Savannah Cruzers

The oldest known burials in Bonaventure Cemetery actually predate the cemetery itself. Back in the days when Bonaventure was a plantation owned by the Tattnall family, they reserved an area to be used as a family graveyard. These graves can still be found today, in section E, plot 1, of Bonaventure cemetery. The oldest graves in that plot that we know of belong to Harriet Tattnall, wife of Josiah Tattnall, who died in 1802. Four of her children are also buried in the plot, with death dates going back as far as 1794.

When the land was sold and made to be a cemetery in 1846, the Tattnall family graveyard was turned into the first family plot! However, it may be confusing to an unknowing onlooker, because there are headstones at Bonaventure with death dates long before 1846, even death dates before Harriet and her children. This is because it became popular to have your family members reinterred in Bonaventure cemetery. Many bodies and headstones were moved to Bonaventure from other cemeteries to make this happen.

Photo: An 1876 photograph of the Tattnall plot.

Source: Library of Congress

You will see contemplation benches throughout Bonaventure in private family plots. Some are dilapidated and in a state of ruins. But that's part of their appeal. Please be respectful and stay on the pathways where we are all allowed. These benches are for the families..
#912

The Marshall House in Savannah, Georgia has an interesting history. This large hotel was founded by Mary Marshall in 1851. Mary was a Savannah business woman who saw a need for more housing as Savannah grew in popularity. Although it was a hotel, some people lived at the Marshall House full time. Now, it is the oldest operating hotel in the city.

Throughout the Marshall House’s history, it has served as an emergency hospital three times. Twice during Savannah’s yellow fever epidemics of the 1800s, and in 1864, it became a hospital for Union troops during the Civil War. The hotel was closed in 1895, and reopened in 1899 with brand new electricity and plumbing.

Another interesting fact is that Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus stories, lived at the Marshall House during the reconstruction era. It is unknown if he wrote any books while staying there, but many believe that he did.

In 1957, the Marshall House was closed because it was not up to code with fire safety rules. The upper floors were abandoned and the bottom level was used as a variety of different businesses. It was like this for many years until it was renovated and restored in the late 1990s, opening its doors to guests once again. With a colorful history like this, it’s no wonder that many people believe the Marshall House is haunted.

Photo: Savannah Postcard Collection, MS 016, Jen Library Archives and Special Collections, the Savannah College of Art and Design

On January 17, 1920, the 18th amendment was passed, which federally prohibited the sale of alcohol in America. However, Georgia being a conservative state had been implementing a prohibition since 1908. These bans caused problems nationwide, so what was Savannah doing during this time?

Savannah has always been known as a town that loved drinking, despite hard liquor being banned in the early days of the colony. The prohibition hit this town hard, with many businesses suffering. Savannah was actually so opposed to the prohibition, that it threatened to succeed from Georgia and become the state of Savannah. Of course, locals found a way to work around the ban, and it wasn’t long before Savannah was one of the hot spots for bootlegging in the south.

People utilized Savannah’s marshes to create liquor, where the geography was easy to hide the stills. These “moonshiners” would bring their alcohol to boats situated 3 miles off the coast of Georgia - officially international waters. The alcohol would wait on these boats in large containers where men called “rum runners” would meet the boats, grab some alcohol, and utilize the inter coastal waterway as a safe path inland, where they would sell it to businesses and private parties - but not before sometimes smuggling the liquor through secret underground tunnels. The winding rivers and complicated terrain of the inter coastal waterway allowed the rum runners safety - only locals knew the best paths, and the government would have a hard time tracking them. This procedure was how most locals got their alcohol during the prohibition.

Savannah was also famous for speakeasies. Speakeasies are establishments that secretly functioned as bars. Many of these establishments would also be restaurants and pharmacies, and some would have secret cellars where liquor was hidden. The Distillery Ale House in Savannah was one of these speakeasies, and The Crystal Beer Parlor may have been too. The Crystal Beer Parlor, then known as The Crystal Reataurant, was the first establishment to sell alcohol once it was made legal again, nearly immediately. This could be because they never actually stopped having alcohol in the building.

Photo: New Georgia Encyclopedia

Orleans Square, one of Savannah’s 22 squares, was created in 1815. It was named after the Battle of New Orleans in 1812. You can find this square at the crossing of West McDonough and Barnard street. Interesting things to see around the square include the Harper Fowlkes House, a mansion built in 1842 that is now a museum. The John Ash house is also located there. Built in 1817, it is the oldest building around the square. The center of the square has a German Memorial Fountain, erected in 1989 to honor the German immigrants who were vital in the early days of Savannah. Orleans square is also located conveniently close to the Civic Center.

