B&B at Park Avenue Manor - Savannah GA

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12th and 13th August. At last we reach civilisation again. Savannah, Georgia I had read somewhere was supposedly saved or rather not destroyed by Union General Sherman during the Civil War partly because of its architectural beauty and uniformity.

Although, it may be more likely the case that as the Confederate army had withdrawn and the mayor had surrendered the city, it was spared. As the city had surrendered General Geary of Sherman's army undertook to protect Savannah's citizens and property. Apparently it was Sherman's scorched earth policy that gave him military success in the South - not least because of the fear that was created by it*.

*Attached to that policy was the instruction to treat all citizens fairly (even as they had their crops and assets stripped!) - unless they gave the Union Army grief with resistance or attack.

In any case we looked forward to our visit with anticipation especially as Nickie our hostess Tree Streets B&B in Waynesboro VA (not it's namesake in GA, where we had just stayed) had waxed lyrical about it.

We had used the wonders of Wi Fi and my new fangled Nokia internet access to research a B&B that morning - leaving our hotel somewhat late as a result and upsetting the room service staff I suspect. Carol used her 'domestic instinct' to select one that would suit us (that's shorthand for a good deal with added charm) - we were in hope of a lucky strike after the hot weather, the disappointment of Augusta and the ignominy of an overnight in a Best Western after our favourite choice The Jameson, Waynesboro was full.

Side bar note - as cousin Tina would call it: we enjoyed all forms of accomodation - motel modern and more traditional, hotel and B&B. Our favourite chains motel wise were Jameson and Super 8. I don't think we had a 'bad' B&B anywhere - they were all value for money in terms of meeting interesting people, getting an insight in American way of life and opinions, and getting good service. Only one was overpriced

Back to Savannah. We were not disappointed - Maurice (pronounced Maur-eece if you please) was charm itself, said he was looking forward to our arrival and would even open up early as we were not far out of town, and offered an extremely attractive price - 99$ for a queen with breakfast included. We booked two nights at that rate at the pink and green coloured coloured Victorian house on Park Avenue.

We had the benefits of a grand bedroom with centralised aircon, the company of Marsha and her mother Sandra Neblett, both art teachers from New York, and the following day a couple from Canada - one of them also a teacher. So good civilised company. Marsha was a good soul - lending me her laptop for the evening so I could do backups and blog entries - pretty trusting for a City dweller I'd say. She worked for SCAD - the Savanna School of Art and Design - which as we discovered later owned just about every bit of the town.

We had two delightful days of walking through the leafy squares and streets of Savannah and sampling local food and drink. We got caught in two bouts of torrental rain (typical weather for Savannah). On one ocassion whilst we sheltered in an office doorway Carol had a conversation with a man who curious about our accents and origins who enquired if we had homeless people in England, from which we realised that's exactly what he was. I think the rose in his hand, fashioned from woven dried palm leaves, might have been a clue as I noticed them being made and sold by individuals of similarly weary appearance the following day.

Savannah (and Georgia as a state) has an very unusual history founded by an enlightened English General Ogelthorpe in cooperation with a local Creek Nations Indian chief. Laid out with a grid pattern intersected by 21 broad squares, it was designed to be both elegent but also lend itself to defence on the basis that the occupants of the squares would form themselves into civil defense groups.

As well as superb examples of 18th - 19th century domestic architecture it has some good museums (for instance the Telfair Museum of Arts) but also guided tours around its historic houses which explain the way of life during it's earlier foundation years. As we discovered it attracted a number of pioneers of education well before the modern founders of SCAD Written 31st August See images of palques for further information.

BE SURE TO SEE THE OTHER PHOTOS ON THE FOLLOWING TWO PAGES

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Photos

Savannah Elegance ?
Victorian house

Savannah Arts
SCAD - Savanna College of Art and Design headquarters in the old Savannah Volunteer Guards barracks

Sephardic Synagogue
You guessed it - owned by SCAD

General Oglethorpe
Founder of Savannah

Tomo Chi Chi
Tomochichi chief of the Yamacraw (or Creek Indians) - who helped to establish Georgia is buried in Wright Square at his own request. [i]click on image to enlarge text

One of the 21 squares
Surrounded by Victorian and 18th C elegance - most buildings are obscured by the dense foliage of trees typical of the squares which offer refuge from intense sun and heavy afternoon storms.

Old municipal building c1930's
Owned by? SCAD

Massie Common School
Established by Scottish planter Massie for the poor

Savannah Elegance
'Georgian' style house

Catholic Church
Savannah was host to a whole range of religious groups including one of the first black Baptist churches and one of the earliest Sephardic communities. Wesley preached here but was frustrated in his attempt to convert the Creek Indians by General Oglethorpe who had an almost uniquely civil relationship with the local tribal chieftan Tomo Chi Chi

Catholic Church
Restored stencil work

Savannah Elegance
'Viictorian' style house

Savannah Elegance
'Georgian' style house

Savannah Elegance
General Sherman's HQ during the occupation of the city