By 1874, the institute became the responsibility of the Savannah Board of Education and was turned into a free school for black children. The school was caught in a fire in 1878 which made it unusable and the American Missionary Association resumed the operation of the school with higher instructional goals than the Savannah Board of Education had previously provided. By the late 1910's, the Boys Club was using the Beach Institute for many projects. The institute was closed in 1919 due to the openings of other schools.

Today, it is a place to exhibit arts and crafts that have an African-American focus including some by Ulysses Davis, a renowned folk artist. It is also home to the offices of the King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation.

On the West side of the square there are the high stoop McDonough Row Houses, built in 1882 that were the object of one of the first historic restoration efforts in the 1960s when federal funds became available for historic preservation activities. Kennedy Row, low stoop brick houses on the West side of the square, were built in 1872 and also rehabilitated in the Troup Square Renewal Project. On the West side of the square, there is a dog fountain that was reinstalled in the 1980s.

The Armillary Sphere in the center of the square was created in the 1970s and represents an ancient astronomical device. It originally had gold continents inside and twelve Zodiacs on the rim; but was removed to prevent theft or further vandalism.

Open Monday through Saturday (7:30 AM - 6:00 PM)

This square was laid out in the 1840s and named to honor William Harris Crawford who was Secretary of the Treasury under President Madison and once thought to be a prime contender for President of the United States but unfortunately finished third in the Presidential election of 1824 behind Andrew Jackson and the winner John Quincy Adam.

This square in past years had evolved into a square that was less about history but more about modern day needs as it featured basketball courts to provide a facility for Savannah youths to pursue their favorite pastime. After much urging from historic district residents that preferred to keep the historic district truer to it's historic roots, the grassy garden area of this square recently underwent upgrades and a redesign with a brand new cupola placed in the center of the square that now accommodates the need for additional venues for outside marriage ceremonies that take place in the historic district while seeking to protect the historical quality of the original Crawford Square. One basketball court has been kept in the square as a compromise to what the original site had been turned into for urban youths. The current look is more in keeping with the historic district squares of yesteryear.

In addition to many of losing duelists who fought their duels just outside the southwest wall of the cemetery that are buried here, the more distinguished dead who rest here are Archibald Bulloch, first President of Georgia; James Habersham, acting royal Governor of the Providence, 1771-1773; Joseph Habersham, Postmaster General under three Presidents; Lachlan McIntosh, Major General, Continental Army; Samuel Elbert, Revolutionary soldier and Governor of Georgia; Capt. Denis L. Cottineau de Kerloguen who aided John Paul Jones in the engagement between the "Bon Homme Richard" and the "Serapis"; Hugh McCall, early historian of Georgia; Edward Greene Malbone, the noted Miniaturist, and Colonel John S. McIntosh, a hero of the War with Mexico. The remains of Major General Nathanael Greene who died in 1786 reposed in the Graham vault until they were re-interred in 1901 in Johnson Square. The cemetery became a city park in 1896.

Later on, Rev. Bryan sold the property to a board of white trustees (it was unlawful in pre-civil war days for blacks to hold such property) for The First Baptist African Church of which he had been pastor for nearly ten years The Second African Baptist Church came into being as a result of the forceful leadership of Andrew Bryan during this time frame as more and more individuals came to hear him preach and additional churches were required to hold the faithful who wanted to hear Rev. Bryan's sermons.

Keeping with this tradition from it's inspired beginnings, it was on the steps of the Second African Baptist Church that General Sherman read the Emancipation Proclamation to the residents of Savannah. In the 1960's, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached his now famous "I Have a Dream" sermon which mirrored the statements that he made during his march on Washington.

This square was laid out in the year of 1799. It marked the eastern boundary of Savannah from 1757 to 1759. It formerly had Bethesda Gate, one of six city gates, placed on it. The fountain is located in the center of the square. Located on the square is The Isaiah Davenport House Museum, perhaps the most significant structure in Savannah, as it launched the historic preservation effort that revived the city.

On the North side of the square is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and its school buildings. A well done renovation of three side by side four story buildings face the square from the southeast corner which houses the Suites on Lafayette, self catered accommodations that serve as alternative lodgings to Bed and Breakfast Inns in the historic district.

Lafayette Square was named after the Marquis de Lafayette, George Washington's aide in colonial America's war for independence. The Marquis visited Savannah in 1825 and spoke to the cheering crowd from the balcony of the previously mentioned Owens - Thomas house located on the square.

