Savannah, Georgia
Seal
Location in Chatham County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°03′03″N 81°06′14″W / 32.05083, -81.10389
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Chatham
Government
- Mayor	Otis S. Johnson
- City Manager	Michael M. Brown
Area
- City	78.1 sq mi (202.3 km²)
- Land	74.7 sq mi (193.6 km²)
- Water	3.4 sq mi (8.7 km²)
Elevation	20 ft (15 m)
Population (2000)
- City	131,510
- Density	1,759.5/sq mi (679.4/km²)
- Metro	293,000
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
Area code(s)	912
FIPS code	13-69000GR2
GNIS feature ID	0322590GR3
Website: Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. It is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County. Look up savannah in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 528 pixelsFull resolution (2344 × 1548 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Savannah_official_seal. ... Image File history File links Chatham_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Savannah_Highlighted. ... Chatham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... This list of countries, arranged alphabetically, gives an overview of countries of the world. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The political units and divisions of the United States include: The 50 states... The U.S. state of Georgia is divided into 159 counties. ... Chatham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... To help compare sizes of different geographic regions, we list here areas between 10 km² (1000 hectares) and 100 km² (10,000 hectares). ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Eastern Daylight Time or EDT is equal to: In North America, Eastern Standard Time + 1, or UTC − 4 hours. ... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Area code 912 is the telephone area code serving the state of Georgia. ... Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the U.S. Federal government for use by all (non-military) government agencies and by government contractors. ... GNIS (The Geographic Names Information System) contains name and locative information about almost two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its Territories. ... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... Chatham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ...

Location and geography

Savannah is located at 32°3′3″N, 81°6′14″W (32.050706, -81.103762).^GR1 According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 202.3 km² (78.1 mi²). 193.6 km² (74.7 mi²) of it is land and 8.7 km² (3.4 mi²) of it (4.31%) is water. It is the primary port on the Savannah River and is located along the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... For the Department of Energy facility, see Savannah River Site The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. ... Tug and barge on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Navigation on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), where it intersects with Bayou Perot, in the vicinity of New Orleans The Intracoastal Waterway is a 4,800-km (3,000-mile) recreational and commercial waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the...

Because of its marshiness and flat topography, Savannah is prone to flooding. Four canals and pumping stations have been built to help reduce the effects: Fell Street Canal, Kayton Canal, Springfield Canal and the Casey Canal, with the first three draining north into the Savannah River.

Climate

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Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

Population and demographics

The city's population was 128,500 in 2005, according to the most recent U.S. Census estimate. The U.S. Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. ...

The Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, has a population of 320,013 (2006 estimate), and includes three Georgia counties: Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham. Savannah's MSA is ranked third among Georgia cities. According to the Census Bureau, Savannah's Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which includes metropolitan Savannah and micropolitan Hinesville, has a population of 394,036. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bryan County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ... Chatham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... Effingham County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ... The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. ... Hinesville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. ...

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 131,510 people, 51,375 households, and 31,390 families residing in the city. The population density was 679.4/km² (1,759.5/mi²). There were 57,437 housing units at an average density of 296.7/km² (768.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.08% African American, 38.86% White, 1.52% Asian, 0.23% Native American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.23% of the population. Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There were 51,375 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. Marriage is an interpersonal relationship with governmental, social, or religious recognition, usually intimate and sexual, and often created as a contract, or through civil process. ...

In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 13.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

Economy

The median income for a household in the city was $29,038, and the median income for a family was $36,410. Males had a median income of $28,545 versus $22,309 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,921. About 17.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

Agriculture was the background of Savannah's economy in its first two centuries. Silk and indigo production, both in demand in England, were early export commodities; by 1767 almost a ton of silk per year was exported to England. ^[1] For other uses of this word, see Silk (disambiguation). ... There is no single indigo plant. A variety of plants have been used to produce indigo dye. ...

