Isaiah Davenport House Volunteer Newsletter March 2010 www.davenporthousemuseum.org 236-8097
STOPPED Monday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. – - The shop now carries a line of Yesterday morning from a Negro Volunteer training (refresher) lavender-scented bath products. man, a keg of Lard, the owner can for spring Madeira tours - Two new books have been have it by proving property and pay- Tuesday, March 10 at noon – added to our inventory - Savan- ing the cost, apply to Davenport House Committee nah’s Classic Seafood by Janice John Hubbard - 4:30 p.m. - This Old Shay (the photos are yummy!) and Savannah Republican , 3/31/1820 House: Preservation Tour of The Savannah Walking Tour and the DH Guidebook by Paul Bland. Mr. Alixis MartinMartin, Thursday, March 11 at 5 p.m. – Chemist, arrived lately from Europe, Tea at Mrs. Davenport’s BUSY SEASO : wishes before leaving Savannah for Friday, March 12 at 5 p.m. – - We expect like Philadelphia, to make some experi- Tea at Mrs. Davenport’s the swallows return- ments in Chemistry, of great public Tuesday, March 16 at 4:30 p.m. ing to Capistrano utility. He has composed an excellent - This Old House: Preserva that tourists will EYE WATER, to cure almost all de- tion Tour of the DH return to Savannah fects of vision, and refresh the eye Wednesday, March 17 – Mu- in the spring. We are ready for weakened by assiduous study or close seum Closed/St. Paddy’s Day them with programs, a good story application to writing, or injured by Thursday, March 18 at 5 p.m. – and terrific workers. Please note external injuries, wounds, bruises, &. Tea at Mrs. Davenport’s what programs are taking place The services rendered, many persons - 6:30 p.m. – JI meeting and when (on your day?) and let in this city affords sufficient proof, the (waiter training for Expo) your visitors know. Docents, shop most authentic, that he does not im- Friday, March 19 at 5 p.m. – volunteers and staff are the best pose on the public. He flatters him- Tea at Mrs. Davenport’s sales people for our programs. self, that those here who have used his Saturday, March 20 at 4:30 p.m. Visitors should know that the DH EYE WATER will render him justice, - This Old House: Preserva tries very hard to make after-hours as to its surprising effects. Price for programs different from our day- two bottles, $2 to be had of P. Dupont, tion Tour of the DH corner of Broughton and Drayton Tuesday, March 23 at 4:30 p.m. time experience. Streets, who will give necessary in- - This Old House: Preserva - Also, please see the docent cal- structions for its use. tion Tour of the DH endar and fill in where you can. Savannah Republican , 4/6/1820 Wednesday, March 24 at 5 p.m. Expect Dottie to call when special – Tea at Mrs. Davenport’s groups are booked. Thursday, March 24 from 9 to This Old House: Preservation DAVE PORT HOUSE CALE DAR 11:30 – Tour of Homes utili- Tour of the DH experience is of- Monday, March 1 from 2 to zation of Kennedy Pharmacy fered on Tuesday and Saturday 4:30 p.m. – Docent Training - 5 p.m. – Tea at Mrs. Dav afternoons at 4:30 p.m. in March. Program enport’s Participants will learn how the 5 p.m. – Dress Rehearsal – Friday, March 25 from 5 to 9 house has been cared for through Tea program p.m. - Trolley Back in Time/ time and the efforts DH personnel Tuesday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. – Tour of Homes/Madeira tour put into maintaining the property. This Old House: Preserva Saturday, March 26 at 4:45 p.m. Participants go from the bottom tion Tour of the DH – Tea program for a booked (basement level) to the top (the Wednesday, March 3 at 10 a.m. group attic) discussing preservation is- – Mid Morning Live appear- Tuesday, March 30 at 4:30 p.m. sues and solutions. ance by “tea” program per- - This Old House: Preserva Tea at Mrs. Davenports is of- formers tion Tour of the DH fered on Thursday and Friday af- Thursday, March 4 at 5 p.m. – ternoons at 5 p.m. with partici- Tea at Mrs. Davenport’s SHOP : pants taking tea with costumed Friday, March 5 at 5 p.m. – Tea - The shop is filling up with items interpreters. Ours is a “Jane Aus- at Mrs. Davenport’s for the spring season. See the new ten era” tea where visitors learn Saturday, March 6 at 4:30 p.m . selection of scented lamps and the role the beverage played in the - This Old House: Preserva jewelry which