by The Wormsloe Historic Site sits on the outer edges of Savannah. It was once the Wormsloe Plantation, the estate of one of Georgia’s founders, Noble Jones (c. 1700-1775). Though the site indicates there are the ruins of Jones’ home, a museum, and an area interpreting daily colonial life, those were, if we’re being honest, rather unimpressive.
The 1.5-mile driveway to the site flanked by 400 oak trees (planted in 1891) draped in Spanish moss was absolutely beautiful, I’ll give them that.
When Doug said “Hey, Byrd’s Cookies are local and delicious, we should definitely sample them as part of our educational experience,” you know I didn’t need any convincing. Though in truth, I prefer a soft cookie, I will say the items we perused were quite tasty. And of course, we purchased many more cookies than we strictly needed (for the sake of our readers).
The company dates to 1924 when Benjamin Byrd began baking Scotch Oatmeal cookies at his small bakery in downtown Savannah. He drove around town in his Model T Ford, selling cookies as he went. Eventually, as his reputation grew, more products were added to the lineup, a bigger bakery space was acquired, and the cookies were packaged in metal tins for shipping beyond Georgia. Their Key Lime Cooler cookie was even named Dessert of the Year at the National Food Association’s Fancy Food Show!
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, built 1873. First the sign said to come back after 1:00 when their service would be over. Then when we returned there was a new sign saying it was closed for a wedding. So we didn’t get to go inside. Flannery O’Connor attended this church as her family lived just across the street,
The Greek-Revival First Baptist Church. Built in 1833, it is the oldest surviving building in Savannah.
Singer and songwriter Johnny Mercer was born in Savannah in 1909. He wrote the lyrics to more than 1,500 songs, and also co-founded Capitol Records.
Doug had a Lowcountry boil for lunch, which is served in a plastic bag! It includes shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes, and seasonings. We also had hush puppies with cinnamon butter, a delicious revelation in itself!
Savannah is renowned for its beautiful buildings, with lots of wonderful old trees everywhere. Most cities are sparse on trees, but downtown historic Savannah is positively lush!
The Mercer Williams House is famous as the location of a murder, covered in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It’s also renowned for its lush decorating and stunning antiques. Doug and I had both toured it previously (and read the book!), so we didn’t feel the need to tour it again, especially since they don’t allow pictures inside. (Affiliate link for the book.)
The Colonial Park Cemetery was established in 1750. During the Civil War, Union troops occupied the cemetery and defaced many of the grave makers by altering dates and ages. More than 700 victims of the 1820 Yellow Fever epidemic are also buried here.
The Haitian Monument in Franklin Square, dedicated to the “largest unit of soldiers of African descent who fought in the American Revolution.” They participated in a campaign to take Savannah from the British in 1779.
The Fountain at Forsyth Park was erected in 1858. It was ordered from a catalogue, so other cities have similar fountains! It is the showpiece of the park, designed around the French ideal of having a central public garden.
