevent them from succeeding however, and a tragic tangle with the gods leads to a poignant ending.

“This musical explodes with music and emotion,” said director DJ Queenan. "The set, costumes and dances are a vibrant feast for the eyes. This play is a summer-time treat for all ages, with wonderful calypso and reggae rhythms, singing by talented local performers and choreography by the amazing team of Muriel Miller and Nancy Holmes from Abeni Cultural Arts." Other players to watch include Ryan McCurdy as the evil Papa Ge, Demon of Death and Latrecia Lewis as Asaka, Mother of the Earth.

Trustees Theater is located at 216 E. Broughton St. Performances will take place Aug. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m.; and Aug. 3 and 10 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $17 general admission; $12 seniors and students. Tickets are available at the Trustees Theater box office, by calling 912-525-5050 or online at www.scadboxoffice.com. A service charge applies to phone and internet ticket purchases.
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