includes pendants daily life of people during the tion Tour of the DH and earrings. Davenports’ time. It is not a high Victorian era tea with scones and strawberries . . . though that - Please note if you see anything an “ole time” holler on pronounc- would be nice. out of place – chairs, a vacuum ing her wed. The last couple to Tour of Homes : The Daven- cleaner, a dust rag – that you let a say their vows brought what ap- port House is once again partici- staff member know. During this peared to be 20 family members. pating in Savannah Tour of busy time we may miss an item All were joyful. See pictures on Homes and Gardens’ Trolley or two that needs to be put up. the “Davenport House Museum” Back in Time – an evening trol- Last week a chair was left in the fan page on Facebook. ley tour to memorable sites – on middle of the Office and nobody - Many thanks to JIs who helped Friday, March 26 th . At the DH, said anything all day! with the event - Melissa Hinely, participants will experience our Kim Stastny, Lindsey Deering, Madeira program. WE NEED JU IOR I TERPRETERS : Donald Smooth and to Harris VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS. - There will be a JI meeting on Lewis who is our judge of love! Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. TO PREPARE FOR SPRI G to talk about hospitality and TEA AT MRS . D’ S: MADEIRA TOURS : waiter training in preparation for - Spring means tea The DH will have a refresher for the Expo. Staff will also talk programs at the DH. evening Madeira tour workers on about the skill sets needed to We offer them in Monday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. work in the hospitality industry. March and May. We We will discuss how we will han- SuperMuseumSunday: The hope that visitors will suspend dle the Trolley Back in Time DH had a terrific SuperMuse their disbelief and feel like they when the 105 people (3 shifts of umSunday with 513 visitors see- are actually taking tea with peo- 35 people) visit as part Savan- ing the site which was run by ple the Davenports might have nah’s Tour of Homes and Gar- Junior Interpreters. Our guests known. Thankfully we have fine dens. In addition, the DH will were complimentary of our work- interpreters to do this. Jeff Free- host Madeira tours on Thursday ers and their enthusiasm! Thanks man, Jody Levya, Jan Vach, and Friday evenings in April and to Annelise Wornat, Lindsey Shannon Wichers, Zoe Wolff, May. We hope the terrific crew Braden, Melissa Hinely, Kim Raleigh Marcell and Jamie who helped in the fall will return Stastny, Donald Smooth, Anna Credle will don their 1820s attire and then some. The refresher Hendrix, Lindsey Deering, for the show. will help us all get into the frame Seema Patel, Ian Lowry, Becca - Along with meeting interpret- of Madeira hospitality! Mark Dawson, Iain Woodside (who is ers, participants drink tea and eat your calendar to attend and ex- not a JI but was terrific none the Sally Lunn bread and ginger pect an email about it! less), Amanda Baskin and Joseph bread. As soon as she writes this McArthur. Jamie will email bakers about DOCE TS : helping with the baking detail - Beginning March 1, tokens (our FEBRUARY 14 TH AT THE DH : - again. This is a wonderful way poker chip system) will be used Valentine’s Day evening was to help the DH! to keep account of visitors on memorable for 9 couples who - Seeing a need: The tea table tour. Please be aware. wed under the authority of Judge we used last year had a broken - For safety’s sake, please slide Harris Lewis in our beautiful, leg that we propped up on a box. the bolt to the back door to lock it though chilly, garden. Actually Well, Greg Vach did not think after your tours. On occasion we three couples recommitted to that should do and replaced the find folks who have not checked each other and 6 took their vows leg. He also gave us another in wandering around the house for the first time. One husband replacement leg in case some- who have entered through the sprang the vow renewal on his thing unforeseen happens to the back porch door. wife when they walked into the newly ensconced one. What a - Welcome Abby Schreiber , DH at 5:30. The couple’s seven nice man. Wilma Wheten and Autumn year-old son was their attendant. Johnson to the DH. They are In fact, children took part in all of SAVA AH GARDE completing