Photo: Library of Congress

Did you know the first emancipation proclamation happened by a Savannah area General? David Hunter was a Union General during the Civil War. He spent time at Ft Pulaski, close to Savannah, where he assisted runaway slaves. He had some military power over Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, and on May 9, 1862, he took it upon himself to declare martial law and call for the immediate unauthorized emancipation of enslaved people in those states. Sadly, it did not work as planned. Ten days later, President Lincoln voided Hunter’s proclamation. However, it wasn’t long before Lincoln released his own Emancipation Proclamation, and many believe David Hunter’s act of justice pushed Lincoln to publicly do so. Prior to Hunter’s brave act, Lincoln was planning a “gradual emancipation”.

Photos: iowaculture.gov

Have you ever heard people say that Savannah is built on graves? Well, that is actually true. One such example is Calhoun Square in Savannah.

In the past, the city of Savannah required that all enslaved people be buried in designated burial grounds. One of those was the location that is now Calhoun Square. There are estimated to be about 1,000 unmarked graves of enslaved people buried in the general area of Calhoun Square.

Most of this was believed to be rumor and local legend until it was confirmed in the early 2000s, when city construction unearthed human remains.

It was always known that there had been a designated cemetery in that area, but in the 1850s when Laurel Grove Cemetery was opened, the other graveyards closed and were turned into other things. People were responsible for moving their family members into Laurel Grove and it is likely that many, if not most, could not afford for their family members' graves to be moved. The Savannah of the past proceeded to build over these people’s graves, and very few records were kept in regards to these individuals.



Photo: Wikipedia

Everyone has heard the story of the Mercer Williams house as it relates to the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, but the house actually has a history dating back to the 1860s.

It was originally owned and designed for Confederate General Hugh Mercer in 1860, but construction was never finished due to the Civil War. In 1868, it was purchased and finished building by John Wilder. Interestingly, and to many people's surprise, none of the Mercer family ever lived in the house.

In the early 1900s, the home was used as a temple for the Savannah Shriners. When Jim Williams purchased and restored the house in 1969, it had been vacant for years.

Photo: Mercer Williams House Museum

Victorians were known for their acceptance of death and their unique ways of dealing with it. With as many as 57% of children not making it to the age of 5, and a lifespan only averaging 45 years, death was a much more common and integral part of society. Humans were forced to deal with this harsh reality a lot more frequently. Most deaths also happened at home as opposed to hospitals, so the average person was far more comfortable with this stage of life than modern day humans.

After you lost a loved one, you were expected to go into a period of mourning. Depending on who you are and the relationship to the deceased, you could expect to be in mourning for up to two years. As you can imagine, with the death rates in the 1800s, people stayed in mourning a lot. Women in mourning wore all black clothing, veils over their faces, and special ornamentation known as mourning jewelry.

Mourning jewelry takes many forms - from a locket with a photo of your loved one, to an engraved bracelet. Perhaps the strangest form of mourning jewelry though, is Victorian hair art. People would take locks of their loved ones' hair and have everything from necklaces to rings, bracelets, even wall art made out of it! Today this would be considered macabre, but for people of the past, it was a beautiful way to commemorate a lost loved one and hold them close.

Carl Ludwig Brandt (1831-1905) was a German born artist who, in 1883, became the first director of the Telfair Museum of Arts and Sciences.

When Mary Telfair died and requested a good portion of her money be used to turn her family home into a museum, Carl Brandt helped make that dream a reality. In fact, some of his work, including murals, adorn the walls of the museum.

Aside from his work for the Telfair Museum, he was also a member of the National Academy of Design. He studied at the Academy of Art in Copenhagen prior to that, and was an accomplished artist all around. He was especially known for his landscapes and portraits.

When Carl passed away at the age of 73, he was buried in Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. After years of inclimate weather, his headstone was in need of repair. Recently, his plot was restored thanks to the Bonaventure Historical Society.



Photo: Telfair Museums

During the Industrial Revolution, Savannah became a bustling seaport, specializing in the distribution of cotton. In fact, at one point in time, Savannah’s port was the second ranking cotton port in the world and referred to as the “Wall Street of the South”. To accommodate this, in 1887 the Old Cotton Exchange was built. It served as the center of commerce for cotton.

The building was designed by a nationally renowned architect, William Gibbons Preston. It features a beautiful arched doorway complete with elaborately carved designs. There are even Roman style sculptures featured around the top of the building. Today, it is occupied by the Freemason's Solomon's Lodge No. 1.

