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| Historic
Sites & Museums in Savannah |
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 As
you might expect from a city that is over 250 years old,
Savannah has a wide range of museums that have unique
historical details, events and movements. Savannah also has a
broad range of offerings in art oriented venues, African
American issues and state funded collections. We have
highlighted some of the most popular historical sites and
museums below. If you need help with your hotel or car
rental, please use the links to the left.
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Historic Sites & Museums
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Andrew Low
House -
Located on Lafayette Square between East Charlton and East Macon
Street, the residence of Andrew Low, a wealthy cotton
factor. His son William inherited the house after his death in
1886. William and his wife Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the
Girl Scouts of America, lived there primarily during the winters
(they had another residence in England). Low died in 1927, and
the house was sold to the Colonial Dames of America as the
organization's Georgia headquarters. Period furniture and
setting offer a glimpse back a century. (912) 233-6854
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African-American Heritage
Beach Institute African-American Cultural Center
- Established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association to educate Savannah's
newly freed African-American citizens, the Beach Institute now showcases
African-American arts and crafts, most notably the hand-carved wooden sculptures by
Ulysses Davis. (912)
234-8000
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Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum -
This museum serves to educate the public on Savannah's rich African-American
heritage, and to engender community pride and self-esteem in area residents. Housed
here are the papers and memorabilia of its namesake, as well as a sequence of 15 areas
that re-create the saga of the civil right movement in Savannah.
(912) 231-8900
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Second African Baptist Church -
On the steps of this church, General William Tecumseh Sherman read the
Emancipation Proclamation to Savannah's citizens and promised the newly freed slaves
40 acres and a mule. Almost a century later, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached his
"I Have a Dream" sermon here, and address later repeated during his famous march on
Washington D.C. (912) 233-6163
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The Beach
Institute African American Cultural Center
- Originally built in 1867 by the Freedmen's Bureau and
the American Missionary Associations for schooling black
children, this center later became part of the Savannah public
school system and was used until the 1960's. In 1979, the school
system sold the center to the Savannah College of Art and
Design, who in turn gave it to the King-Tisdell Cottage
Foundation in 1989. Today it stands as an art museum gallery and
home of the carvings by Savannah folk artist Ulysses Davis in
addition to various ongoing exhibits of African American art.
(912) 234-8000.
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Old
Fort Jackson is the oldest standing fort in Georgia -
The site
where the fort now stands has been use since the 1740's, and
possess' a rich history relating to the defense of Savannah to
the end of the 19th century. The site was fortified during the
Revolutionary War as an earthen fort. The original brick fort
was begun in 1808 and was manned during the War of 1812. The Fort was enlarged and strengthened between 1845 and 1860.
The Fort saw its greatest use as the headquarters for the
Confederate river defenses during the Civil War. It was part of
a system of nine fortifications that protected the river with
total firepower of nearly 100 heavy guns and several vessels. Today, thousands of visitors to the fort see military
hardware including projectiles and cannons from the CSS
Georgia , a confederate ironclad that is sunk in the Savannah
River. Old Fort Jackson is one of Savannah's popular tourist
attractions with unmatched daytime educational and historical
programs and "after hours" programs for groups of all
ages.
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The
Savannah History Museum - is Savannah's only Museum
dedicated to the history of the whole coastal community and is
located in the passenger station of the Central Railroad.
Constructed before the Civil War, this building is now one of
Georgia's 43 National Historic Landmarks. It is home to the
Savannah History Museum which houses a 20,000 square foot
exhibit area with a variety of exhibits which reflect Savannah's
history from her founding in 1733 to the present. Visitors may
also enjoy our plush theatre and Savannah tourism film
presentation. Open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Daily.
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Historic
Railroad Shops - Built on the site of the second
bloodiest battle of the Revolutionary War, the shops were begun
in 1845. Thirteen of the original structures survive, including
the blacksmith shop and the brick mason shop. A National
Historic Landmark since 1978, the shops were used in filming the
movie "Glory" in 1988. The shops are recognized by the
U.S. Department of the Interior as the most significant complex
of ante-bellum railroad structures to survive in the United
States. They also serve as the state of Georgia's official
railroad museum. (912) 651-6823.
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Fort Pulaski National Monument
- is one of more
than 378 sites in the National Park Service. The mission
of the National Park Service is to protect and preserve the
historic, cultural, scientific, and natural resources for
current and future generations. October 15, 1924, by
Executive Order, Fort Pulaski became a National Monument. In
1933, the National Park Service accepted transfer of the site
from the War Department. The defining events of Fort
Pulaski occurred during the American Civil War. In April of
1862, Union troops directed rifled cannon fire at the fort
breaching the southeast angle. The quick success of this
experimental cannon surprised military strategists. The
accuracy and range of the rifled cannon rendered brick
fortifications obsolete. Immediately after capturing the
fort, Union Major General David Hunter, an ardent abolitionist,
ordered the release of area slaves. Many were
recruited into the Union army comprising the First South
Carolina Colored Regiment. The park includes 5,623 acres of
scenic marsh and uplands that support a variety of animal life
characteristic of southern barrier islands. White-tailed
deer, alligators, and raccoons as well as resident and migratory
birds grace the landscape. Spanish moss drapes from yaupon
holly bushes and vegetation includes cabbage palms, various
wetland grasses, and a variety of temperate hardwood and pine
trees. (912) 786-5787
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