City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 501 Whitaker St.
17. Calhoun Square
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: The first of the Abercorn Street squares on our tour was named for John Calhoun, a South Carolina statesman. It was laid out in 1851. When entering the square, you can’t help but notice Wesley Monumental Methodist Church on the southwestern corner of the square. This Gothic Revival church was named for John and Charles Wesley, early figures in the history of Methodism. The sanctuary was built between 1876 and 1890. It features a Wesley Window opposite the pulpit, which contains the busts of the men for whom the church was named. On the southeastern edge of the square is the Massie Heritage Interpretation Center.
18. Massie Heritage Interpretation Center
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (912) 651-7022
Address: 207 East Gordon St.
Description: Honored as Georgia’s oldest school in continuous operation, the Massie Heritage Interpretation Center is also the only remaining original building from Georgia’s oldest chartered school system. The Greek Revival structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was completed in 1856 and is known for its gable roof, wood cupola, and cornice, among other features. Today, an enrichment program is offered to increase student understanding of Savannah’s historic and architectural heritage. The center is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon through Fri. Self-guided tours are $5; guided tours are $8.
19. Lafayette Square
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: This square, which was laid out in 1837, was named for Marquis de Lafayette, who visited Savannah in 1825. There are several significant buildings on this square, but when you enter it, you can’t help but notice the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, located near the northeast corner.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 223 East Harris St.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 329 Abercorn St.
22. The Hamilton-Turner Inn
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (912) 233-1833
Address: 330 Abercorn St.
Description: The Hamilton-Turner House is a Second Empire chateau built in the 1870s by a former mayor of Savannah. The Lafayette Square home was the first house in the city to get electricity and has many distinctive features, including a mansard roof and cast-iron balconies. In 1969 it was scheduled for demolition, but those plans were abandoned after the Historic Savannah Foundation stepped in. It has changed hands several times since then.
23. Flannery O’Connor House
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (912) 233-6014
Address: 207 East Charlton St.
Description: Noted Southern author Flannery O’Connor was born in this high-stoop, 19th-century home on the outskirts of Lafayette Square. She lived here as a child until 1938. The parlor floor has been restored to its original appearance and houses a small museum dedicated to the author. The home is open from 1 to 4 p.m. every day except Thurs, and there is a $5 admission charge. Continuing north on Abercorn Street, cross Liberty Street. On the east side of Abercorn Street is Colonial Park Cemetery.
24. Colonial Park Cemetery
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Button Gwinnett, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and Edward Green Malbone, painter of miniatures, are two of the notable Georgians buried in this cemetery, the second public burial ground in Savannah. The cemetery, which takes up several blocks in the Historic Downtown, opened in 1750; it closed to burials 100 years later. Visitors are welcome to tour the cemetery and glimpse the old tombstones and inscriptions. After exploring the cemetery, continue north on Abercorn Street, crossing Oglethorpe Avenue. As you cross Oglethorpe, you will pass the city’s fire department headquarters. Next is Oglethorpe Square.
25. Oglethorpe Square
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Oglethorpe Square was named for Georgia’s founder, James Edward Oglethorpe. It was laid out in 1742. On the northeast corner of the square is one of Savannah’s most famous museum houses, the Owens-Thomas House.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 124 Abercorn St.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 324 East State St.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 32 Abercorn St.
29. Reynolds Square
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Reynolds Square was named for Capt. John Reynolds, who served as governor of Georgia in 1754. In the center is a statue of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. On the northwestern corner of the square is the Olde Pink House, a popular eatery. Continuing north on Abercorn Street, you will reach Bay Street. Look to the west and you will once again see the dome on City Hall, where the tour began. Directly across Bay Street is Factors’ Walk and River Street.
City: Savannah, GA
Category: Tours & Attractions