The Savannah region's mild climate offered perfect conditions for growing cotton, which became the dominant commodity after the American Revolution. Its production (under the plantation system) helped the city's European immigrants to achieve wealth and prosperity. For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... The peculiar institution was an euphemism for slavery and the economic ramifications of it in the American South. ...

The Port of Savannah was one of the most frequented in the United States and Savannah's inhabitants had the opportunity to consume some of the world's finest goods, imported by foreign merchants. Savannah's port has always been a mainstay of the city's economy. In the early years of U.S. history, goods produced in the New World had to pass through ports such as Savannah's before they could be shipped to England. The Port of Savannah is a major U.S. seaport, located in Savannah, Georgia, just up the Savannah River from the Atlantic Ocean. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

For years, Savannah was the home of Union Camp, which housed the world's largest paper mill. The plant is now owned by International Paper, and it remains one of Savannah's largest employers. Savannah is also home to the famous Gulfstream Aerospace company, maker of private jets, as well as various other large industrial interests. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... International Paper (NYSE: IP) is an American pulp and paper company, the largest pulp and paper company in the world and the largest private owner of timberland in the United States. ... Gulfstream G200 Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is a producer of several models of private jets. ...

Education

Savannah is home to most of the schools in the Chatham County public school system. The city is the home of four colleges and universities offering bachelor's, master's and professional doctorate degree programs: Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah State University, and South University. Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. programs in engineering are also offered through Georgia Tech Savannah, the Savannah campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology.^[2] South University offers doctorate degrees of pharmacy, and Georgia Southern maintains a satellite campus in the downtown area. Savannah Technical College, a public, 2-year institution of technical and adult education also operates in the city. Chatham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... Armstrong Atlantic State University, abbreviated AASU, is a state university located in Savannah, Georgia. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. ... South University is a small private university located in Savannah, Georgia. ... Georgia Tech Savannah is a satellite campus of the Atlanta-based Georgia Institute of Technology in Savannah, Georgia. ... Georgia Tech Savannah is a satellite campus of the Atlanta-based Georgia Institute of Technology in Savannah, Georgia. ... The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, is a public, coeducational research university, part of the University System of Georgia, and located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, with satellite campuses in Savannah, Georgia, Metz, France, Shanghai, China, and Singapore. ... South University is a small private university located in Savannah, Georgia. ... On Forrest Drive looking between College of Education and College of Nursing towards the College of Information Technology. ... The Savannah Tech Logo Savannah Technical College is a small technical institution located in Savannah, Georgia. ...

Other notable schools include:

• Benedictine Military School
• Calvary Day School
• Herschel V. Jenkins High School
• Savannah Arts Academy
• The Savannah Country Day School

Oatland Island Education Center also a part of Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools,and the premier environmental education center in the southeast, serving thousands of students from school systems throughout the region. Located just east of Savannah on a marsh island, the Center features a 2 mile "Native Animal Nature Trail" that winds through maritime forest, salt marsh, and freshwater wetlands. Along the way, visitors can observe native animals such as Florida panthers, Eastern timber wolves, alligators, and many more in their natural habitat. For other schools with similar names, see Benedictine High School. ... Calvary Day School (or simply Calvary or Calvary Baptist Day School) is a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade private school located in Savannah, Georgia. ... Herschel V. Jenkins High School is a public high school located in Savannah, Georgia, at 1800 East Derenne Avenue. ... Savannah Arts Academy is the first dedicated performing and visual arts school in Savannah, Georgia. ... The Savannah Country Day School was founded in 1955 in Savannah, Georgia, with most of its pupils coming from the Pape School. ...