Photo: Georgia Historical Society

The second deadliest battle of the Revolutionary War took place here in Savannah. The Siege of Savannah took place in 1779. It was an attempt by French and Continental (American) troops to overtake Savannah, which had fallen under British rule during the war.

The land that is now Bonaventure Cemetery played a vital role in this battle. During the Siege of Savannah, the land, which at the time was a plantation, was overtaken by French and Haitian soldiers. After the violent battle that took place, the area was used as a hospital, and it can be inferred that many soldiers were buried somewhere on the grounds.

Photo: Attack on Savannah, by A.I. Keller

In the early days of Bonaventure Cemetery, it was quite common for families to use their purchased plots for other purposes than funerals. When the cemetery was first opened in 1846, of course there were far less graves and much more grassy green spaces. It was not uncommon for families to come out to the cemetery for picnics, to walk their dogs, to garden, and even to play croquet. It may seem odd to some to have family bonding time at a cemetery, but for those living in the Victorian Era, it was a fairly normal thing to do. The Victorians viewed death and mourning through a unique lense, and cemeteries were treated more like public parks. In fact, sidewalks for leisurely strolls were included in the original design for Bonaventure. Part of the reason they put up elaborate monuments and intricate gardens within the cemetery was to impress those passing by and show off the family wealth. Victorian cemeteries were meant to be enjoyed by the living, just as much as they were meant to commemorate the dead.

Photo: Library of Congress

The Unitarian Church located on Troup Square has an interesting history. It was built in 1851 and originally located in Oglethorpe Square. The church was actually moved to Troup square in 1860. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the church is that James Lord Pierpont, the man who wrote “Jingle Bells” actually worked there as a music director in the 1850s.

Photo: Walker Evans, Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1935.

Where did the name Savannah come from? Our city isn’t named after the plains in Africa, but something much more local.

In the 1600s, the Shawnee tribe from the northeastern US traveled south and settled in what is now Augusta, Georgia. They called themselves “Saawanwa”. This word is most likely the origin of the word Savannah, and the Savannah River was subsequently named after them. When Oglethorpe settled in Savannah, he took the name from the river that bordered our town. Many people think that the Savannah River is named after our city, but it is actually the other way around! Before our city was called Savannah, our area was referred to as “Yamacraw Bluff”, after the Yamacraw tribe that is native to this area.

Photo: Historical Marker Database

What encompasses Savannah’s Historic District? With a city as beautiful as ours, you can’t tell where the historic district ends and the regular “city” begins.

Our historic district, which is one of the largest Historic Landmark Districts in the country, is bounded by the Savannah River, Forsyth park, East Broad Street, and Martin Luther King Jr, Blvd. Within that designated area lies the original town plan laid out by James Oglethorpe in 1733. His design became known as the “Oglethorpe Plan”. The historic district has a total of 22 squares, a variety of parks, museums, and countless historic homes.

Photo: thempc.org

For over 60 years now, Savannah’s downtown preservation efforts have been under the care of the Historic Savannah Foundation. This organization was formed by a group of seven women who had hopes to stop Savannah from destruction.

By the 1950s, Savannah had experienced several decades of decline. With much of it stemming from difficulty bouncing back after the Great Depression, a lot of our historic homes were in danger of being torn down. They were simply dilapidated after years of neglect.

One such building to be saved was the Isaiah Davenport House. In fact, it was the possible demolition of this building that caused concerned citizens to band together and create the Historic Savannah Foundation. They successfully saved the home, and many more to follow. Thanks to their efforts, over 350 historic buildings have been saved from demolition.

Photo: Library of Congress

Did you know that the famous American novelist Flannery O’Connor is from Savannah? She was an unconventional writer known for her books such as “Wise Blood” and her short story collections such as “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. Her stories touched on themes like religion and southern culture.

Flannery was born in 1925 to a prominent Catholic family native to Georgia. She spent her childhood in Savannah until her father’s illness caused her family to move to Milledgeville, a small town in Central Georgia where her mother was from. She spent her adolescence and college years there before starting upon her life as a successful author. Sadly, at the age of only 25, she became critically ill with the same autoimmune condition that killed her father. She returned to Milledgeville where she lived on the family farm “Andalusia” from 1951 until her death in 1964.

O’Connor’s childhood home is now a museum located on E. Charlton street in Savannah

Photos: New Georgia Encyclopedia

Savannah was America’s first planned city, and was originally drawn out in a system of "wards" consisting of a square in the center surrounded by residential and public buildings. Our squares were crafted to be the focal points of community and commerce in Savannah, and as our fair city grew, so did the number of squares. By the 1850s, Savannah had 24 squares. Sadly, one of the side effects of urbanization was the elimination of some of our squares. In the 1900s, several squares were lost to more modern functions such as gas stations and highway extensions. So what exactly happened to each of these squares?