docent training and the renewals – holding flowers or EXPO VOLU TEERS : we hope they will be up and run- rings. One first-time-to-wed Staff is working to fill ning by mid-April. couple showed up in jeans and the Expo volunteer flip flops. Another bride let out schedule. Let Jamie know if you can help either Fri- in the pharmacy patio. We are who do visit, it provides a warm day, April 23 or Saturday, April ready for a party now! and caring welcome to visitors 24. ice House, ice Man : Hugh and tells the house’s and preser- - Helen Linskey prepared and Golson hosted the February Dav- vation’s story in informative and mailed all the volunteer request enport House Endowment Direc- insightful ways. You help us do letters. Others volunteered but tors for an early morning meet- this good work! when Helen came to the office ing. His dining room table made Georgia's 2008 Travel & she took all the letters . . . no the perfect work table for the dis- Tourism Satellite Accounts problem. What a doll. We will cussion. (TSA) analysis shows that tour- need those who offered to send Silver: You should see the ism generated: out the commitment letters in Telfair’s silver show, The Story - $28.8 billion in direct sales March. of Silver in Savannah: Creating - $46 billion in total sales* and Collecting Silver Since the - $2.5 billion in state and local BRICKS A D MORTAR : 18th Century , which will open in taxes* federal taxes 3.3 billion Dawn Guest, PhD candi- March. A DH spoon – a - $20.9 billion of GDP*, 5.3% of date, University of York “Davenport” spoon -- will be in the state economy found us. She is an expert on the exhibit. 400,000 jobs*, 9.9% of all jobs in mortar. She is doing a project on Madeira in February : During the state Savannah 1820s structures to de- the month of February 70 partici- - Tourism saved each household termine the content of their mor- pants attended the DH Madeira $760 in state and local taxes tar. She was told by the staff at program including a group from *these elements the Railroad Roundhouse Mu- the First City Club and Carl include indirect & seum (they have a lot of mortar Brandhorst, president, Atlantic induced impacts there!) that their mortar, which is Seaboard Wine Association. Mr. Hotel occupancy at a glance for very similar to ours, is “Savannah Brandhorst was formidable but the month of December: River Sand” and if we ever seemed to enjoy himself! Linda - Occupancy was up .8% in wanted to match it to contact the Garner provided the program Georgia much greater than the Fish and Wildlife people with the with beautiful camellias each nationwide occupancy average— city. week. down 2.2% DAVE PORT HOUSES : - Average Daily Rate was down Both Dawn and Bill Thomson WHE YOU ARE A 6.4% - very close to the national noted recently that the houses at CHARITY : There are average, which was down 6% 305 W. York Street and 411 W. so many worthy - Georgia demand grew by 4.6% York (between the Jepson Center causes that one often above the national growth of and the Court House) are pur- wonders where cul- 1.1% ported to be built by Isaiah Dav- tural sites fit in. We are not cur- - Revenue for the month was enport. These along with ing a dread disease, providing down 2% also above the national Laura’s Cottage and the house at food for the homeless or easing average, which was down by 5% 124 Houston Street (lot 18 the pain of addiction. But we are Greene Square) are the houses we putting people to work, teaching SPOTLIGHT can point to as possible works of people a valuable story as well as Becca Dawson Davenport. celebrating and preserving our DH: How to you tangible heritage. When you read come to be involved with the WORTH ME TIO I G : and understand the statistics be- Davenport House? Corian in the Kitchen : On top low you see what tourism does Becca: I was in Mr. McKay’s of our new stove is a piece of co- for our state in financial ways. 10 th grade U. S. History class at rian that Pat Seguare had donated We know people come to Savan- Savannah Arts Academy back in from Counter Parts, a local busi- nah for its historic ambiance. November 2007. I’m known for ness. The owner dropped it by That makes us special. That puts making impulsive decisions so himself. Thank you, Pat and Mr. us on the map and that makes us when he asked if any of us Counter Parts! wonderful. As you know, the DH