Transportation

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is located west of Savannah off Interstate 95. Airlines serving this airport are Delta, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlink, Continental Express, United Express, US Airways, Airtran and American Eagle. This article is about the airport in Georgia. ... Interstate 95, the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, serves the Atlantic coast of Georgia. ... Delta Air Lines, Inc. ... Delta Connection jet landing at BWI airport on March 4, 2007 Delta Connection is the name under which eight regional airlines operate short and medium haul routes for mainline carrier, Delta Air Lines. ... Northwest Airlink is the name of Northwest Airlines commuter airline subsidiaries, flying turboprops and regional jets from Northwests domestic hubs in Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis. ... Continental Express (IATA: n/a, ICAO: BTA, and Callsign: Jet Link) is the operating name of ExpressJet Airlines for Continental Airlines. ... United Express is a brand name under which seven regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. ... US Airways is an American low-cost airline[1] headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, owned by US Airways Group, Inc. ... AirTran Airways is a low-cost airline that is a Delaware corporation with headquarters in Orlando, Florida, USA and is a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings. ... American Eagle Airlines is a regional airline based in Fort Worth, Texas[1]. It is a airline partner of American Airlines[2] (both wholly owned by the AMR Corporation holding company), operating over 1,800 flights a day, serving 159 cities across the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean[3...

Amtrak operates a passenger terminal at Savannah for the Palmetto and Silver Service trains running between Boston, Massachusetts and Miami, Florida with three southbound and three northbound trains stopping at the station daily. The high-speed Acela Express in West Windsor, New Jersey. ... The Savannah Amtrak station. ... The Palmetto is a 829-mile (1334 km) passenger train service operated by Amtrak from New York City south to Savannah, Georgia via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina. ... The Silver Service and Palmetto are a group of passenger railway lines operated by Amtrak, connecting New York Penn Station to Tampa, Florida and Miami, Florida. ... Boston redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Miami redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ...

Interstates and major highways

Interstate 95 - Runs north-south just west of the city; provides access to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, and intersects with Interstate 16 which leads into the city's center. Interstate 95, the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, serves the Atlantic coast of Georgia. ... This article is about the airport in Georgia. ...

Interstate 16 - Terminates in Downtown Savannah at Liberty and Montgomery Streets, and intersects with Interstate 95 and Interstate 516. Interstate 16 (abbreviated I-16), or Georgia State Route 404, is an intrastate interstate highway located entirely within the state of Georgia, United States. ...

Interstate 516 - An urban perimeter highway connecting Southside Savannah, at DeRenne Avenue, with the industrialized port area of the city to the north; intersects with the Veterans Parkway and Interstate 16, as well. Also known as Lynes Parkway. Interstate 516 (Georgia state route 421) runs near the southeastern, coastal Georgia city of Savannah and crosses Interstate 16. ...

Harry S. Truman Parkway - Runs through the eastside of town, connecting the east end of Downtown with Southside Savannah. The road has been under construction since 1992, and is opening in phases with the latest phase opening in 2004. The highway will eventually complete a chain of highways that form a loop around the city that include Interstate 516, Veterans Parkway and the Truman Parkway. Harry S. Truman Parkway is a freeway in Savannah, connecting the surrounding Savannah metropolitan area with Downtown Savannah. ...

Veterans Parkway - Links Interstate 516 and Southside/Midtown Savannah with South Savannah, and is intended to move traffic quicker from north-south by avoiding high-volume Abercorn Expressway. Also known as the Southwest Bypass.

Abercorn Expressway (S.R. 204) - An extension of Abercorn Street that begins at 37th Street (which is its northern point) and terminates at Rio Road and the Forest River at its southern point, and serves as the primary traffic and commercial artery linking downtown, midtown and southside sections of the city. Georgia State Route 204 begins just east of Pembroke at U.S. 280/S.R. 30 and ends in Savannah at I-16 exit 165 (37th Street). ...

Islands Expressway - An extension of President Street to facilitate traffic moving between Downtown Savannah and the barrier islands, as well as the beaches of Tybee Island Aerial View of Tybee Island Tybee Island is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia near the city of Savannah, Georgia. ...