Market Square, the home of the Old City Market, was torn down in 1954 to build a parking garage. When the 50 year lease ended, the city reclaimed the land. As part of the effort to restore Savannah’s historic downtown, Ellis Square became the "family" square. With several levels of parking underneath, it is once again home to grassy green areas, fountains, and beautiful monuments.

However, not all of Savannah’s lost squares have been reclaimed. Elbert Square was lost to the Civic Center and the extension of Montgomery street. Today, a small patch of grass along Montgomery is the only vestige of Elbert Square left. Liberty Square, which was lost to Montgomery street and the jail, suffered a similar fate. Only a small patch of grass remains of the original square. However, there is hope that one day, as Savannah changes, these small fragments of land can be restored into the beautiful landmarks they once were.

Photo: Old City Market. Ellis Square now stands here. Source: WSAV

Disaster is nothing our city isn’t familiar with. In Savannah’s history, not only have we been affected by several major wars and the victim of multiple hurricanes and epidemics, we have also suffered from a number of devastating fires. In 1796, a fire from a bakery spread and destroyed over 200 buildings, including the first church to be built in Savannah. In 1820, another devastating fire hit, destroying most of the city. In fact, it was the largest fire on record in the US at the time. There were also a notable fire that took place in 1865, spreading to an Arsenal and causing several explosions. These are just a few, of many, instances of disaster.

Our fires were not due to attempts at preparation. The city did have a fire department, established in the 1750s. However, during this era many homes were built entirely of wood! This was prior to most fire safety laws and this put any city at risk. A busy bustling port like Savannah was easily one mistake away from devastation.

Photo credit: https://mesda.org/item/collections/burning-of-savannah/887/

G.B. Little was a local sculptor and founder of Oglethorpe Monument & Granite company, which is still in operation today. He created many sculptures throughout the cemeteries in Savannah, including quite a few in Bonaventure. One of his most notable sculptures is the one for Theodore Prendercast (1902-1909). Many people are drawn to the beauty, sadness, and symbolism behind this headstone. The Lilies seen adorning the cross are a symbol for innocence and purity, a life lost too soon.

Photo: findagrave

Mary Musgrove (1700-1763) was a Native woman who was one of the most influential forces in the early days of the colony of Georgia. Sadly, few celebrate her legacy today, as time and generations of altered history have washed away her accomplishments.

Mary was born around the year 1700 to a Creek mother and an English father. She had a natural strength for language and diplomacy. She married an English man named John Musgrove at the age of 17 and the two set up a successful trading post. By 1733, James Oglethorpe hired the married couple to serve as personal translators for him and the Native populations. Mary served as his interpreter for 10 years and was vital to peaceful trade operations with colonists and Natives.

By adulthood, Mary was one of the wealthiest women in the colony of Georgia. She owned a 500 acre farm, 10 indentured servants, many animals, and at one point, 3 islands. She died on St Catherine’s Island, which was one of her land holdings.

Photo: Georgia Historical Society

Savannah is the county seat of Chatham County. Chatham County is situated between the Savannah River and the Ogeechee River. The name comes from one of England’s Prime Ministers, William Pitt, who was the Earl of Chatham. Our county was the third county to be designated in the state of Georgia, in February 1777. The land was originally owned by Christ Church and the St Phillip parish. Interestingly, almost one third (32.5%) of Chatham County’s area is water!

The tallest obelisk in all of Bonaventure Cemetery lies in the heart of section H. Known as the Rauers Obelisk, this monument stands at 46.5 feet tall and was erected in memory of German immigrant Jacob Rauers (1837-1904). Jacob served as the city’s German consul for many years and was a successful investor and businessman. He was the original owner of the famous DeSoto Hotel, which still serves guests today. Rauers also owned St. Catherine’s island from 1876 until his death, even establishing the best game reserve in the nation on the island.

For a man of such status, it’s not surprising that he was buried with an obelisk instead of a classic headstone. Obelisks were usually, but not always, reserved for those who were high on the social ladder.

Photo: findagrave.com

Savannah’s history is eccentric to say the least. With a record of going against the status quo combined with our coastal atmosphere, it’s no wonder that our city was once a popular place for pirates to gather. In fact, the infamous pirate Blackbeard was said to explore the Georgia coast, so much so that “Blackbeard Island” sits not far from the mouth of the Savannah river. “The Pirates House”, now a restaurant, was a popular inn and tavern for seafarers of all kinds ever since the 1750s. Beneath this building, the story goes that tunnels were dug all the way out to the river as a way to smuggle valuables, whiskey, and even prisoners in and out of the city. As if this weren’t enough to convince visitors of our pirate background, the famous novel “Treasure Island” from 1883 features the city of Savannah. This book, which became the reference point for Pirates in modern history, uses Savannah’s Pirates House as the setting for Captain Flint’s death!