wanted to learn how to be a do- Pharmacy Boxwoods : Wayne takes care of itself for others to cent at the DH, I said yes. and Marilyn Sheridan donated enjoy whether they actually cross DH: Are you originally from and planted 60 boxwood shrubs its threshold or not. For those Savannah? Becca: Yep, born and raised here. mation in that book so that helped. tioned frequently as well. Canadians DH: What is your favorite thing DH: You are also very active in made up the largest block of interna- about the Davenport House? your church, aren’t you? In fact, tional visitors but we had people from Becca: I love the Morning Room. you’ve been to Haiti as part of a Australia, Denmark, England, Ger- I identify with it because it really church activity? many and Holland too. Interesting hometowns include Newville, AL, illustrates what a woman’s role was Becca: I’ve been to Haiti 3 times. Yucaipa, CA, Florissant, CO, Portage, in the 1820’s – teaching her chil- Our church has a big mission de- IN, Walkerton, IN, Sandwich, MA, dren, managing the household, partment and has a strong relation- Kittanning, PA, Silver Point, TN writing letters, planning meals, ship with Northwest Haiti Christian mending or even making clothes Mission. The church funds the Where They Heard About Us : Tour for the family and servants. work we do, but each of the vol- guides (mentioned by name: Juliette DH: Has anything unusual ever unteers has to raise their own Gordon Low, Dirk Hardison, Owens- happened on one of your tours? money to pay their travel and lodg- Thomas), trolley tours (mentioned by Becca: One day last summer, one ing expenses. The trips are usually name: Old Town Trolley, Old Savan- of those really dark thunderstorms two weeks long. nah Tours, Oglethorpe, Grayline), bro- came in while I was doing a tour DH: What kind of things do you chures, visitors center, internet, conci- and it was really creepy. Then one do there? erge (mentioned by name: Marriott, of the ladies in my group came up Becca: One of the most challeng- Kehoe House, Elderhostel, Spring Hill to me and whispered that she was a ing things we did was helping out Suites), guidebook (mentioned by psychic and that she felt a strong in one of the medical clinics. I and presence of a man in the house. I 3 other teenage girls delivered a name: Fodor’s, Frommer’s, Lonely don’t know why she was whisper- baby pretty much on our own. We Planet, AAA), friend, walk by, return ing. It was almost as if she were were under the guidance of a nurse, visit, map, bus tour, relative, Super afraid that the presence would of course, but she was busy with Museum Sunday, PBS, CD tour, news- overhear her. I just said “That’s other patients as well. The poor paper, magazine ad, school. very interesting,” and continued woman had been in labor for 18 with the tour. hours. But we do other things too. What They Had to Say : "Ten” DH: You’re also a tour guide with We helped build cisterns in the vil- "Excellent guide." "Lovely house." one of the carriage tour companies lage of Beauchamps to gather rain "A wonderful insight to life in 19th C. in the city. How did you get in- for drinking water. Savannah & beautifully given by volved with that? DH: Will go back? guide." "Very detailed restoration." Becca: Another impulsive deci- Becca: I really want to. I’d like to "Loved it!" "Excellent presentation, sion. I had never been around get more involved with counseling Marty." "The Very Best Tour. Ex- horses or anything like that so I teenagers. They don’t get a lot of tremely informative." "Well done. thought it would be fun. I trained a attentions there. In order to be able Enjoyed it." "Wonderful. Enjoyed the lot in my free time with some of to relate to their problems and help garden." "Fantastic women." "Love the other drivers to get familiar them make good decisions, you the history." "Learned a lot, especially with handling the horses. I really have to learn a lot about their cul- about wallpaper!" "Best tour so far! like it. My Dad said he knew I was ture which is really interesting to Thx." "Beautiful. Enjoyed the junior into it when he came to the stable me. tour guide." "Love the young docents. and saw me cleaning out the DH: You’ll be graduating this horse’s waste bucket. He was Great energy!" "Your young people year. Where do you plan to attend bring life to the house." "Wow." shocked