Victory Drive (U.S. 80) - Runs east-west through Midtown Savannah and connects the city with the town of Thunderbolt, and the islands of Whitemarsh, Talahi, Wilmington and Tybee. Merges with the Islands Expressway and serves as the only means of reaching the beach by automobile. US 80 is an east-west United States highway. ... Whitemarsh Island is a census-designated place located in Chatham County, Georgia. ... For other places called Wilmington, see Wilmington Wilmington Island is a census-designated place located in Chatham County, Georgia. ...

History

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled History of Savannah, Georgia. (Discuss)

Savannah was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia.^[3] Savannah's architecture and history are internationally known, as is its reputation for Southern charm and hospitality; for example, the city's former promotional name was "Hostess City of the South," a phrase still used by the city government.^[4][5] Each year, Savannah attracts millions of visitors from across the country and around the world. ^[6] Savannah's downtown area one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States.^[7] Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ... In countries with federal constitutions divided into subnational entities known as states, the state capital is the administrative center of a state. ... Historic Southern United States. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ...

Native settlers

The Yamacraws, a Native American tribe, were the first known people to settle in and around Savannah. In the 18th century AD under their leader Tomochici, they met the newly arriving European settlers. Santa Catalina de Guale (1602-1702) was a Spanish Franciscan mission and town in Spanish Florida. ... Guale was a Native American chiefdom that became part of Spanish Floridas missionary system in the late 16th century. ... The Yamasee were a Muskogean Native American tribe that lived in coastal region of present-day northern Florida and southern Georgia near the Savannah River. ... The Yamacraw were a Native American tribe which settled parts of Georgia, specifically around the city of Savannah. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ...

Arrival of the British

In November 1732, the ship Anne sailed from Britain carrying 114 colonists, including General James Oglethorpe. On February 12, 1733, Oglethorpe and his settlers landed at Yamacraw Bluff and, in an example of some of the earliest "Southern hospitality", were greeted by Tomochici, the Yamacraws, and John and Mary Musgrove, Indian traders. (Mary Musgrove often served as a translator.) The city of Savannah was founded on that date, along with the colony of Georgia. Because of the friendship between Oglethorpe and Tomochici, Savannah was able to flourish unhindered by the warfare that marked the beginnings of many early American colonies. The Yamasee War (1715–1716) was a conflict between Native Americans, principally of the Yamasee tribe, and British colonists, which occurred in South Carolina. ... The Yamasee War (1715–1716) was a conflict between Native Americans, principally of the Yamasee tribe, and British colonists, which occurred in South Carolina. ... General James Oglethorpe James Oglethorpe (December 22 1696 – June 30, 1785) was a British general, a philanthropist, and was the founder of the colony of Georgia. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 12 - British colonist James Oglethorpe founds Savannah, Georgia. ... For the Ludacris single, see Southern Hospitality. ...

Original design

Savannah's physical layout was the subject of an elaborate plan by the Georgia colony's founders. Oglethorpe's Savannah Plan consisted of a series of wards built around central squares, with trust lots on the east and west sides of the squares for public buildings and churches, and tithing lots for the colonists' private homes on the north and south sites.

The orderly, Neo-classical design of Savannah’s central city was connected to the exterior by three main roads: the Savannah-Augusta to the north, the Savannah-Dublin Road to the west and the King’s Road, which connected Savannah to the English military settlements of Forts Argyle, Barrington and Frederica to the south. Spur roads were located off of the King’s Road as well, and connected plantations such as Wormsloe, home of Noble Jones, to the expanding and increasingly urban market in Savannah.

Growth in the colony

In midsummer 1733, five months after the English colonists, Sephardi Jews from Spain and Portugal arrived in Savannah. Over the next century and a half the city welcomed other non-English and non-Protestant immigrants: Irish Catholics, French Catholics and Huguenots, Greek Orthodox, and others. Savannah remains to this day one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse cities in the South. Language(s) Hebrew, Ladino, Judæo-Portuguese, Catalanic, Shuadit, local languages Religion(s) Judaism Related ethnic groups Ashkenazi Jews, Mizrahi Jews, other Jewish ethnic divisions, Arabs, Spaniards, Portuguese. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ...