Savannah with only 14,000 inhabitants was a prosperous coastal Georgia community when Andrew Low moved into his grand new home in 1849. These pre-Civil War years proved to be very prosperous for Low and his fellow cotton factors as the ships of A. Low & Co. plied the ocean routes between Savannah and Liverpool, England loaded with bales of cotton worth millions of dollars. Juliette Gordon, daughter of a wealthy railroad President herself who was born just a few blocks from this home, married William Low, the son of Andrew low. Of course we know Juliette today as Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of America.

The history of this Historic cathedral with her towering dual steeples (clearly visible from many quadrants within the historic district) could fill a book and we will not attempt to do justice to this historic church in such a limited space found here. Rather we recommend that church architecture aficionados view the inner sanctum while visiting the historic district as it is typically open until noon seven days a week. The existing church today was designed and built by Francis Baldwin circa 1873 and dedicated in 1876. It is a fine example of the French-Gothic architectural design for churches. However, the original cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1898. It was reconstructed based on the original design and built within the original walls. Recent renovation was completed of these two steeples in 2004 after several years of intensive work.

The central bronze monument in the center of Madison Square commemorates the heroism of Sergeant William Jasper (2nd Continental Regt. of South Carolina) who was mortally wounded, October 9, 1779, a short distance northwest of this marker (noted in section 4 - 6 on the points of interest map), in the unsuccessful assault by the American and French forces upon the British lines, which ran immediately to the north of this Square.

Otis traveled from Buffalo, New York, to work on this church. A ship's mast is located in the center of the church's only spire. The church has the look of a British parish house. It has many stained glass windows showing various scenes from the New Testament.

The church, of Gothic-Revival design, was completed in 1853. General William Sherman, during the occupation of Savannah, ordered the chimes be taken down, melted, and made into bullets. The citizens of Savannah wrote a letter to President Lincoln pleading that this not be done. President Lincoln responded by instructing General Sherman to leave the bell.

It has been said that wealthy cotton merchant Green had this mansion built so that he could show off to the city of Savannah just how rich he was. It was designed by the famous architect, John Norris. After the city of Savannah had surrendered, Green offered his house to Sherman saying that he wished to spare Savannah's women from having a Yankee stay in their homes. Probably he hoped that Sherman would spare his cotton which unfortunately was not the case. Today, St. John's Episcopal Church and the historic mansion are separated by a courtyard with a pond and a fountain.

Today this fine mansion is privately held and serves as a Savannah Bed and Breakfast alternative accommodation offering spacious lodging options to travelers to the district. This well appointed historic venue provides an elegant solution with her noted historic backdrop for private events, receptions, and wedding packages at highly competitive prices underneath that which one would typically expect to spend if staying at an historic inn.

This nine foot bronze statue of Oglethorpe is the work of one of America's foremost sculptors, the celebrated Daniel Chester French. He has depicted the Founder of Georgia in the full dress of a British general of the period. Oglethorpe is portrayed with sword in hand; alert and ready for council or action. At his feet is a palmetto frond. The statue faces southward symbolizing the threat of Spain's imperial ambitions to the young colony.

The pedestal and base of the monument were designed by Henry Bacon, the eminent New York architect whose collaborations with Daniel Chester French include the Lincoln Memorial. The four lions at the corners of the lower base hold shields on which appear, respectively, the coat of arms of Oglethorpe and the great seals of the Colony of Georgia, the state, and the City of Savannah. On the pedestal of the monument is carved a portion of the text of the charter which was granted by Parliament in 1732 to "the trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America."

The church was granted a perpetual charter on December 19, 1801, by Governor Josiah Tattnall, Jr., to "the Deacons of the Baptist Church in Savannah." The name has been the First Baptist Church since February 4, 1847. The Sunday School was organized on April 29, 1827. Henry Holcombe, first pastor of the church, edited The Analytical Repository, said to have been the earliest religious magazine in the South and the first Baptist missionary magazine in the nation. William Bullein Johnson, second pastor, became the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention, after retiring as president of the Triennial Convention.

In 1828, Josiah Penfield, a deacon in the church, left a legacy of $2,500 to the Georgia Baptist Convention, which became the first money given toward the establishment of Mercer University, principal Baptist college of Georgia. In 1844, Joseph Binney left the pastorate of this church to go to Burma to become associated with Adoniram Judson, leader of the first Baptist missionary group to go out from the United States. This church was one of the very few Southern coastal churches that did not close during the Civil War. Pastor Sylvanus Landrum preached on Sunday to a congregation made up largely of Confederate soldiers, and the next Sunday he preached to one largely of Union soldiers, Savannah having surrendered during the week.

