Savannah may be as well known for its moss-draped ancient oaks as for its superb architecture, and the Candler Oak may just be the biggest and oldest of them all. Located about midway on the Drayton Street side of Forsyth Park, this regal oak is 54-feet tall, boasts a circumference of 17-feet, and has a crown spread of over 110-feet.
It’s older than Georgia itself, and at approximately 300 years old, is believed to have been a sapling in the early 1700s. By the time its branches shaded Union prisoners held in stockade here during the Civil War, it was already a substantial tree. From 1819 until 1980, the tree was a well-known landmark on the grounds of the Savannah Poor House & Hospital and Candler Hospital [the tree’s namesake]. It’s now adjacent to SCAD’s Deloitte Foundry.
It was nearly lost to progress and development, but was saved by the Savannah Tree Foundation in 1982, when that group obtained a conservation easement of 6,804 feet that insured its protection well into the future. This is the first known easement for a single tree. It’s now held together by screws and cables, surrounded by a formidable fence, and monitored by 24-hour video surveillance. Hopefully, all these protections will allow it to live long into the future.
Savannah Historic District, National Historic Landmark
Patt Gunn (second from right) and friends pose with the newly revealed Taylor Square sign
Mayor Van Johnson summed up Saturday’s dedication of Taylor Square, noting that “We’re not rewriting history…and we’re not making history. We’re making sense.”
For the first time in its nearly 300 year history, one of Savannah’s signature squares has been named for a woman, and an African-American. A large and festive crowd numbering in the hundreds was on hand on Saturday to see the dedication of Taylor Square, formerly known as Calhoun Square. Its previous namesake, vice-president John C. Calhoun, was a fierce advocate of slavery.
Susannah “Susie” Baker King Taylor (1848-1912) Courtesy Library of Congress
Its new namesake, Susannah “Susie” Baker King Taylor, was born into slavery and went on to become the first African-American nurse in the U. S. military and the only African-American woman to publish a memoir of her Civil War service (Reminisces of My Life in Camp). She was also a staunch advocate of creating educational opportunities for Black children and is believed to be the first Black teacher to openly teach African-Americans in Georgia. She established two schools in Savannah and another in Liberty County.
Savannah City Manager Joseph Melder introduced the event.
Reverend Jamie Maury of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia led the ceremony with a prayer.
Patt Gunn
Patt Gunn, of the Susie King Taylor Center for Jubilee, who with Rosalyn Rouse spearheaded the effort to rename the square, thanked those in the neighborhood for their support. She also made references to her Gullah Geechee roots.
Donald Lovett
Donald Lovett, chairman of the Liberty County commission, spoke of Mrs. Taylor’s Liberty County origins.
Music was provided by the Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church choir.
Hermina Glass-Hill
Hermina Glass-Hill, who leads the Susie King Taylor Women’s Institute and Ecology Center in Midway, is the foremost authority on Mrs. Taylor’s life. She noted, “I can assure you that this revolution of unity in the city of Savannah…would certainly make her [Mrs. Baker] proud.”
Mayor Van Johnson
Mayor Johnson described the effort to rename the park, thanking those who led the effort and countless volunteers.
Dr. Bertice Berry
Dr. Bertice Berry inspired the crowd.
Rev. Ben Martin
Rev. Ben Martin is the senior pastor at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, which faces Taylor Square. He noted that the congregation was proud of the work done here.
The city hosted an all-day celebration in the square, with activities throughout the day.
This was a source of pride for the historic district.
Letha Moore (r) and friend
I was honored to meet Letha Moore and even let her take my picture. She told me that she’s the unofficial photographer for her church.
People of all generations took in the festivities.
Hermina Glass-Hill poses with friends.
Van Johnson, Edna Jackson, Otis Johnson
Here, Mayor Van Johnson prepares to reveal the new sign, while former mayor and current state representative Edna Jackson, and former mayor Otis Johnson look on.
Savannah Historic District, National Historic Landmark
Benjamin Harvey Hill (detail), circa 1870-1880. Courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Bellevue is a grand Greek Revival mansion, originally the center of a 1200-acre plantation property, built by Benjamin Harvey Hill (1823-1882) for his wife Caroline Holt Hill (1825-1904). It’s surrounded today by one of LaGrange’s premier historic residential districts. It was donated to the LaGrange Woman’s Club by the Fuller E. Callaway Foundation in 1942 and they have been its guardians ever since.