In 1740, George Whitefield founded the Bethesda Orphanage, which is now the oldest extant orphanage in the United States. George Whitefield (December 16, 1714 - September 30, 1770), was a minister in the Church of England and one of the leaders of the Methodist movement. ... The Bethesda Orphanage was founded by George Whitefield in the eighteenth century on a 400 acre (1,600 m²) land grant near Savannah, Georgia. ...

British Colony

In 1751, the great experiment came to an end as Savannah and the rest of Georgia became a Royal Colony. Entrepreneurs and slaves were brought into the struggling colony, and Savannah was made the colonial capital of Georgia. The low marshes were converted into wild rice fields and tended by skilled slaves imported from West Africa (where these strains of rice were native). The combination of English agricultural technology and African labor and knowledge proved to be of great benefit for the city.

Initially, Creek groups gradually ceded lands to European settlers that they were not utilizing. In 1763, the Creeks agreed to the first of several large land cessions. This first agreement gave Georgia the land between the Savannah and Ogeechee rivers, south of Augusta, along with coastal land between the Altamaha and St. Marys rivers. An additional two million acres (8000 km²) of land between the Ogeechee and Altamaha rivers and the headwaters of the Oconee and Savannah rivers was ceded to Georgia by the Creeks and Cherokees in 1773.

Additional fortune came to the city in 1763 following the Treaty of Paris, which opened the interior of North America to British economic interests. This was an important milestone in the development of Savannah, as it marks the beginning of economic ties to the interior. Trade, particularly the trade of deerskins, flourished along the upper Savannah River where skins were sent to Augusta and finally through Savannah for export to Europe. The establishment of a trading network on the Savannah River also curtailed Charleston’s monopoly on the South Atlantic deerskin trade. Between 1764 and 1773 Savannah exported hides from 500,000 deer (2 million pounds), which established the city as a significant commercial port on the South Atlantic coast.

American Revolution

In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, Savannah came under British and Loyalist control. At the Siege of Savannah in 1779, American and French troops (the latter including a company of free blacks from Haiti) fought unsuccessfully to retake the city. Combatants United States France Kingdom of Great Britain Commanders General Benjamin Lincoln Admiral Comte dEstaing Count Kazimierz Pulaski † General Augustin Prevost Strength 1,550 American troops; 3,500 French troops and sailors 3,200 troops Casualties Total Allied: 800 killed 1200 wounded 40 killed 63 wounded The Siege of... This article is about military actions only. ... Britannia gives a heros welcome to returning American Loyalists. ... Combatants United States France Kingdom of Great Britain Commanders General Benjamin Lincoln Admiral Comte dEstaing Count Kazimierz Pulaski † General Augustin Prevost Strength 1,550 American troops; 3,500 French troops and sailors 3,200 troops Casualties Total Allied: 800 killed 1200 wounded 40 killed 63 wounded The Siege of... Gens de couleur is a French term meaning people of color. ...

Late 1700s

On January 27, 1785, members of the State Assembly gathered in Savannah to found the nation's first state-chartered, public university—the University of Georgia (in Athens). In 1792 the Savannah Golf Club opened within a mile of Fort Jackson, on what is now President Street. It is the first known American golf club. is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1785 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The University of Georgia (UGA) is the largest institution of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... For other uses, see Athens (disambiguation). ...

Economic Development

Nineteenth-century development in Savannah was dominated by the emergence of cotton as a widespread cash crop and a subsequent shift in the economy of the city. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 by Eli Whitney changed the face of agriculture in the American South. Whitney’s gin was produced in response to the state of Georgia’s appointed commission for the promotion of a gin suitable to remove seed from fibers on the short-stable, green-seed cotton. Whitney developed the gin at Mulberry Grove Plantation outside Savannah while he was a tutor to Revolutionary War General Nathaniel Greene’s children. Sea Island or long-staple cotton had been very profitable in the years immediately following the Revolutionary War, but the production of this variety was relegated to the narrow coastal zone and would not grow in the upland interiors of the South. Green-seed cotton could be grown in the uplands but was difficult to process with the pre-1793 roller gin; consequently, Whitney’s invention opened the interior of the South to widespread cotton production.