because he said I wouldn’t college? even clean the litter box at home. "Wonderful craftsmanship." "Very Becca: I decide to go to Tacoa helpful - staff wonderful." "Love what DH: Was taking the city tour certi- Falls College in northwest Geor- you do." "Really enjoyed the tour fication test difficult? gia. It’s a small school so the class guide." "A beautiful home tour to Becca : That test was the hardest sizes are smaller and you get to test I’ve ever taken. I freaked out interact more with the instructors. commemorate our 2nd wedding anni- about it. I didn’t study like I versary." "Keep up the great work!" "Magnificent tour guide, Shannon. should have. I just crammed the A look at the DH guest register : night before. I was really worried During the month on February (2010), Excellent." "Tres interessant. but I passed the first time I took it. the Davenport House saw visitors from Meublos antique. Detout & beaute." I had read “Savannah: A History 45 states including Alaska and 6 coun- "Son of David H. Davenport of Wash- of Her People Since tries. Florida, New York, Georgia and ington, D.C." "Sensational - more 1733” (available in the DH shop) Pennsylvania were listed most often than I anticipated." and much of the test covered infor- but Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Ten- THA K YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE DH! nessee, Illinois, and Indiana were men- Isaiah’s Savannah and Cerveau’s Savannah
It was a revelation when Betty Butler phisticated cities – these Dure’s – across Bull, Gaudry and gave me a copy of Cerveau’s Savan- yes.” (Waring, p.68) Legriel’s big wholesale and retail nah because it answered the ques- Grocery Store, Clothing Emporium tions that I wanted to know about POPULATION of Price and Mallery, newspaper The much of “Isaiah’s Savannah.” In the In Georgia there were “only eight Republican, William Thorne Wil- small volume Joseph Frederick War- and one-half persons per square liams book shop, A. R. Knapp's gen- ing takes apart Savannah’s famous mile” except for Savannah which was eral store, City Hotel. city portrait and puts the city de- urban -- “a beautiful city, with a - Ladies shopped on Congress picted into its context. Since population of more than 7,000 (half Street. Cerveau’s Savannah is only 10 years of whom were black) “. . . . in touch removed from Isaiah’s Savannah through its port with all the rest of THE STRAND AND THE RIVER both the painting and the book are the world, in short a city with all the “The Strand stretched the length of useful in trying to understand the amenities of civilization; and a city the bluff, about a mile long and be- world that the Davenports of the too that from its very outset a hun- tween 200 and 300 feet wide, from 1820s lived in in the port city. What dred years before had determined to the south side of Bay Street to the follows are some passages which be a city. . . . “ (Waring, p. 8) edge of the bluff. It is about forty might help you figure it out as well. It was “largest city in the state with feet above the river.” its population of 7,723 in 1830.” “Below the bluff the flat river front Joseph Frederick Waring. Cerveau’s Augusta came in second and Macon was divided up into wharf lots that Savannah , Savannah, GA: Geor- third. As a counter point, Charles- ran from the foot of the bluff to the gia Historical Society. 1973. ton, SC’s population was 30,289. water line . Of the city’s thirteen Between 1820 and 1830 . . . Savan- streets that ran southward from the “Savannah in 1837 was a compact nah grew by 200 people. (Waring, p Strand, eight of them extended little city, a mile wide along the river, 17) northward directly down the bluff to about three quarters of a mile deep the public wharves. It was not until from the river south to Liberty the fifties . . . that sloping cobble- Street.” (Waring p. 1 ) BUSY LIFE ON BAY STREET AND stone ramps were put in and BULL TRAFFIC the present stone retaining “For a few years after 1815 when “A man on horseback could not pro- walls erected.”