Three pastors of this church have become outstanding leaders in Baptist denominational life. W.L. Pickard became president of Mercer University, Norman W. Cox became executive secretary of the Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Arthur Jackson became the first secretary of the Georgia Baptist Foundation. Recent pastors have included Leroy Cleverdon (1942-1961), W. Forrest Lanier (1962-1969), Thomas D. Austin (1970-1988), Fred W. Andrea (1989-1993), and John M. Finley (1994-present).

Nineteenth century novelist William Alexander Caruthers has a historical marker in this square. One block west of this marker - at the northwest corner of Hull and Whitaker Streets - stood, formerly, the residence of Caruthers, Virginia's earliest significant novelist. He resided in Savannah for several years before his death in 1846. Dr. Caruthers who married Louisa Catherine Gibson of Chatham County's Whitemarsh Island moved in 1837 to this city where he practiced medicine. A renaissance man of his day, he took a prominent part in affairs in Savannah as a realtor; was one of the founders of the Georgia Historical Society and while an Alderman, 1841-1844, was instrumental in giving Savannahians direct election of their Mayors.

In 1885, a famous wedding took place in the church between a man who would become the President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson and Ellen Louise Axson. The marriage was presided over by the Rev. I.S.K. Axson, the church's leader and the bride's grandfather. Only four years after this wedding took place, the original church was devastated by fire. However, using plans found in libraries and accounts of the congregation, the sanctuary was rebuilt and is thought to be a duplicate of the original.

Famous composer of church hymns, Lowell Mason, served the church as an organist. Some of the hymns that he created were "Blest Be the Tie That Binds," "From Greenlands Icy Mountains," "My Faith Looks Up to Thee," "Nearer My God to Thee," and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." A historical marker acknowledging Mason's many contributions is located in close proximity to the church.

It was not until 1912, at the Louisa Porter Home in this city that Mrs. Low founded the first Girl Guide troop in the United States. Her niece, Daisy Gordon, of Savannah, was the first member enrolled. Through Mrs. Low's energetic and determined leadership the movement spread rapidly under the name "Girl Scouts of America." Mrs. Low died in Savannah in 1927. In 1953 her birthplace was acquired by the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, and funds for its restoration were raised by the 2,500,000 members. The property is now maintained by the Girl Scouts as a memorial to their founder and as a center of activities for all Girl Scouts. Many Girl Scout Troops throughout the USA make the pilgrimage to the birth place of their scouting organization every year.

The Gordon House, was completed in 1821 and is a fine example of Regency architecture, it was designed by the eminent architect William Jay. The third story and side porch were later added. The house was originally owned by James M. Wayne, one of Georgia's most illustrious public men. After service as Mayor of Savannah, judge of the Eastern Circuit, and as Congressman, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States by President Jackson in 1835. An able and courageous jurist, Wayne served on the highest court with distinction until his death in 1867 at Washington.

Though devoted to his native State, Judge Wayne was a strong Unionist. Opposing Secession, he remained on the Supreme Court after Georgia left the Union, a decision sharply contrasting with that of his son, Henry C. Wayne, who resigned his commission in the U.S. Army in 1860 on the approach of War to serve Georgia as Adjutant General. The Wayne residence was purchased in 1831 by another distinguished Savannahian, William Washington Gordon (1796-1842), organizer and first President of the Central of Georgia Railroad.

During the next decade the House served as an elegant boarding house. In 1825 the Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette, was a guest at this fine home. According to Savannah's oral tradition, the celebrated Frenchman delivered his two Savannah addresses to thousands of adoring citizens from the ornate cast iron balcony on the south side of the house.

In 1830, George Welchman Owens, congressman, lawyer, and one-time mayor of Savannah, purchased the House from the Bank of the United States for $10,000. The property remained in the Owens family until 1951 when Owens' granddaughter Margaret Thomas bequeathed it to the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, now the Telfair Museum of Art.