Benjamin Hill, who was born at Hillsboro in Jasper County, has been called a political chameleon for his wavering views and various party alliances. He started his career as a Whig and then became a strong Fillmore-supporting Unionist. Ultimately, he was Southern partisan who voted in favor of secession and quickly voiced public support for Confederate President Jefferson Davis while serving in the Confederate senate. Davis was even a visitor to Bellevue. In response to Reconstruction and the governorship of Republican Rufus Bullock, Hill helped inaugurate the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia during a speech made on 23 July 1868 that supported violence against the governor and others in favor of the Reconstruction government. He was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives and to the U. S. Senate in 1877. He died in office in 1882. Ben Hill County is named for him.
National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark
Beach, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
I’ve been collecting Georgia postcards since I was a teenager and have several thousand now. Besides my hometown, my favorite area to collect is the coast, Jekyll Island especially. This is just a small sampling of my Jekyll Island collection. Besides interesting glimpses into an earlier time, the cards are important primary historical sources. All of these images are in the public domain.
Jekyl(l) Island Club, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
Having spent countless vacations with my parents on Jekyll, it’s a part of my history. Hand-colored Albertypes are my favorite cards and are among the most sough-after of the Jekyll Island cards.
Walk to Landing-Mr. Edwin Gould’s Place, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Published by H. O. Lederer, Circa 1910-1920, [H. O. Lederer may refer to Otto Lederer, assistant to Club superintendent Ernest Grob], Collection of Brian Brown
The island was a haven for millionaires and some of the most famous American families during the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, and the postcards produced for members of the Jekyll Island Club were quite special. You’ll note that on some of the cards, Jekyll is spelled “Jekyl”. I’m not sure why the distinction, since the island’s namesake, Sir Joseph Jekyll, spelled his name with two “l”s.
A Bit of Shore, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
Many of the Albertypes focus on the natural and undeveloped aspects of the island, which luckily, can still be seen today.
Club Grounds, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
Bicycling was all the rage in the early 1900s. The card pictured below shows one of several bicycle paths maintained for the enjoyment of club members.
McKay Bicycle Path, Jekyl(l) Island, Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
The beach buildings in the card below were for use by members of the Jekyll Island Club. They look quite primitive by today’s standards.
Shell Road and Beach, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
Golf was first brought to Jekyll by members of the Jekyll Island Club and remains a popular pastime today.
13th Hole, 380 yards long, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Hand-colored Albertype Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
Women were as involved in golf on Jekyll as men, as this view suggests.
Ninth Green, Jekyl(l) Island Club, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Published by H. O. Lederer, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown, Collection of Brian Brown
Golf was probably more popular than sunbathing in the Club Era, at least with adults.
Residence of Henry Kirk Porter, Jekyl(l) Island, Ga., Published by H. O. Lederer, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown, Collection of Brian Brown
Mistletoe, as the house was known, is virtually unchanged today.
Three Pretty Houses of Members of Jekyl(l) Island Club, Jekyl(l) Island, Brunswick, Ga., Albertype Postcard, Published by Fleming & Bryant, 1914, Collection of Brian Brown
This multi-view card was published by Brunswick booksellers Fleming & Bryant. Along with H. O. Lederer, they were the primary publishers of early Jekyll Island cards. Featured are Solterra, which burned in 1914, Goodyear Cottage, and Mistletoe.
“Jessamine Road’, A Beautiful Drive, Bordered by Hedges Through Club Grounds, Jekyl(l) Island Club, Jekyl(l) Island, Brunswick, Ga., Albertype Postcard, Published by Fleming & Bryant, 1914, Collection of Brian Brown
Like H. O. Lederer, Fleming & Bryant focused on the club grounds, as well as natural scenes like the one below.
“Shell Road Driveway” Opening on Atlantic Ocean Beach, Jekyl(l) Island, Brunswick, Ga., Albertype Postcard, Published by Fleming & Bryant, 1914, Collection of Brian Brown
On of my favorite cards is this moonlight view of the Jekyll River.