The development of Georgia’s interior had a tremendous impact on Savannah, as cotton production was focused on lands, newly appropriated from the Creeks, along the upper Savannah River. Planters on both the Georgia and South Carolina sides of the river shipped their cotton downriver to market and export at Savannah. This increase in trade corresponds to the increase in population, as Savannah is the 18th-largest urban area in the United States by 1820. In 1818 shipping and business stopped temporarily when the city fell under quarantine due to a yellow fever epidemic. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In 1828, construction began on the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal, a 16.5-mile canal connecting the Ogeechee River to the southwest (near present-day Richmond Hill) and the Savannah River, slightly to the west of Savannah’s newly established riverfront. The canal was completed in 1831, directing the resources of Georgia’s south-central interior to Savannah. Macon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County, It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 75 miles (129 km) south of Atlanta, hence the citys nickname as the Heart of... Atlanta redirects here. ...

Despite its small population, Savannah amassed an enormous amount of wealth. By 1820, Savannah was exporting $18 million worth of goods. It is important to recognize, however, that this wealth came about as the result of both the removal of indigenous people from the interior as well as the slave trade. Although originally banned from Georgia, the slave population exceeded the free population in Savannah by the end of the 18th century (5,146 free, 8,201 slave in 1800 ). Little is known about the slave population of Savannah beyond what can be read in census information. We know that between 1810 and 1830, there was a decrease in the number of slaves in the city, which was followed by an increase in the slave population from 9,478 in 1830 to 14,018 in 1850. As the overall free population of the city grew by 68 percent between 1850 and 1860, the slave population remained relatively constant. Additionally, Savannah retained a consistent number of free African Americans throughout the antebellum years (725 in 1860) who engaged in a variety of entrepreneurial activities.

Development of Forsyth Park

Forsyth Park and the Forsyth fountain.

By 1853, all original planned wards would be occupied and a large public park was added to the extreme south end of the city plan. This park was anticipated by Oglethorpe's plan and was made possible by a donation of 20 acres of land owned by John Forsythe. The fountain at the center of the park is reminiscent of fountains in the Place de la Concorde in Paris and in Cuzco, Peru. At this time, Parisian urban planning was centered on the development of residential neighborhoods radiating out from a central green space. The Parisian model of developing large city parks was emulated by large cities in the United States, and even smaller cities, such as Savannah, asserting its cosmopolitan image. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1025x504, 321 KB) Summary Digital image taken by Richard Chambers, April 1, 2006, of the walkway in Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia leading to the Forsyth Park Fountain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1025x504, 321 KB) Summary Digital image taken by Richard Chambers, April 1, 2006, of the walkway in Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia leading to the Forsyth Park Fountain. ... Forsyth Park fountain Forsyth Park is a large city park that spans 30 acres in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia. ...

U.S. Civil War

After capturing the city of Atlanta, General William Tecumseh Sherman began his march south in 1864, with 62,000 men to the port of Savannah, living off the land and causing, by his own estimate, more than $100 million in property damage. ^[8] Sherman called this harsh tactic of material war "hard war", which is now, in modern times, known as total war. ^[9] “General Sherman” redirects here. ... The Port of Savannah is a major U.S. seaport, located in Savannah, Georgia, just up the Savannah River from the Atlantic Ocean. ... Total war is a military conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources in order to destroy another nations ability to engage in war. ...

At the end of this campaign, known as Sherman's March to the Sea, his troops captured Savannah on December 22, 1864. Sherman then telegraphed his Commander-in-Chief President Abraham Lincoln, offering him the city as a Christmas present. This article is about the historical event. ... is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ...