In 1739 Tomo-Chi-Chi, the Chief of the Yamacraw Indians who befriended the early Georgia colonists was buried with ceremony in the center of this Square, Gen. Oglethorpe acting as one of the pallbearers. The monument to William Washington Gordon (1796-1842) commemorates the founder and first president of Georgia's earliest railroad, the Central Railroad and Banking Company - an enterprise which greatly promoted the economy of this State. Designed by the distinguished architects, Henry Van Brunt and Frank M. Howe, the handsome monument to Gordon symbolizes the progress and prosperity of the world by means of commerce, manufacture, agriculture, and art. It was completed in 1883.

Considered the Mother Church of Savannah Methodism, the corner stone of the building was laid February 14, 1848, in a ceremony presided over by the Reverend Alfred T. Mann, Pastor. The edifice, which was completed in 1850, is in the Corinthian order of architecture and was designed by John B. Hogg of Savannah.

Prior to the erection of Trinity Church the Methodist congregation in Savannah worshipped in Wesley Chapel on South Broad Street. Among the great preachers of the Methodist Church whose names are associated with the Chapel are Francis Asbury, William Capers, John Howard, James C. Andrew, Ignatius Few, Elijah Sinclair and George F. Pierce.

Established in 1875, the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences includes the original Telfair Mansion designed by English architect William Jay. The mansion was built for Alexander Telfair, whose father, Edward Telfair, was governor of Georgia and a Revolutionary War patriot. Mary Telfair, a highly educated and culturally-minded woman, was to be the last of the Telfair line. In her will of 1875 Mary endowed numerous charities and founded the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The Telfair Museum's new building, the Jepson Center for the Arts, opened March 2006. Designed by internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie, it includes expanded exhibition space for traveling shows and will house 20th and 21st century art.

Visitors will enjoy the restored Industrial Era, 125 foot tall brick smokestack, and the colossal Roundhouse which includes an operating turntable, which holds a 130-ton diesel locomotive. Exhibits include a 1914 steam locomotive, antique machinery and other period items.

These tours provide an informative couple of hours for the adventure vacation seeking tourist while combining historic information of Savannah's early settlers along with the unique coastal natural resources that are still evident today.

Arrayed in the opposing armies that day were soldiers of many lands - American Continentals, Grenadiers of Old France, Irishmen in the service of King Louis XVI, Polish Lancers, French Creoles, and Negro volunteers from Haiti fighting in the cause of American Independence against English Redcoats, Scotch Highlanders, Hessians, Royalist Provincials from New York, Tory militia, armed slaves, and Cherokee Indians. After an heroic effort to dislodge the British the Allies retired with heavy losses. The siege was lifted, and the French fleet sailed from Georgia, ending an episode of far reaching significance in the American Revolution.

The Savannah History Museum showcases the city's history from its founding in 1733 to the present day. Inside, you can see exhibits about the Revolutionary War Battle of Savannah, rare dugout canoes from the 1800s, and a changing exhibit of women's fashions from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The museum is also home to Forest Gump's bench, one of Johnny Mercer's Oscar Awards, and a carriage owned by the family of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Lowe. Other exhibits include weapons and military uniforms, as well as items from Savannah's railway history. Visitors may also enjoy our plush theatre and film presentation, "Savannah the Survivor."

There is an abundance of useful information and brochures available at the Visitors Center as well as a slide show which will give an orientation to Savannah. Forty eight hour parking passes can be obtained for a nominal charge which will relieve unfamiliar historic district guests of the nuisance of plugging quarters into the historic district parking meters. The parking lot of the Visitors Center serves as one of the pick up points for the many tour bus and touring trolley companies that offer informative tours of the historic district. Of further note are the many renovated buildings, courtesy of Savannah College of Art and Design that can be found at this west of the district address just across Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. adjacent to the landmark historic district.

Liberty Square was named to honor America's newly found independence in the late 1700's. Today, all that is left is an abbreviated grassy area adjacent to the Chatham County Court House.

In the fall of 1830, the old brick courthouse was torn down and a new building was begun at the same site. The new building was completed in May of 1832. While the new building was being constructed, court was held in Savannah's City Exchange.

Savannah once again was subjected to military occupation during the Civil War. However, the courthouse made it through again. Twenty years later, Chatham County was authorized to expand and improve the courthouse. The decision was made to build a new courthouse instead. The old courthouse was demolished in 1889 and a new building of Romanesque Revival architecture was built in its place.

In the latter half of the 1970's, a new courthouse was desired, but the old courthouse was so cherished that they did not tear it down. Instead, in 1978, Chatham County built a new six story courthouse and converted the old courthouse into administrative and legislative offices.