Moonlight on Jekyl(l) Creek, Jekyl(l) Island, Hand-colored Postcard, Published by Bryant’s Book Store, 1914, Collection of Brian Brown
Several commercial publishers besides the Albertype Company were also distributing nice views of the island.
Club House, Jekyl(l) Island near Brunswick, Ga., Octochrome Postcard, Circa 1910-1920, Collection of Brian Brown
The Clubhouse features prominently in many of them. The view below, showing Solterra Cottage and its dovecote* on the left and Faith Chapel on the right, is a nice perspective, possibly made from the turret on the clubhouse. *-The dovecote survived the fire and is still standing.
Bird’s Eye View of Jekyl(l) Island, Near Brunswick, Ga. C. T. American Art Postcard, 1914 or earlier, Collection of Brian Brown
One of my favorite buildings in Savannah, this exotic Moorish Revival landmark [with a dose of Manueline inspiration and Gothic elements] was built by the Georgia Hussars as a retail space to fund their armory, which was located next door. The painted terracotta facade is truly one of the most memorable works of architecture in the city. As Rafe Semmes noted, it may best be remembered as the Pars Oriental Rug Company . It’s now home to Artillery Bar.
One of 22 surviving squares in Savannah, Lafayette Square was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. It was laid out in 1837 and is adjacent to major landmarks including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home, and the Andrew Low House. The fountain was placed by the Colonial Dames of America to mark Savannah’s 250th anniversary, in 1983.
The Andrew Low Carriage House*, at 330 Drayton Street, was the site of the first meeting of the troop of eighteen Girl Guides who would soon come to be known as the Girl Scouts. Juliette Magill Kinzie Gordon was born into an influential Savannah family on 31 October 1860. Her grandfather was the first president of the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia, and her father, William Washington Gordon II, was a Confederate captain, brigadier-general in the Spanish-American War, and a Georgia legislator. She attended boarding schools in New Jersey and Virginia, and a French finishing school in New York City.
After completing her education, Juliette married William Mackay Low in 1886. Low was the son of Andrew Low, a wealthy cotton factor of Scottish origin who owned homes in Savannah and the United Kingdom. The young couple spent most of their time in England and Scotland. The union turned sour when Juliette discovered that William had moved his mistress into their home. In 1902 she filed for divorce, but William’s health was deteriorating and before the action could be finalized, he died in Wales, in 1905.
In 1911, Juliette Gordon Low met Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, and got involved with a troop of Girl Guides in Scotland. She brought the movement to Savannah and the first troop of eighteen Girl Guides met in the carriage house of the Low family mansion on 12 March 1912. The name was changed to the Girl Scouts in 1913. Low’s association with the Girl Scouts continued in various capacities until her death in 1927. The organization has served over 50 million girls in its long history and while it may be best known for its annual cookie sales, has enriched the lives of those who have been associated with it.
The carriage house has served various purposes within the Girl Scouts organization over the years and is presently a museum. It was the first structure in Savannah to receive National Historic Landmark status.
*-Designed by architect John Norris to complement the adjacent Andrew Low House, circa 1848-1849, this structure originally served as the carriage house and living quarters for domestic slaves. Thomas “Tom” Milledge (1818-1886) was the most entrusted of the domestic slaves and after emancipation, remained in the employee of the Low family as a butler. He lived in the carriage house with his wife Mosianna (1844-1909) and their children.
Juliette Gordon Low Historic District, Savannah National Historic LandmarkDistrict
This saltbox cottage, built some time between 1760-1767 and raised in 1871, is believed to be the oldest surviving structure in the city of Savannah [Wild Heron Plantation, outside the city, is the oldest structure in Chatham County, dating to circa 1756]. The balcony was remodeled in 1907. I have not been able to locate any information about Christian Camphor, however.
This iconic Savannah home was built for Israel Dasher (26 June 1814-3 February 1894), who came to the city from nearby Effingham County. The Dashers were a large Salzburger family connected to New Ebenezer and many of their relatives remain in the area.
I love seeing old murals around Savannah. They often bring character to otherwise easily overlooked places. Frank & Co. was a thriving dry goods wholesaler in late-19th-century Savannah.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 