Economic changes

The Savannah Cotton Exchange was established in 1876 and made its permanent home on Bay Street in 1883. The exchange was established to provide cotton factors, brokers serving planters’ interest in the market, a place to congregate and set the market value of cotton exported to larger markets such as New York or London. By the end of the 19th century factorage was on the decline as more planters were selling their product at interior markets, merely to be shipped from Savannah via the extensive rail connections between the city and the interior.

By 1870, three principal railroads — the Central of Georgia, the Savannah and Charleston and the Savannah and Gulf — connected the city to markets along the coast and the interior. The Central of Georgia, whose principal shareholder was the city of Savannah, established its own docks and canals to the west of the existing Savannah riverfront. This marks the first shift of industrial-commercial activity outside of the central plan of the city. An additional railroad was built extending from the Drayton Street Depot out to Tybee Island in 1887. The rate, 1 cent per mile or 17.7 cents each way, enabled city dwellers to escape to the ocean and spend their newfound leisure hours at the beach on Tybee Island. This becomes the first commuter line from Savannah to an outlying area. Aerial View of Tybee Island Tybee Island is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia near the city of Savannah, Georgia. ...

As the 19th century continued, Savannah’s population increased slightly, its wealth exponentially and its ranking among the largest U.S. cities steadily dropped. The city went from 41st in 1860 to 62nd in 1880 (the first year Atlanta exceeded Savannah as Georgia’s largest city), to 86th in 1910 until it was no longer ranked in the top 100 most populous cities in 1930.

Diversification in Savannah’s economy arrived as heavy industry and manufacturing entered into the region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Union Camp mill, a division of the American Pulp and Paper Company, was established around the turn of the century, locating their mill upriver from the historic core of the city. Contributing to the trend of upriver industrial development, the Kehoe Iron Works was established in 1883 by Irish immigrant William Kehoe. As working-class residents began to move into neighborhoods adjacent to the new industries, the population of the densely packed historic core of the city began to dissipate. Additionally, building continued to the south of town as the city experienced a 65 percent increase in population between 1900 and 1920 (54,244 in 1900 to 83,252 in 1920).

An additional boost to Savannah's economy arrived with the increased export of naval stores. Items such as pitch and turpentine, recovered from South Atlantic yellow pine, were essential in the manufacture and upkeep of wooden ships. In 1902, the naval stores industry was revolutionized by former University of Georgia chemist Charles Herty. Herty devised a method of collecting the raw sap from yellow pine that was not only more effective than previous methods of extraction but also enabled the trees to live into maturity and be eventually harvested. The harvesting of yellow pine further diversified Savannah’s economy as a lumber exporter. By this time Savannah, with vast yellow pine forests extending far into Georgia’s coastal plain, became the chief exporter of naval stores in the world.

The boll weevil outbreak of the 1920s dealt a devastating blow to the cotton market of Savannah and the South in general. The naval stores industry also fell into decline by World War II as iron had largely replaced wood in the manufacture of ships. Savannah’s economy continued to shift as more heavy industry was added upriver. During World War II Savannah manufacturing aided the war effort through the construction of Liberty ships, further shifting the population out of the historic core of the city.

Development of the tourism industry

In the 1930s and 1940s, many of the distinguished buildings in the historic district were demolished to create parking lots. Squares had been bisected by streets and fire lanes to speed traffic flow. The demolition of the 1870 City Market on Ellis Square and the attempted demolition of the 1821 Davenport House prompted seven Georgia women, led by Davenport descendant Lucy Barrow McIntire, to create the Historic Savannah Foundation, which was able to preserve the city from destruction. In 1979, the Savannah College of Art and Design was founded, and began a process of renovation and adaptive reuse of many notable downtown buildings, rather than building a centralized campus. This effort, along with the work of the Historic Savannah Foundation and other preservation groups, has contributed greatly to Savannah's now-famous rebirth. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The city's popularity as a tourist destination was solidified by the best-selling book and subsequent movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which were set in Savannah. It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

