Savannah True History Tours

Always happy to see my former colleagues at RNBP talking Savannah history!

Happy Birthday to Phoebe Yates Pember, born on August 18, 1823. As the first female administrator at Chimborazo Hospital, she played a vital role in overseeing the care of thousands of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. At a time when few women held leadership positions, Pember directed a division of what was then the largest military hospital in the world. Her memoir, "A Southern Woman's Story," offers a glimpse into her remarkable life and provides valuable insight into the struggles of Southern women during the war. After the war, Pember traveled extensively across the United States before passing away from breast cancer on March 4, 1913. She is buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. Today, we honor her legacy as a trailblazing woman in history.

(Public Domain Photo, Courtesy of UNC Chapel Hill Libraries)

Tondee’s plays a major role in Georgia’s Revolutionary story. It’s a stop on our Revolutionary War Tour!

August 9, 2021: The day we got a new roommate. Three years with Max the dog! Many of y’all have met him and know just how lucky we are to have found this guy. He’s beloved by our entire family (and many patrons of The Original Pinkie Masters, The Wayward, Savannah, GA, and Clary's Cafe). Happy Gotcha Day to Max!

If you see him out today, he’ll gladly accept a pet, and of course, a Cheerio.

This week’s weather caused us to do some digging: What was the wettest day in Savannah’s history? Answer: September 16, 1924 when Savannah received 9.02 inches of rain in 24 hours. Before hurricanes were named, they were numbered. Hurricane 5 formed in the Gulf of Mexico, marched its way across the Florida Panhandle, then tore through Georgia. This resulted in Savannah’s wettest day.

Once ol’ Debby finally moves out, we have a HUGE tour schedule this week, including our Savannah History Walk, Savannah History 101, Dark History, Civil War, Revolutionary War, and our brand new Savannah Orientation Tours. There’s something for everyone this week!

Stay safe and dry, y’all!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and donated on our tour today! Together, we raised $820 for Children Exceeding Expectations! We’re so appreciative to live in such a generous community. Thank you all!

Sleep well tonight because tomorrow’s the day! Big shout out to everyone who RSVP’ed. We still have EIGHT spots available for tomorrow’s inaugural Savannah Orientation Tour benefiting Children Exceeding Expectations. If the tour doesn’t fill up via pre-tour email reservations, walk-ups will be welcome. Again, no fee for this tour. We merely ask for a donation to Children Exceeding Expectations.

If you need a history fix before then, we have both Dark History and Savannah History tours stepping off at 7:30 tonight.

See y’all soon!

Saturday’s Orientation Tour benefiting Children Exceeding Expectations is now half-full. Walk-ups are welcome if the tour isn’t sold out, but we recommend locking in your slot via email: [email protected]

Savannah True History Tours will match in full the donation amount raised from this tour.

Next Saturday, we’re rolling out a brand new tour. If you’ve followed us for a while, you know our first run at a tour is half-price. We’re going to do something a bit different this time - All proceeds will go to Brandon’s late father’s favorite charity: Children Exceeding Expectations. This is a free school for kids with cancer and life-threatening diseases. The last trip dad and I took was to a fundraiser he hosted for this group. He donated rare bourbons that were auctioned with every cent going to this group. We’ll do the same next week.

Now moving on from the sappy part, the new tour! What is it? Believe it or not, this one isn’t really a history tour at all. It’s our Savannah Orientation Tour.

If you’re new to Savannah or just want to learn some locals’ tips, this is for you. It’s a crash course on all things Savannah. We’ll give you just enough history to understand why there are so many Squares here, then we’ll dive into the city. You’ll learn of hole-in-the-wall restaurants and seafood shacks, locals-only dives, and maybe even more importantly, which tourist traps to avoid. We’ll stroll one the country’s most beautiful streets and discuss culinary treats unique to Savannah. You’ll also become acquainted with how to best get around the city. In our brief time together, you’ll learn of over 50 uniquely Savannah spots. The best part - You’ll have the opportunity to ask your expert guide any questions you have about this beautiful place.

Give us one hour, and we guarantee we’ll enhance your Savannah stay!

This tour will take place at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 3 in Chippewa Square. As mentioned, the only cost is a donation (Recommended minimum of $15, please). It runs one hour and covers about 3/4 mile. Well even try to get ol’ Max the Mascot there. Walk-ups are welcome, but should we hit capacity, those who RSVP to [email protected] will have priority.

Hope to see y’all then!

Some great Savannah/Richmond/Roosevelt history from our friends, Shockoe Hill Cemetery!

Two big tour announcements! This Saturday at 10:30 AM, we’ll be offering our Civil War Tour. This particular tour is extra special as we’ll be bringing our group inside The Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah!

September 14 will be our first ever Going Bananas Tour. It’s our Savannah History Walk, but there’s a catch: You’ll be tested at the end on what you’ve learned. The highest score on this quiz wins, you guessed it, two tickets to that evening’s game! As you can imagine, this tour will likely fill up fast.