(Waring, p. 14) the second war with England ended, ceed ‘faster than a canter’ nor could a there had been a brief burst of opti- coach be driven ‘faster than a trot.” EXCHANGE mism. Christ Church at last dedi- An unloaded cart, dray or wagon “The Exchange occupied the most cated its new building in 1816 and might be driven at a moderate trot in prominent position in the city, on the the young English architect, William all wide streets, but when loaded it bluff at the head of Bull Street, site Jay, completed several handsome must not `proceed in a pace beyond of the old Vendue House. After the mansions, as well as the theater, be- a walk.’ No driver might turn a cor- incorporation of the City of Savan- fore the fire and yellow fever epi- ner or drive down narrow streets or nah in 1789 the seat of government demic of 1820 plunged the city into on wharves ‘other than at a where the mayor and aldermen met gloom. The twenties had been a dec- walk.’ (Waring, p. 6) and official business was transacted ade of struggle.” (Waring, p. 5) Sandy streets - “Savannah was a was the old filature, the silk house, quiet city . . . . every traveler noted on the northeast trust lot of Rey- INTELLECTUAL LIFE the real reason: `the sand, through nolds Square. Apparently it survived “The ambitious mercantile which a pedestrian wades in navigat- the fire of 1796 for it continued to society of Savannah, strug- ing the streets . . . is considerable serve as City Hall until 1812 and was gled to build itself up after the fire of annoyance to a stranger, who fears not burned down until 1839. 1796, bursting into a brief period of every step of sinking to his waist.’” In 1812 “the seat of government was prosperity between 1816 and the moved from the filature to the Ex- great fire of 1820, then slumping BAY STREET change.” along rather drearily for ten years as - On The Bay one would find shops, Designed by Frenchman, Adrian it rebuilt its destroyed businesses and offices of bankers and newspapers, Boucher, cornerstone laid in 1799, homes, had little time or concern for the hotel and its barroom. completed probably about 1802 intellectual life. Good food, parties, - Cerveau’s portrait shows signs and “when the steeple was built.” a little opulence in dress and the su- businesses on Bay as being “Bank,” “In this a bell and clock were in- perficial airs and graces of more so- “Emporium,” printing shop of the stalled two years later. Every night a Savannah Georgian, “segar shop,” watchman kept a lookout there to spot fires and give the alarm. The of the year are full of small odorous mayor’s office was on the second blossoms which are said to have the FIRE floor as was the Long Room for meet- fragrance of lilac.’” (Waring, p. 21) “The city Watch came on ings of Council and for large civic duty at sundown, more or affairs. At first the Post Office and SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT AND FILTH less in some kind of distin- Customs were on the ground floor.” “The householder was responsible guishing uniform, armed Name stuck for a merchant exchange for sweeping the sidewalk and for with rattles, old-fashioned that never happened. It was torn burying any dead animals, large or heavy muskets, and pistols. The mus- down in 1904. (Waring, p. 13) small, that he owned. He was ex- kets were chiefly to give the alarm for pressly forbidden to leave a dead fire if it had not already been spotted MARKET SQUARE horse or dog in the streets, or goat, by the lookout in the Exchange “The low wooden roofs mule, cow or pig. He had to take it tower.” covering the stalls of the out beyond the city limits and bury it “But the organization of unpaid fire market, somewhat jammed in among six feet deep or he could pay the scav- `managers’ and companies was very surrounding buildings, appears to the enger to do it for him near the city loose until after 1824 when a system west of the two big red-brick business dump, out by the Oglethorpe Canton- of sorts was worked out under an Act buildings that occupy the eastern trust ment (West Gwinnett Street today).’ of Legislature establishing the Savan- lots of Ellis Square—Gibbons’ Range “The householder was responsible for nah Fire Company, with twenty-one on the south, and the range later keeping his premises `clear of putrid members appointed by Council of know as Waring’s on the north.” and stinking water and other offensive whom one was the Fire Chief. Free “The public market had been here matter,” . . . . men of colour were required to haul since 1763, except for a year after the “a peck of lime in his privy once a the engines and man the pumps, and fire of 1820 when it was moved to the month, May to November” for their service were exempt from intersection of Barnard and South “ . . . in the city each house had its taxes.” Broad (Oglethorpe Avenue), and the own privy and often its own well just “Thomas Gamble summarized the name of the latter street changed to a few feet away.” situation in 1828 showing that the fire Market . . . the market was back to “There were horses, mules, cows, in department consisted of `four New Ellis Square in 1822. Small farmers stables and on the streets; manure York built suction and discharging from all over the county and even piles, garbage barrels, privies; flies engines, two London built suction from Effingham County brought their everywhere and no screens, mosqui- and discharging engines, two Boston truck into town in small wagons and toes and very few mosquito nets. In built cooper and discharging engines, camped out around the 1828 the Streets and Lanes Commit- one horse cart, 1740 feet new hose, square.” (Waring, p. 16) tee of City Council reported that the 700 feet old hose, 178 slaves, 96 free Carts - “The weekly invasion of the streets and squares were fairly clean, negroes, 274 buckets, 15 fire hooks, market by the country folk, and even but that the lanes were `abominable 44 ladders , 22 axes, and a white com- more their annual invasion with bags and seem intended to be depositories pany of seventeen men.’” of cotton, were a continuing reminder of filth…. Foetid bogs and puddles that the city was, after all, completely are created… which, in the opinion of SLAVES – LIVING OUT OR LIVING dependent on the country.” the Committee, become the contrib- IN uting causes of disease.’ The stench “According to the ordinance of 1790, BEAUTIFUL CITY and the flies would have been unbear- slaves were required to live with their A visitor to the city, Miss able to modern Savan- owners or in a house of their owner’s Hathaway “found it a `a nahians.”(Waring, p. 24) representative. If they `lived out’ they lovely city,’ she says, `not must obtain a ticket from the owner made so by architectural SAFETY giving permission and specifying the beauty for there are very “During the day only the City Mar- place and time . . . . In fact, large few houses here . . . the shall and one or two constables were numbers of Negroes `lived out,’ and a hotels are very ordinary on duty to keep law and order. After large extent were independent though structures. What constitutes its sundown, however, Savannah was a the control of their movement after beauty is the manner in which it is laid dark city (in this no different from dark was pretty strictly enforced. out. There is one immensely broad most towns) and under cover of dark- Owners rented out the services of avenue . . called South Broad Street, ness incendiaries and cutthroats may their slaves (on the docks or canal, for and extending in full length of it from lurk.” (Waring, p. 27) example) and allowed them to find east to west. This is magnificently “People didn’t go out at night very shelter where they could. There was shaded by rows of china trees, which much. . . .” simply not enough room on most are beautiful in shape, having a rich “. . . Most people were early-to-bed house lots to accommodate more and graceful foliage, and in the spring and early-to-rise.” than, say three or four servants, on the ground floor and over the car- saloons, bawdy houses, and cheap Henry Kollock, who died a few riage house; some had many more, lodgings for sailors, a section in months later. The glorious steeple some none at all. As a result, the which were huddled the slaves rises nearly two hundred feet.” Negroes who `lived out’ tended to whose masters allowed them to live - Jews – chartered 1790 – did not congregate in congested segregated out the newly arrived foreigners have a synagogue until 1815, a sim- areas, as in Oglethorpe Ward west of seeking work on the docks or in ple building on the northeast corner West Broad, and in the correspond- building the new railroad.” (Waring, of Liberty and Whitaker, at that time ing section east of East p. 45) virtually in the woods. Broad.” (Waring, p. 28) - Roman Catholics – 1790 “ . . . lived in lanes behind the man- CANALS sions and double tenements and row “In 1825 Gover- SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION -houses . . . .” nor George M. Troup