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SAVANNAH, GEORGIA - USA
Savannah is a city located in Chatham County, Georgia. The population was
131,510 for the city (and 257,889 for the metropolitan area) in the 2000
census. It is located at latitude 32°5'0" North, longitude 81°6'0" West. The
city is the county seat of Chatham County 6. Savannah was the first colonial
and state capital of Georgia. It is also the primary port on the Savannah
River and is located along the US Intracoastal Waterway.
Savannah is often pictured as the epitome of
Southern charm and hospitality. The city's architecture and history lend
themselves to this reputation. It is noted for its St. Patrick's Day
celebration, the second largest in the United States, behind Boston.
Savannah's downtown area is the largest National Historic Landmark District
in the United States.
Savannah is served by Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, as is
Hilton Head.
The Zip Codes for Savannah begin with the digits 314.
As of 2004, the Mayor of Savannah is Otis Johnson.
History
Around 3500 BC, the Biblo inhabited the area now known as Savannah. Later,
the Yamacraws settled here under their leader Tomochici. In November of
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. The city was founded on that date, along with the
state of Georgia. Because of the friendship formed between Oglethorpe and
Tomochici, the city was able to flourish unhindered by the warfare which
marked the beginnings of many early American colonies.
Savannah was the first colony in Georgia, and the region's mild climate
offered perfect conditions for growing cotton and peach trees. The number of
peach trees led to the state's nickname; today Georgia is called "the Peach
State".
The production of cotton helped the city to achieve wealth and prosperity.
The port of Savannah was one of the most frequented in the United States and
Savannah's inhabitants had the opportunity to consume the world's finest
goods, imported by foreign merchants. Savannah grew to be one of the richest
cities in the United States. Cotton was exported to places all over the
world. Wonderful mansions were built in the downtown area and British
botanists were invited to refine the city's unique look with grapes for wine
and mulberry trees for silk, from the old continent. The Georgia climate
made it impossible for these plants to grow.
The city holds the distinction of being the first planned city in America.
Oglethorpe's now-famous Savannah Plan, which he designed earlier in England,
consists of a series of wards built around central squares, 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 of the squares. The squares vary in size and personality, from the
formal fountain and monuments of the largest, Johnson Square, to the
playgrounds of the smallest, Crawford Square. Elbert, Ellis, and Liberty
Squares are classified as the "lost squares," destroyed due to development
in the 1950's. Elbert and Liberty Squares were paved over to make way for an
extension of I-16, while Ellis Square was demolished to build the City
Market parking garage. Separate efforts are underway to revive each of the
three lost squares.
In 1740 George Whitefield founded the Bethesda orphanage, which is now the
oldest extant orphanage in the U.S.A.
In 1818 shipping and business stopped when the city fell under quarantine
due to a yellow fever epidemic. Many ships never came back to Savannah,
dealing a harsh blow to the local cotton industry.
Savannah's port has always been a mainstay of the city's economy. Most goods
that were produced in the New World had to pass the city's port before they
could be shipped to England.
In 1864, the city was captured by Northern troops and Savannah ran the risk
of being burned down by the northerners like so many southern cities before
but General Sherman thought that the city was too beautiful and so he gave
it to Abraham Lincoln as a Christmas gift.
In the 1930's and 40's 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 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.
The city's popularity as a tourist destination was solidified by the best-selling
novel and subsequent movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which
were set in Savannah.
Prominent local restaurants offering typical Southern cuisine in the
Savannah style include Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room and The Lady and Sons.
The city's location offers visitors access to the coastal islands and
Savannah River front, 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.
Geography
Savannah is located at 32°3'3" North, 81°6'14" West (32.050706,
-81.103762)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
202.3 km˛ (78.1 mi˛). 193.6 km˛ (74.7 mi˛) of it is land and 8.7 km˛ (3.4
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 4.31% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 131,510 people, 51,375 households, and
31,390 families residing in the city. The population density is 679.4/km˛
(1,759.5/mi˛). There are 57,437 housing units at an average density of
296.7/km˛ (768.5/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 38.86% White, 57.08%
African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander,
0.93% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 2.23% of the
population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 51,375 households out of which 28.5% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 35.2% are married couples living together, 21.7%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% are non-families.
31.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.5% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.45 and the average family size is 3.13.
In the city the population is 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
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100
females there are 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $29,038, and the median
income for a family is $36,410. Males have a median income of $28,545 versus
$22,309 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,921. 21.8% of
the population and 17.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 31.4% are under the age of 18 and 15.1% are
65 or older.
Metropolitan Area
The Savannah metropolitan area consists of three counties, all of them in
Georgia.
Bryan County
Chatham County
Effingham County
Squares
As mentioned above, Savannah is divided into 24 squares. Here are the names
of those 24 squares.
Calhoun Square
Chatham Square
Chippewa Square
Columbia Square
Crawford Square
Elbert Square
Ellis Square
Franklin Square
Greene Square
Johnson Square
Lafayette Square
Liberty Square
Madison Square
Monterey Square
Ogelthorpe Square
Orleans Square
Pulaski Square
Reynolds Square
Telfair Square
Troup Square
Warren Square
Washington Square
Whitefield Square
Wright Square
Famous People from Savannah
Juliette Gordon Low, (1860-1927), Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA
Conrad Aiken, (1889-1973), poet
Charles Coburn, (1877-1961), actor
Johnny Mercer, (1909-1976), songwriter
Flannery O'Connor, (1925-1964), writer
Stacy Keach, (b. 1941), actor
Clarence Thomas, (b. 1948), Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States
Diana Scarwid, (b. 1955), actor
James Moore Wayne, (b. 1790), Congressman and Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States
Billy Joe Royal, 1960's Singer
Savannah in Television and Film
List from Savannah Film Commission (http://www.SavannahFilm.org)
2000
The Gift
1999
The Legend of Bagger Vance
1998
Forces of Nature
The General's Daughter
1997
The Gingerbread Man
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Kiss of Fire
1996
Wild America
1995
Something to Talk About
1994
Now and Then
1993
Forrest Gump
Camilla
1990
Goldenboy
Love Crimes
1989
The Rose and the Jackal
Flight of the Intruder
Glory (film)
1988
The Return of Swamp Thing
The Judas Project
1987
My Father, My Son
1969
War Stories
1986
Pals
1983
Solomon Northup Odyssey
1981
All My Children
Tales of Ordinary Madness
1980
The Slayer
White Death
Scared to Death
When the Circus Came to Town
Fear
East of Eden
Mother Seton
1979
Gold Bug
The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd
Orphan Train
Hopscotch
1978
The Double McGuffin
1977
The Lincoln Conspiracy
1976
Roots (mini-series)
1975
Gator
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