Week Two: Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia's oldest city, was established in 1733 by the order of King George II of England, who wanted to establish a buffer against Spanish Florida and French Louisiana, in an effort to protect the more lucrative English colonies to the north. Major General James Oglethorpe chose a site along the Savannah River, approximately 20 miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. The site not only provided a buffer against imperial rivals, but allowed Savannah to grow into a major commercial and cultural center that persists to the present.

Savannah's Historic District is one of the most beautiful city districts I have visited in the United States. Few cities have managed or attempted to preserve their historic buildings, park squares, boulevards, stone streets to such a degree. The streets and park squares with the historic district remain largely unchanged from the original 1733 grid plan. The oak tree lined boulevards and park squares will feel like a step back into the 18th and 19th centuries, with the notable difference that unlike many other historic sites, Savannah's Historic District is very much still alive and buzzing.

My tour included River Street, paved with cobblestone and lined with historic buildings housing shops, restaurants, cafes and bars; Forsyth Park, a 31-acre park established in the 1840s with a large fountain, brick paths among large oak trees, and gardens;  the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, constructed in 1873; Colonial Cemetery, with head stones and crypts dating back to the 1750s; and tasting southern foods, including red beans and rice with Cajun seasonings, and pralines, a maple-sweet candy patty with pecans, a traditional southern favorite.

The bustling River Street, still paved with traditional cobblestone. The street is also lined with railroad track, which established Savannah's first streetcar service in 1869.

A fountain at Lafayette Square, one of many squares located at intersections every three to four blocks. The squares provide shade from the hot southern sun, and help reduce the feeling of walking through a monotonous urban jungle.

Savannah is know for many of the city's well-preserved historic homes and buildings constructed in the Victorian, Georgian and Neoclassical styles.

A decorative fountain at Forsyth Park.

An old dummy fort used for training during World War I re-purposed as a garden at Forsyth Park.

One of many stain glass works throughout the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, built in 1873, located across from Lafayette Square.

The alter at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Colonial Cemetery, also known as Colonial Park, served as an active cemetery from the 1750s until 1853. The cemetery was declared a city park in 1893. Several notable figures of history are buried here including Archibald Bulloch, the first President of the Provincial Congress of Georgia; Lachlin McIntosh, a major general of the Continental Army; and Major General Nathanial Green of the Continental Army until 1901.

Christ's Church is Georgia's oldest church, established in 1733. President George Washington attended services at this church during his national tour in 1791. Since its founding, the church structure has been rebuilt several times.

Delicious pralines, a maple-sweet candy patty, a traditional southern candy.

I stopped at the Bayou Cafe, nestled in a very old brick and stone building along the riverfront. I decided to ordered the Red Beans & Rice dish with smoked sausage with Cajun spices common in the South.

Most of the buildings along River Street were constructed before the advent of steel-cage construction. This image, taken at the Bayou Cafe serves as example of the load-bearing brick construction techniques used prior to 1889.

Week 2: Tybee Island