Hope to see you on a tour soon!

UPDATE - This tour is now full. We'll hold another in the near future. Thank you!

The Button Gwinnett Monument inside Colonial Park Cemetery. Is he under it? Was he really killed in a duel just outside the cemetery? Well guess what - We know the answers, and tomorrow you will, too!

Our famous Colonial Park Tour is back for one day only. Saturday, July 6. 10:30 AM. Tickets on our website.

And don’t forget, we still have some tickets available for tonight’s Dark History Tour!

As our country’s birthday quickly approaches, we have quite a tour schedule lined up! Here are a few highlights:

-Civil War Tour: 6/29 at 10:30 AM
-Revolutionary Savannah Tour: 7/5 at 2:30 PM
-Colonial Park Cemetery Tour: 7/6 at 10:30 AM

Remember that we’re offering our Savannah History Walk each day this summer at 10:00 and 2:00, as well as our Dark History Tour Monday-Saturday. See a tour you’re interested in, but it’s not offered on your day of choice? Just call us!

Come find out why we’re consistently voted Savannah’s best.

It’s time to correct more Savannah legends!

Today, we saw a social media ad for a local tour company. The post had three major inaccuracies: The Cathedral was completed in 1896, duels were fought behind Colonial Park Cemetery, and the Declaration of Independence was read from the Old Pink House (which they claim was built in 1771, also incorrect) in August of 1776. We’ve taken on the first two previously: The Cathedral on our St. Pat’s Tour and the dueling myth in both previous posts and our tours. Let’s now dismantle the Pink House myth.

Yes, James Habersham, Jr. bought the lot in 1771, but the house came later. Joseph Clay, Habersham, Jr’s first cousin, built the house around 1789, hence no reading of the Declaration there in 1776. Both the Library of Congress and the Digital Library of Georgia back this date.

As for the reading of the Declaration, that may have actually occurred up to four times on August 10, 1776. The first was likely at Tondee’s Tavern, and the GHS agrees. We also know it was read in Johnson Square. It was also likely read in or near the New Council House, which occupied the southeastern Trust Lot by Reynolds Square. Technically, Habersham’s lot may have heard the reading, but the Pink House did not.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that many tour operators in Savannah simply do not know how to research. Research is more than reading a book. Research is spending time in archives and libraries, poring through old newspapers, locating firsthand accounts, seeking out obscure dissertations, and then synthesizing and comparing all of that information to determine what actually happened. We spent 18 months writing our first tour. We wanted it to be Savannah’s most comprehensive. We took the same care in our other tours as well.

There’s a reason you hear no urban legends, myths, or falsehoods on our tours - We’ve done the research.

Speaking of, both former National Park Service Ranger Brandon and college history professor Rod are giving tours this week - Come join!

Two tours with Dr. Rod today: 2:00 Savannah History Walk and 7:30 Dark History!

With yesterday’s sad Moon River news, it got us thinking: Which other food & beverage places from our past do we sorely miss? In no particular order and not including the given (Moon River), we threw together a top-10 list of the places we will forever miss:

1. Closed for Business, Charleston
2. The Distillery, Savannah
3. City Dogs (OG Cary Street location), Richmond
4. Richbrau Brewing (also Cary Street), Richmond
5. Jen’s & Friend’s, Savannah
6. Motz’s, Colonial Heights, TN
7. MacLeod’s, Knoxville
8. Studio Brew, Bristol, VA
9. Buxton Hall, Asheville
10. The Craftsman, Charleston

Very close honorable mentions:

-Yukon Steakhouse, Virginia Beach ($5 lunches and $1 Sam Adams - the reason I had no Friday afternoon classes my last year of law school)
-Portsmouth Brewing, Portsmouth, NH
-Kevin Barry’s, Savannah
-Ghost Coast Distilling, Savannah
-Regal Beagle, Virginia Beach
-Pour House, Boston
-The Big Hunt, DC
-Craft Conundrum, Charleston
-The Bucket Trade, Chester, VA
-Lynnhaven Fish House, Virginia Beach
-Pizza Hut, Colonial Heights, TN (Home to post-game middle school football celebrations and quite a few visits with my dad for its $5 lunch buffet)

I’m sure I’ll wake up in a sweat this week when I remember some place I left off.

Which places make your list?

Some places just mean more.

Moon River Brewing Company opened in 1999. My first visit was in 2008 or 2009. Like many patrons, I was a tourist. In the Summer of 2019, something crazy happened: My law firm folded, and I accepted a job in Savannah. One of our first stops, not surprisingly, was Moon River. The rest, as they say, is history.