Photo: drawing of Blackbeard the Pirate, also known as Edward Teach. World History Encyclopedia.

Mary Telfair (1791-1875) was the oldest daughter of Georgia Governor, Edward Telfair. The Telfair family was one of the most prominent families in the early days of the southern United States, and Mary’s fortunate circumstances allowed for her to take advantage of opportunities not many women had. Mary studied in New York as a child and grew up to be an ardent reader, studying philosophy and poetry and everything in between. She had a great love and appreciation for art, possessing one of the most impressive collections of fine art in the area.

Perhaps it was her strong upbringing, or her unmatched intellect, but Mary never married. She purportedly disliked men, and would even argue politics with men of stature - something that was unheard of for a woman of her era. She was known for being strong, stern, and maybe having a bit of a sharp tongue. Mary was a woman well ahead of her time.

Mary Telfair was the last of the Telfair’s legacy. She inherited the family fortune, and upon her death, she shared her wealth with the City of Savannah. Many things were built in her name, from a hospital to a library. Most notably, in her will she stated that the family home would become a museum for all to enjoy, and her fine art collection was to be displayed inside. This museum is now known as the Telfair Academy.

Photos: Telfair museums

In the 19th century, human dissection was illegal in Georgia. This seems like a very normal law at first glance, but this actually proved to be a big problem for medical students. How can you learn about the human body without real life examples? This exact dilemma was the birth of what many called “ressurectionists”.

Resurrectionists were grave robbers with a specific purpose. These were criminals who were employed by medical schools to unearth recently buried bodies for the purpose of medical training. At the time, the only bodies that could be legally dissected and examined were those of convicted criminals, and that wasn’t nearly enough to teach students what they needed to know. Many people in the Victorian era did not want to be donated to science or even cremated, mainly for religious reasons.

One such medical school that is confirmed to hire these “resurrectionists” is the Medical College of Georgia. Not only did they outsource their own grave robbers, the college even had one full time employee whose job was to retrieve bodies at night. He was an enslaved man named Grandison Harris. Grandison was taught to read and write so he could read the newspaper for upcoming burials. His status as a slave protected him from arrest, and the well respected doctors who owned him were certainly spared from the law. Although it was extremely illegal, sadly, much of what we know about the human body actually comes from the work of these grave robbers.

Photo: Smithsonian magazine

Medical College of Georgia staff photo. Grandison Harris is in the back center.

There’s a rumor Downtown that Spanish moss is sensitive to the supernatural. This is backed by the evidence that some of Savannah’s spookiest squares - like Wright Square - seem to have a lack of Spanish moss. In a city that calls itself the most haunted city in America, could this possibly be true? Where is the missing moss? 🤔

While nobody knows for sure exactly why some of Savannah’s squares lack the characteristic drapey moss, the most likely answer is not as exciting. The theory that is generally believed is that the tall buildings of Bay Street block the wind from the northernmost squares, stopping the seeds from spreading. Without the wind to carry the seeds to the next tree, the squares stay relatively free from Spanish moss!

Historic photo of Wright Square from Library of Congress. The trees have no moss.

Edythe Chapman (1863-1948) was a silent film actress from the early days of Hollywood. She got her start on the stages of New York City before taking to the big screen in the 1910s and 1920s. She became known as “Hollywood’s Mother” for the maternal roles she would play.

Edythe married a native Savannahian and fellow actor, James F. Neill (1860-1931). The two starred in several productions together. Neill had a passion for on stage acting and writing. In June 1885, the Savannah Theatre was the first theatre to put on a show written by Neill.

Both actors are now buried in the quiet, tree lined aisles of Bonaventure Cemetery.



Photo credit: University of Washington

Somewhere in between Savannah, Georgia and Tybee Island lies Cockspur Island. Cockspur is a fairly small island and is home to the famous and historic Fort Pulaski.

Fort Pulaski was, like many military barricades of the time, fortified with bricks. However, during the Civil War, the use of rifled cannons became prevalent. These structures were no longer strong enough to withstand the new technology and eventually became obsolete. Fort Pulaski was one of the first forts to undergo this type of fire, and it was due to this attack that the fort was surrendered. To this day, visitors can still see the massive cannon craters in the side of the fort, evidence of the Civil War battle that once took place.

Photo Courtesy of the Georgia Historical Society