Tennessee Williams once stated “America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.” While I may not agree 100% with his statement, there are many other fine, unique cities in the U.S., I truly think he should have added a fourth, Savannah. Perhaps it didn’t qualify as a city but it definitely met the qualification of being unique and definitely not Cleveland. With it’s Southern Charm, mansions of note, historical significance, seafood (missing my Shrimp and Grits already), and of course it’s ghostly presence, a weekend in Savannah should really be a longer visit to experience all it has to offer. In my two visits I have barely touched the surface. Many movies have been filmed in the city including scenes from Forrest Gump (the park bench scene in Chippewa Square, though the bench in now in a museum),  Glory (interior scenes in the Mercer Williams House), even Return of the Swamp Thing (Ledbetter Swamp). Undoubtably the most famous is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Based on a true story, filmed entirely in Savannah and giving great insight on this Southern City culture. Fans of the movie can find locales from the scenes in Forsyth Park and the Mercer Williams house where the murder occurred and Jim Williams (the supposed murderer) lived. 

Savannah is known as the most haunted city in America. Locals claim they have built their city upon the dead. It was a key port in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War with a major battles being fought in and around the city. During the Revolutionary War, British soldiers occupied Savannah for most of the war after the First Battle for Savannah in 1778 until near the end of the war in 1782. American and French troupes tried to recapture Savannah in 1779 and failed miserably, killing a large number of the Revolutionary Army. This was in the heart of the city and amongst the homes and squares of this early colony. During the Civil War, Savannah was in the path of Sherman’s March to the Sea in 1864. Rather than burn the city to the ground, Sherman set up command and spared the city from destruction, handing the City to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. Again, bloody battles and major loss of life surrounded the Civil War battles. With a bustling slave trade (even after it was against the law to import new slaves), the misery of those oppressed people and their deaths, an outbreak of Yellow Fever and nearly 300 years of living history and it is easy to imagine the haunted nature of this American Historical Treasure.

You will see a lot of Spanish Moss. The city trees are full of it and we became very intrigued by it. It adds to the mystery of the city, and the feeling of being haunted. It does no harm to the tree, as it is an air-based, doesn’t grow roots, and is not parasitic. In fact, it isn’t even a moss at all. I have seen Spanish Moss in other places, but it just seems to fit in Savannah like a glove.

The city is the first planned city and is the first city in Georgia. It is laid out in a series of grids, with wide streets and 24 shady public squares (22 still remain). The squares remain a focal point of relaxation and historical significance. They are across the Historical Center and surrounded by the beautiful homes, churches, Inns and museums of days gone by. Many have memorials, including John Wesley, the founder of Methodism (Reynolds Square),  General Pulaski, Revolutionary War hero killed in Savannah (Monterey Square), and Haitian Monument for the soldiers who fought during the siege of Savannah (Franklin Square). There are squares with fountains, cannons and gazebos, and even one with nothing decorations except amazing trees and benches (Pulaski Square). 

Beyond the squares are the city parks, the most famous of which is Forsyth Park. It can be seen in msny movies and is somewhat featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The fountain is the centerpiece of the park, but beautiful trees, some monuments and ball fields are also present. We walked through the park and even made a visit at night after our dinner to view it under a full moon. It is definitely a different feeling then the daylight hours. 

There are several remaining cemeteries, the two most famous in the Bonaventure Cemetery on the outskirts of Savannah. We only had a few minutes to drive through and it was highly recommended to take a tour. I agree with this suggestion. It is massive and interesting. The remaining old cemetery is the Colonial Park Cemetery near the Cathedral. We walked though it during the day and revisited it during our haunted tour. This cemetery stopped taking “guests” in 1953. By then, it was reported the bodies were buried as many as 10 deep. This was mainly due to the Yellow Fever epidemic which wiped out a large portion of the population. I mentioned earlier Savannah is built on it’s dead and multiple graves have been found when building or expanding a building. This of course adds to the Haunted City designation. 

The Riverwalk is now a tourist mecca, filled with bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. It has been a large part of the cities growth for over 200 years, providing a port for cotton, goods and slaves. Cargo ships still use the port that has been moved further upstream, people can hitch a ride on a dinner ship (dressed as an old fashioned steam ship), get flowers made from palm leaves, and grab a drink and wonder in the shops.   

Savannah homes and architecture are a big part of the aura of the city. The same Jim Williams from the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil book and movie, who was tried 4 times for murder and was famously acquitted in 1989, was a big reason for the revival of Savannah architecture. He restored over 50 homes, saving them from destruction and infuriating the Savannah business world who wanted to put up office buildings and parking garages in their place. Now at Mercer house, you can tour his infamous home (sorry, no photos allowed inside and only the first floor), ponder the lives of the slaves and the gentry at the Owens Thomas House, take a ghostly tour of the Sorrel Weed home (they were booked full, so MAYBE next time), or many other extraordinary examples of late 18th and 19th century homes. Each has a story and some are homes, others museums and a few are vacant (due to their hauntings.   

We took a Carriage Ride, it was not expensive, a lot of fun and gave great insight. It was interesting to hear stories from a different view (plus we got to pet a horse). 

Haunted tours are lots of fun, educational, entertaining and maybe a little scary. I have now been on two in Savannah and each was completely different. The first time, my guide focused on very scary stories, such as the house at 432 Abercorn, where the rumors the narrative speaks of an abusive father accidently killing his daughter will disciplining her then taking his own life (most likely untrue). Instead, the house is built at Calhoun Square, which was the burial ground for several thousand early slaves and perhaps they are ones haunting this home. The second tour was more entertaining. The guide was well versed in acting and played his part well.  We visited the Foley House Inn, where a skeleton was found in the wall during renovation and rumors from the late 1800’s of a woman killing her jealous lover and her new beau making him part of the wall came to light. 

A city built on grave yards will of course, spark the imagination but also leave some ghostly remnants for us to all enjoy. Homes such as the Mercer House, the Owens Thomas house, and especially the Sorrel Weed house are famous for their ghostly visitors. You can stay at the Foley House Inn, the 17Hundred90 Inn, or better yet the Hamilton Turner Inn, whose design may have inspired the Haunted Mansion at Disney and may have the ghost of the original owner Samuel Hamilton, on the roof smoking a cigar. Have a drink at the Six Pence Pub, or for a real ghostly experience at the Blue River Brewing Company where the spirits are not always liquid in form. There are dozens of haunted locations. Read some of the more interesting stories at: The Top 37 Most Haunted Places in Savannah | Haunted Savannah (ghostcitytours.com)  

On the outskirts of Savanah is a beautiful and historic park called Wormsloe State Historic Site. It is the location of the ruins of the Wormsloe Plantation and the earliest remaining structure in Georgia. A great history of the area and the plantation can be found on the Georgia State Park site, but the ruins were a bit disappointing and activities were not occurring due to Covid. Instead, we marveled at the entry, where an “avenue of live oak and Spanish moss” invited us into the park where we took a short hike to the ruins and onward through a beautiful marsh and forest filed with spectacular trees, mushrooms and views. I am not sure I would want to visit in the heat of summer or mosquito season, but our early March visit seemed perfect.

Finally, the food. Seafood is an obvious focus and oysters, shrimp and even Georgia Alligator tail are on the menu. We had steamed crab legs, shrimp and grits, fried alligator tail, oysters steamed and Rockefeller, and even a lobster tail. Savannah is a foodies dream. 

I have enjoyed Savannah on each visit. We are an hour from Vickie’s brother in Odem, Georgia so a return visit or two (or three) is definitely in the cards. Next time, we want to take a Pedal Pub, which is another interesting way to see the city, or at least the bars….