We had our rehearsal dinner here. The first place our kids ever saw after the hospital and home was Moon River. I was put on TV here. And the radio. My kid has been behind the bar here (on New Year’s Eve no less). We’ve both dominated trivia and been embarrassed here. One of the first articles of clothing our oldest had was a Moon River onesie (Which our youngest wore tonight). I’ve given many a tour here, proudly protecting this building’s true history from those who took it for granted. Max has scavenged a lot of people food off the beer garden floor. We’ve visited weekly. Where else can you get great beer while comfortably hanging out with the kids and dog? Couldn’t decide on where to have dinner on a Saturday night? Welp, I know a place. We were here a lot. A LOT. And we’re going to miss it. A lot.

We wish all the best to the Pinkerton’s and the Moon River family. We’ve made some amazing friends at this place. It will not soon be forgotten.

“Sorry, we’re closed.” - Sam Malone

As I wait for this morning’s tour to begin, I heard the latest edition of “Lies Told by Savannah Tour Guides.”

“The Live Oaks in Johnson Square have been there since Oglethorpe’s time. They’re at least 290 years old.”

Those trees date to about 1900 FYI. If a tour’s main selling point is that it’s free, you’re getting what you pay for.

At last, the final day of the 35-Day Civil War Battlefields Cruise. We began the morning with a walk around Seminary Ridge. We discussed the fighting that took place there on July 1, and some guests visited the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center. From there, it was an excellent lunch at , then back to the battlefield. I led a group from the Virginia Monument to the Angle, directly in the path of those Confederates who were part of Pickett’s Charge. Nothing quite brings Gettysburg home like that walk. After the Charge, we returned to Culp’s Hill to take in the view from its tower. We concluded the day by exploring the town and dinner at Mansion House 1757. Our guests will still be talking about that dinner weeks from now.

With the exception of an absolutely horrendous experience provided by Delta Air Lines on the return trip, I loved my experience with this cruise. Can’t wait for next year!

We have some big news! As you well know, we strive to be Savannah’s most comprehensive tour company. Due to Brandon’s weekday job, we’ve been forced to turn down far too many tours. That changes today. Meet our new guide, Rod Steward! Keeping with our mission of providing Savannah’s best tours, it should be noted that Rod is a Ph.D., published author, and college history professor. Rod’s depth of knowledge will strengthen the company even further. His presence also allows us to now offer tours at least six days a week, including daily Savannah History Walks at 10 AM and 2 PM!

We’re thrilled to have Rod as part of the True History Tours family!

Gettysburg.

We began the day with an extended tour of the battlefield. The landscape around town is absolutely beautiful, and it’s difficult to picture the bloodshed that once occurred here.

In the afternoon, we spent time inside the Park’s large museum. I’m always excited to find VMI buttons!

The Civil War Battlefields Cruise is in the homestretch. We left Baltimore (very) early yesterday morning, arriving at Monocacy National Battlefield just before it opened. Our guests were treated to an excellent tour of the battlefield by Ranger Matt. As an old NPS guy, I’m always interested to see how Rangers interpret their sites. Matt led off by placing the battle into the framework of a larger campaign, then methodically walked us through its varying phases. He clearly loves what he does.

We then made the short drive to Antietam National Battlefield, scene of America’s bloodiest day. Our guide and published author, Brad Gottfried, did another spectacular job of breaking down a complex fight into smaller pieces. We paid particular attention to the Bloody Cornfield (8,500 casualties in 2.5 hours!), the Bloody Lane, and Burnside’s Bridge. Georgians played major roles in nearly every sector of the field. Antietam is a beautiful place. It’s hard to picture the carnage that took place here.

We arrived in Gettysburg last night. What a way to end the trip.

I arrived in Baltimore Saturday afternoon and was back in action Sunday morning. I led our guests on a walking tour of the Inner Harbor in the footsteps of the 6th MA Regiment and their fateful march on April 19, 1861. This was the first bloodshed of the War. In the afternoon, we took a trip down to Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine. Though most famous for its role in the War of 1812, this is also where Lincoln ordered civilians with alleged Southern sympathies to be held without formal charges being brought against them.

And of course, one must consume the world’s best crabcakes and visit the country’s only Gran Marnier bar, One-Eyed Mike's.

Today is a big day! Monocacy, Sharpsburg, and on to Gettysburg!

We arrived on Hilton Head Island Friday morning. I showed the guests Port Royal Sound, scene of the fierce battle of November 1861. You truly have to see the sound to gain a proper grasp of just how massive it is.

That evening, we pulled into Beaufort. I led the guests on a walking tour Saturday morning, placing an emphasis on the homes of the men who brought about the Secession movement. While in town, a visit to the resting place of Robert Smalls is a must. I was thrilled to tell the guests of his exploits in a presentation earlier in the week.

I’m now back home in Savannah until Saturday when we rejoin the Civil War guests in Baltimore. From there, it’s on to Monocacy, Sharpsburg, and Gettysburg to conclude this amazing cruise!

Happy Memorial Day!

We have three public tours this week:

5/30 at 2:30 PM: Revolutionary Savannah
5/31 at 1:00 PM: Savannah History Walk
6/1 at 9:30 AM: Savannah History Walk

Hope to see y’all soon!