was promot- “The tall cupola of the central block “As the population counts show, ing internal improvements in Geor- of the Chatham Academy on South white and blacks were pretty equally gia, particularly a system of canals.” Broad Street shows very clearly in divided in most wards. Unless there But was convinced shortly thereafter the picture a little to the east of Bull was a row going on the night watch- by an associate who had visited Eng- Street and opposite Judge Wayne’s man tended to ignore the lanes land that railroads were going to su- house, where in 1837 Mr. W. W. where life was relaxed and inde- persede canal as a mode of transpor- Gordon lived. The Academy had pendent, a comfortable arrangement, tation inland. (Waring, p. 49) been chartered in 1788 but there was but potentially dangerous.” (Waring, no building for it until 1813 when p. 28) “But though the State was fortunate the whole block from Bull to Dray- “Slavery may have been the source in not committing itself to canal ton was used, the center building to wealth and, for those who could building, private enterprise in Savan- and east wing by the Academy and afford house servants, of the com- nah with enthusiastic support of the the west wing by the Union Society. forts of life, but not the least part of City did undertake the construction The Academy as a semi-private insti- the price paid for this institution was of the Savannah, Ogeechee, and Al- tution (it had some endowment and a daily, continuous undercurrent of tamaha Canal. It was a failure from charged small fees) had a long and fear. Who could tell really what was the beginning to the end, alternately honorable life as a preparatory going on behind those `happy’ black falling into decay and then being school . . . .(Waring, p. 63) masks?”(Waring, p. 29) rebuilt, but the basic idea was cer- “Savannah already had an ordinance tainly sound—to bring to the port “The only genuinely free school was forbidding any kind of assembly of the rice and cotton and timber of the the Savannah Free School, a charity Negroes even for religious worship productive acreage of western Geor- privately subsidized, managed by a “or the pretense of religious wor- gia.” (Waring, p. 49) board of benevolent ladies and gen- ship.” except on Sunday and then tlemen, and intended to provide at only between the hours of ten in the CHURCHES least the rudiments of learning to the morning and five in the after- - Christ Church – building children of the poor who could not noon.” (Waring, p. 30) begun 1801, finally finished in afford either the Chatham Academy “In the view of Savannah’s appre- 1816 (Waring, p. 57) or the numerous small private hensive state of mind it is not sur- - Presbyterians – “After schools that sprang up from time to prising to find that the very colorful Christ Church, the second time. Half a dozen or more of such five militia companies were regarded strongest church in town, if schools were usually in operation as something much more important not always in numbers cer- every year, often started by ambi- than as clubs for the young elite and tainly in the influence of it conserva- tious young teachers who had been a source of brilliant spectacle on pa- tive and affluent congregation, was employed by the Academy but rade days.” (Waring, p. 30) the Independent Presbyterian. It hoped to do better on their own. had been organized in 1755 . . . The Savannah Free School was char- YAMACRAW building Market Square . . . northeast tered in 1817 and did a noble work “Behind them (at the end trust lot . . . destroyed by fire . . .St. for years, but could not, of course of Bay Street) running James Square. In the hurricane of cope with the need, and the number westward down to the 1804 it lost its steeple but the con- of white illiterates in the city must canal and northward to gregation at least had a place to wor- have been great. Blacks by law were the river in the notorious ship until the magnificent edifice on not taught to read and write though section known as Yamac- Bull Street, designed by Rhode Is- a few surreptitiously managed to raw ( where once Tomochichi had land architect, John Holden Greene, circumvent the law. (Waring, p. 63) lived peacefully with his small tribe) was competed in 1819, under the were a filthy congeries of hovels, leadership of the great, divine, Dr.