Savannah has also become a popular destination for people to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, including the second largest parade in the U.S. This is aided by a very lenient public drinking policy which allows open alcoholic beverages every day of the year in the Landmark Historic District. Downtown Savannah's Historic District is one of only five places in the United States where possession and consumption of open containers of alcoholic beverages are allowed on the street (but not in a vehicle), although they remain prohibited throughout the rest of Savannah. Only one open container is allowed per person over the age of 21, it must be made of plastic, and it can be no larger than 16 ounces.^[10] The only rule is that the container can not be glass. St. ... The French Quarter of New Orleans, which, along with the Power & Light District of Kansas City, Missouri, is one of only two locations in the United States where open containers of alcohol are allowed in public In the United States, open container laws prohibit possessing and/or drinking from an... Alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of alcohol includes many other compounds. ...

Crime and consolidation

Savannah today is a city with a high rate of violent crime.^{[citation needed]} The mayor, Otis Johnson, has held three open forums on the issue. Murder rates have increased by 50% since 2004 and other types of crime, such as theft, have seen similar spikes.^[11] A young waif steals a pair of boots “Stealing” redirects here. ...

In 2003, Savannah and Chatham County merged their city and county police departments. Although advertised as a way to cut costs and improve efficiency, the merger has cost more than expected and has not avoided a 100-officer shortage that the department is trying to fix.^{[citation needed]} Chatham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ...

While some see the police merger as a step toward city-county consolidation, Savannah is actually one of eight incorporated cities or towns in Chatham County. (The others are Bloomingdale, Garden City, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Thunderbolt, Tybee Island, and Vernonburg). Although these seven smaller localities would remain independent from a consolidated government, they have long opposed any efforts to adopt a city-county merger. One fear is that consolidation would reduce county funding to areas outside of Savannah. Efforts toward city-county consolidation are also opposed by some wealthier Chatham County communities, including The Landings on Skidaway Island, since these residents fear higher tax rates in a consolidated government. However, consolidation is favored by some city and county boosters, including Savannah's main newspaper, and merger plans have been presented to state legislators in the recent past. Should consolidation pass, Savannah would become Georgia's second-largest city, with a population of more than 205,000 (by state law, the almost 35,000 residents of the seven smaller incorporated towns remain independent; they are not included in a Savannah-Chatham consolidation plan). In American local government, a consolidated city-county, metropolitan municipality or regional municipality is a city and county that have been merged into one jurisdiction. ... Bloomingdale is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia. ... Garden City is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia. ... Pooler is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia. ... Port Wentworth is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,276. ... Thunderbolt is a town located in Chatham County, Georgia. ... Tybee Island is an island and a present-day city in Chatham County, Georgia near the city of Savannah. ... Vernonburg is a town located in Chatham County, Georgia, about 10 miles south of downtown Savannah. ... Skidaway Island is a census-designated place located in Chatham County, Georgia. ...

Points of interest

The city's location offers visitors access to the coastal islands and the Savannah Riverfront, both popular tourist destinations. Tybee Island, formerly known as "Savannah Beach", is the site of the Tybee Island Light Station, the first lighthouse on the southern Atlantic coast. Other picturesque towns adjacent to Savannah include the shrimping village of Thunderbolt and two residential areas that began as summer resort communities for Savannahians: Beaulieu and Vernonburg. Tybee Island is an island and a present-day city in Chatham County, Georgia near the city of Savannah. ... Eddystone Lighthouse, one of the first wavewashed lighthouses For other uses, see Lighthouse (disambiguation). ... The Atlantic Ocean, not including Arctic and Antarctic regions. ... Thunderbolt is a town located in Chatham County, Georgia. ... Beaulieu is an unincorporated village located about 12 miles south of downtown Savannah, Georgia. ... Vernonburg is a town located in Chatham County, Georgia, about 10 miles south of downtown Savannah. ...

The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center is located on