Final Installment of our 2020 Fall Road Trip - Savannah

Savannah

The final major stop on our trip was in Savannah, GA.  We were here back many, many years ago with a senior adult group from our church, and have such dear memories of that trip.  We felt we wanted to do a repeat visit and experience this fascinating city one more time.

One of the things we most remembered and wanted to see again were the squares around which the city is built.

These squares are surrounded by some charming churches, historic homes, enchanting inns and museums and are all shaded by huge live oak trees draped with Spanish Moss. 

Again, we took a trolley tour ride for an overview of the city.  There is no way I can remember all the stories our guide shared and even if I did I couldn't tell them like he did.

Along the tour we had some real life imitators who got on the trolley to perform their impersonations of a renowned Savannahian.

This guy had a fake British brogue so bad we couldn't understand a single word he said, but I'm sure the story would have been interesting.  He sure looked the part.

This lovely "Indian" woman told how she had played a big role in the settlement of Savannah.  I can't find any reference to who she was, but perhaps was part of the Yamacraws, a friendly Native American tribe who greeted all the early European travelers and donated the land on which Savannah sits.

 

This was the best of the impersonators.  She told us about the creole language spoken by the Gullah people (also called "Geechees" within the community).  It was so similar to the Creole language and wordage that we hear here in Louisiana.

We did see some beautiful old buildings as we drove around the squares and city.

This house was memorable because our guide told us it is the largest and most expensive house in the city.  The owner has also made a huge investment in the business development of the city with boutique hotels and restaurants.

The rear of the home was as beautiful as the front.  We were told that the whole city street was closed down for months when the owner did a recent renovation of the house and grounds.  I doubt anyone spoke ill of the inconvenience.

I think this is supposed to be the most haunted houses in Savannah.  I can see where a spirit would hate to leave this pretty place.

The architectural details of this church were spectacular. 

There was something interesting about the circular stairs on this what is now a hotel.

If you look closely you will see a contraption made into the railings for cleaning boots.  I doubt it is being used for that purpose these days.

I found it funny that the driver of this carriage was wearing such a huge mask outside.

This museum was beautiful.  This and many of the other museums were all still closed.

The city market area is near the River and was an area we enjoyed walking through later on our own.

This ancient cobblestone street down to the river front was much steeper than it appears in this picture; however, it was every bit as rough as you think it might have been.  Sailing ships would use stones in the bottom of their ships for stability.  Once they were loaded with their cotton or cargo, they no longer needed the stones, so they were thrown out on the harbor shore.  These stones were then taken and used to build roads.  It was an amazing thought to think we were riding over stones that could have possibly come from all over the known world at that time.

This area of the city has a totally different feel than the upper residential and business sections.

Life isn't always easy.

There is an interesting story behind this "Waving Lady" statue.  The legend has it that a young woman would go to the riverbank to wait and welcome her sweetheart back from ocean voyages.  One day he didn't return and for 45 years she and her trusty dog never missed a day waiting and waving for her lost lover.

The architectural details on this building caught my eye.  I love Corinthian Columns.

When you see a sign this large on such an imposing building, you may need to take it seriously.

A spectacular architectural masterpiece, City Hall sits on what used to be called the Yamacraw Bluff, features a gold domed roof that rises 70 feet into the air.

Let's face it, Savannah is best enjoyed on foot.

We ended our trolley tour, in the downtown section in order to see some things we had missed.  After a while, we found our way to the Paula Dean & Son's restaurant.

The food was delicious and fit the advertised description of good ole' soul food.

Afterward we did a wee bit of shopping in her store.  After all those carbs, we walked around the open City Market, then walked lots of blocks back to the hotel.

The next morning we struck out early to spend the day walking around a few of the 22 squares we had seen the day before.

Christ Church, known as the Mother Church of Georgia was the first house of worship established with the founding of Georgia in 1733.  It is an Episcopal Church.  The cornerstone for the building was laid in 1744 and the 1819 Revere & Son bell is still in use today.

In another of the squares is this statue of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.

After having a delicious lunch in an underground restaurant, we left to find it was pouring outside.  Needless to say we got drenched before finding a small store with an entire rain gear section.  We went for the clear plastic ponchos.

Shortly afterward, the rain stopped but not before we were soaked and I gave up on any semblance of a hair style.

The Independent Presbyterian Church is another historical house of worship on one of the squares.  It was organized in 1755 and this building was completed in 1891.  An interesting tidbit related to this church is that Ellen Louise Axson was born in the manse of this church in 1860 and married in 1885 here to Woodrow Wilson, who later became President of the US.  The things we can learn.

The First Baptist Church is Savannah's oldest standing house of worship and completed in 1833.  This church was one of the few southern churches to remain open throughout the Civil War and notoriously allowed Union soldiers to enter in their uniforms.  What a great thing for which to be remembered.

In the square across from the FBC, was this bench.  It was here, on another bench that is now memorialized in a museum, sat Forrest Gump.

One more interesting fact that makes visiting Savanah a fun place to be, is that back when this house was built, the more iron work one had on their home, the richer they appeared to be.  So this humble and non-proud home owner loaded his house and yard with the most ornate ironwork in the city.

I was impressed.  How 'bout you?

We loved our time in Savannah even though it lacked the personal aspects we had enjoyed in Charleston.  We will treasure these days spent together doing what we enjoy most - seeing God's beautiful world.

We got on the road early Thursday morning and headed through Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, where we spent the night.  We were ready by this time to see Louisiana. Thankfully, our nephew, Eric invited us and his parents for lunch at his lovely home out of Port Barre.  It was so good to spend time with him and my sister Gin and husband Thomas before ending our trip in Shreveport.

We never take safe travels for granted so thank our God for His protection and blessings as we traveled.

Thank you for following this lengthy installment of memories.