Mosey to Savannah, Georgia

If you were ever going to slow down and mosey, this would be the perfect place to do it!

Savannah, a port city of Georgia, the thirteenth colony, was founded by James Oglethorpe along with some of the original settlers of Georgia on February 12, 1733.

Receiving a charter naming Oglethorpe and nineteen associates as 'Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America' the city was laid out in a well-ordered pattern at Yamacraw Bluff which lay fifteen miles above the mouth of the Savannah River.

We have a description of the city from 1736 as:

"Savannah...is about a mile and a quarter in circumference; it stands upon the flat of a hill, the bank of a river (which they in barbarous English call a bluff) is steep and about forty-five foot perpendicular...there being a very wide stand between the first row of houses and the river..."

The description continues, "Near the river side there is is a guard house inclosed with palisades a foot thick."

Something tells me those palisades had opportunities to come in handy at some point in time.

Beyond the city there were five-acre garden patches for each family and forty-five-acre farm lots outside the garden perimeter.

Part of the plan to settle Georgia was spun upon the hope of producing silk, wine, and a few other things for British consumption and enjoyment. But the silk worm used was not suitable for Georgia vegetation resulting in the silk industry being a disappointment to King George and his court back in the Olde Countrie.

As a native Georgian I must say, too bad. Not attending to small, very basic details can completely undermine any a plan, as demonstrated here by an arrogant monarch.

Savannah grew slowly until the Spanish left Florida in 1763 so one may assume the breathing space was much appreciated. By the time of the American Revolution, there were approximately 35,000 people residing in Georgia with between 2,000 and 2,500 of them in Savannah.

Eventually the port's exporting business increased and things were moving right along as farming, lumbering, and trading prospered, yet most manufactured goods were imported from England for some years.

When Washington visited Savannah in 1791, he sprinkled more compliments upon the city's beautiful women than on the city itself; many colonial buildings were destroyed by war and fires, notably in 1796 and 1820, for these were primarily made of wood. However, replacements were soon undertaken after each catastrophe.

Another famous visitor was James Madison who moseyed down in 1819 while on a tour of southern states. The highlight of his trip was a ride on the steamship Savannah. What a grand ride that must've have been! (Up the road is a small town named, Madison, the very burg that was spared from Sherman's torch as he triumphantly marched to the sea.)

Even Lafayette was feted in 1825 and the celebration is reputed to have been quite a gala occasion for this charming port.

But progress is the American signature and the city's character changed considerably when the railroad was built all the way to Macon in central Georgia in 1843. But like elsewhere, building railways appeared to be a good idea to boost commerce, and Savannah's exporting business increased as the smokey black particulates entered atmosphere and lung.

Now since banking is once again in the news, I shall add that Savannah was Georgia's first banking center: a branch of the Second Bank of the United States opened there in 1817. Several large banks followed suit in the next few years and the moneymaking game was on. Secret benevolent societies such as Solomon's Lodge, St. Andrew's Society, the Union Society, and others flourished as the 'good old boy' network of business tit-for-tat was engaged and encouraged by their members on behalf of their kith and kin.

Nowadays, Savannah is lovely to visit with variously dated architectural details that spark one's imagination while on a leisurely stroll down the shady streets of this eighteenth-century port city. Meandering by the river is a must for there is usually a breeze rippling through the leaves of the old oaks with their haunting Spanish mosses waving a sad farewell - or a glad hello.

Art galleries abound along with the Savannah College of Art and Design, and you'll discover quaint shops where delicious southern treats entice the pallet while various art forms inspire the pallette.

In 1855, William Makepeace Thackeray described Savannah as, "a tranquil old city, wide-streeted, tree-planted, with a few cows and carriages toiling through the sandy road..." but that was one-hundred-fifty-three years ago, so you've already missed seeing city cows - guess you'd better take a quick video tour before you miss something else...give your hustle a well-deserved rest, for there's no need to bustle when you're in beautiful Savannah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_NuPNr1nCo

And here's the website of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where you can view a virtual tour video at your leisure:

http://www.scad.edu/

So if you've ever moseyed to Savannah, it's time for me to give you the typical southern invitation cordially intended:

Y'all come back now, y'hear?