rom the air the coastal region of the state of Georgia is a massive swirl of blue, green and brown creating the essence of abstract patterning; the palette; grass, water and soil. In the early days pirates who plied the waters of the Caribbean and Eastern Seaboard were a constant threat to the young colony. Their lore and exploits here can be found in the literature of America including Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.
The river is still the major heart of the town, not just in the Port of Savannah, the fourth busiest in the United States. It’s also in the historical and heritage tourism that draws people from around the world. River Street and the historic downtown area are legendary – especially on St. Patrick’s Day.
One might speculate that Savannah is the most Southern city of Southern cities. But it’s not just the extraordinary hospitality that is labeled the Hostess City of the South. In many of her early maps and renditions, even before the Civil War, north is at the bottom and south at the top.
Views of the settlement, and later the town, were made from the river – the most important perspective at the time – looking toward the south. The vantage point was popular with many map-makers and artists throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Today River Street and the Historic District still spark the curiosity and imagination of visitors from around the world. Come join us and experience Savannah.
Here's a free tour to try your GPS skills... or not.
Walk Savannah's Old Fort District and water front.
