City Hall, Savannah
Dominating Bay Street, the Savannah City Hall is a real eye-catcher, capped with a pretty gold-leaf-covered copper dome. The building was designed by acclaimed architect, Hyman Witcover, notable for several other creations in the Savannah area.
The construction lasted from 1904 to 1905, and was located on the site previously occupied by the City Exchange, which had been built in 1799 and was demolished in 1904. The project took place during the administration of Savannah Mayor Herman Myers, who described it as "a monument to the progressive spirit that marks the Savannah of today" that will “typify the 20th century Savannah, [the one] of indomitable energy and punishing progressiveness.”
The City Hall officially opened in 1906. It represents an example of Renaissance Revival architecture with an exterior clad in gray limestone and granite. On the inside, it has two elevators and the historic steps going down the old River Street which are interesting in their own right. Initial plans called for four statues of chariots to be placed on the tops of the building's four corners, but financial limitations prevented this.
Directly adjacent is a small canopy sheltering two cannons, which together compose the city's oldest monument. These are the Chatham Artillery Guns, presented to the local militia group of the same name by President George Washington during his one and only visit to town in 1791. Today, locals use the phrase "Chatham Artillery" differently, to refer to a particularly potent local punch recipe that mixes several hard liquors.
In 2014, the Georgia Historical Society erected at the City Hall a Georgia historical marker.
The construction lasted from 1904 to 1905, and was located on the site previously occupied by the City Exchange, which had been built in 1799 and was demolished in 1904. The project took place during the administration of Savannah Mayor Herman Myers, who described it as "a monument to the progressive spirit that marks the Savannah of today" that will “typify the 20th century Savannah, [the one] of indomitable energy and punishing progressiveness.”
The City Hall officially opened in 1906. It represents an example of Renaissance Revival architecture with an exterior clad in gray limestone and granite. On the inside, it has two elevators and the historic steps going down the old River Street which are interesting in their own right. Initial plans called for four statues of chariots to be placed on the tops of the building's four corners, but financial limitations prevented this.
Directly adjacent is a small canopy sheltering two cannons, which together compose the city's oldest monument. These are the Chatham Artillery Guns, presented to the local militia group of the same name by President George Washington during his one and only visit to town in 1791. Today, locals use the phrase "Chatham Artillery" differently, to refer to a particularly potent local punch recipe that mixes several hard liquors.
In 2014, the Georgia Historical Society erected at the City Hall a Georgia historical marker.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Savannah. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
City Hall on Map
Sight Name: City Hall
Sight Location: Savannah, USA (See walking tours in Savannah)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Savannah, USA (See walking tours in Savannah)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Savannah, Georgia
Create Your Own Walk in Savannah
Creating your own self-guided walk in Savannah is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
African-American Heritage Tour
The history of America has many themes, but the theme of African American history that has touched many the most is the theme of resilience. Indeed, African Americans' enduring strength and resilience in the face of adversity have been the subjects of many songs, books, and movies in recent years. Savannah, Georgia, whose African-American population makes up about 60 percent of total... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.4 Km or 2.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.4 Km or 2.7 Miles
Savannah Introduction Walking Tour
Savannah may not be the whole of Sweet Georgia, but no Georgia is complete without Savannah, that's for sure.
This coastal city is named after the river upon which it stands, whose name is likely to be the variant pronunciation of “Shawnee”, the Native American tribe which inhabited the area in the 1680s. Alternatively, it could have derived from the Spanish “sabana”, referring to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
This coastal city is named after the river upon which it stands, whose name is likely to be the variant pronunciation of “Shawnee”, the Native American tribe which inhabited the area in the 1680s. Alternatively, it could have derived from the Spanish “sabana”, referring to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Savannah's Historical Churches
The conspicuous churches of various styles and denominations – Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Unitarian, and Methodist – dot the cityscape of Savannah, Georgia, in abundance. With their spires reaching high, as if attempting to touch heaven, these churches stand like sacred sentinels, guarding the city's spiritual heritage and illuminating its architectural grandeur.
The... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
The... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Historical Houses Walking Tour
Savannah, Georgia breathes history. You can feel it in the cobblestone alleyways and quaint squares dotting the city. An enchanting walk through the heart of Savannah's Historic District (one of the most carefully preserved in the United States) highlights an array of beautiful homes.
Saved by the forward-thinking residents from being bulldozed in the 1960s, these gorgeous structures (with... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Saved by the forward-thinking residents from being bulldozed in the 1960s, these gorgeous structures (with... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
River Street Sightseeing and Shopping
The story of Savannah's River Street begins in 1733 with General James Edward Oglethorpe's landing on the bank of the Savannah River and founding the British colony of Georgia. Today, the cobble-stoned River Street caters to a variety of interests, combining the rustic beauty of the past with the energy of the present.
The half-mile-long promenade is one of the city's major... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.7 Km or 0.4 Miles
The half-mile-long promenade is one of the city's major... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.7 Km or 0.4 Miles