The Hound to Georgia took about two hours. The bus was nice, as were the bus stations. We stopped at a truck stop and I had a hot dog and talked with a young man who was just bumming it around the country. He was super nice and easy to talk to, even though he was only 23.
I stayed at the Cambria - a very nice hotel. This Urkel car was parked outside and never moved.
Once again, my first order of business was the Hop-On Hop-Off bus. I wore a two-piece outfit from Shein. The necklaces are real lapis and pearl, from Temu.
Savannah has 22 squares dotted throughout the city. Each one has a fountain or monument in it. The city is even smaller than Charleston, less than 2 miles across, so easily walkable.
The magnolias were blooming!
This is the Bardo House - a very exclusive and upscale five-star hotel.
The houses were very similar to Charleston, but with more verandas than piazzas, and fewer row houses.
The movie and book, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" was about Savannah and put the sleepy little city on the map. I loved both the book and the movie. The Lady Chablis was a real drag queen, and she played herself in the movie.
This road down to the waterfront was called the evening stones because it was so intentionally bumpy that the load in the horse cart would spread itself evenly after it was driven down this road.
This is the Savannah River - it is the state border. South Carolina is right across that river.
You will notice that the homes are more Italianate in design and their street fronts are wider.
This bell was rung for the fire department. The streets were all numbered, so if a fire broke out on the sixth street, the bell would be rung six times, and the volunteers would know where to go.
Lots of hard-working horses drawing carriages. Most of them are retired Amish draft horses - very large and extremely strong.
Cemeteries are a big deal in Savannah. First stop was the Colonial Park Cemetery, established in 1750.
Here is an old grave from 1837.
This is the Jolly Robert Tebeau vault, housing Robert who died in 1803 at 59, and his wife Catherine, who died in 1836 at 80.
This is the vault of Reverend Jean Baptiste Le Moine, the first Catholic priest in Savannah, who died in 1794. The vault and its contents were moved in 1896, when Abercorn Street was modernized and sidewalks were added.
These markers for William Williamson and his family are the earliest grave markers in the cemetery, c 1750.
This is the Duellists Grave - the duel field was just adjacent to the cemetery, and all losers were plopped together here for eternity.
This fenced in area contained some of the victims of the Yellow Fever Epidemic, c 1820. Nearly 700 people died that year.
General Nathaniel Greene is buried here. He was the Major General of the Continental Army who succeeded in driving British Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis out of the Carolinas. More on his death later in the post.
This is the tomb of Button Gwinett. He signed the Declaration of Independence for Georgia at the age of 23 and was the state's provisional president until his death.
Now onto the Cathedral Basilica of St John the Baptist.
This is a French Gothic Roman Catholic Cathedral on Abercorn and Lafayette streets.
It has been called the Sistine of the South and has 34 exquisite murals.
I lit a candle for my mom, as is my practice in every cathedral and basilica that I visit.
A memorial for Pope Francis.
Here's good old John.
This is Forsyth Park, located smack dab in the middle of the city. This wonderful fountain was installed in 1858. I liked the swans the best.
There were two monuments nearby to the fountain.
This guy is Lafayette McLaws, the Major General of the Confederate Army. He lived from 1821 to 1897.
This is Frances Bartow, Colonel of the Georgia Volunteer Confederate Army. He lived from 1818 to 1861, where he fell at Manassas. Lower rank, smaller monument.
The next day, I wore a jumpsuit from Shein. I got a lot of compliments on this getup.
I went to the most famous cemetery of all, the Bonaventure Cemetery. This was voted the most beautiful cemetery in the United States. Once again, I rode the bus, which is free to all in Savannah.
This is the Gaston Tomb, one of the oldest monuments. They were a wealthy merchant family who built the tomb for unidentified bodies so they could have a final resting place.
This is the Smart monument. It is the tallest spire and serves as a marker to find your way out of the cemetery, since it is right near the entrance.
This is the John Thomas tomb. He was a prominent Mason, who opened the first lodge in Savannah.
This is a statue of Gertrude Bliss McMillan. Her husband, Thomas McMillan, built it for her in 1903. He loved her dearly and brought flowers every day until he died.
This crypt belongs to the Morrison and Sullivan families.
This sad mourning woman marks the graves of the Hohenstein family, who are buried beneath her. More on the Hohensteins later.
The Lester obelisk in 30 feet high and has a steel rod down the center, protecting it from hurricanes and earthquakes. He was a Confederate soldier and a state senator from 1870 - 1873.
This statue marks the grave of Julia Backus Smith, a veteran marathon runner. She died of cancer at age 57.
The Jenkins Monument marks the entry into the Colonial area of the cemetery.
This Celtic monument is for John, Helen and Herbert Hardee. They were one of the first pioneer families in Georgia.
This section houses the Veterans of both World Wars who were members of the American Legion.
This is for an unmarked casket with an unknown decedent.
This Grecian style monument is for the Tatnall family and is the oldest family plot. Harriet Tatnall passed in 1802 and was interred here with six of her children who had predeceased her, which was a common thing. Joseph Tatnall coined the phrase "Blood is Thicker Than Water."
This is Little Gracie. Gracie Watson's mom used to hold elaborate parties at the Pulaski Hotel. Gracie would greet and charm all the visitors and vendors. She passed suddenly from nephritis at age six. Thousands turned out for her funeral, which lasted a week. The statue was completed in 1889.
These old graves mark the entrance to the bluff, an area overlooking the Wilmington River.
This is Heaven's Gate, the grave of General Alexander Lawton. He was the president of the Augusta and Savannah railroad, and the president of the American Bar Association.
This weird tomb belongs to John Mongin. This truncated Egyptian tomb was built for the wealthy plantation owner. It was considered very ugly but was too heavy to move out of Bonaventure.
This very tall spire belongs to the Rauers family. It is the second tallest at 43.5 feet.
This is the crappiest family gravesite. The Rebarrers are buried here. There are five of them.
In contrast, the famous Mercer family have a very nice grave.
The most famous Mercer was Johnny, who wrote Moon River. He won Oscars, Grammys and golden Globes throughout his long career. He was one of the main characters in "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
Here is another beautiful Celtic monument for WS Chisholm. There were many Scottish in old Savannah, as they were sea merchants.
This is General Robert Anderson, a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army, who was also the Chief of Police.
This is the Stubbs obelisk. It is not well cared for. Maybe there aren't any more Stubbs in Savannah.
This plot holds members of the Order of Railroad Conductors. The railroads were one of the main reasons that Georgia was founded. I find that odd, because nowadays there is only one train from Savannah to Atlanta, and it runs at 5 in the morning.
The Jewish section has a Holocaust Memorial.
The ashes of 344 cremated victims of the Nazis are under here.
This is the Jewish gate, leading to their sacred space.
After the cemetery, I took the bus back to Forsyth Park. This building houses the Georgia Historical Society, who are responsible for restoring at least 77 of the old homes in Savannah.
Here is one example of their work.
This is Jones Street, considered the most beautiful street in Savannah. I thought that the entire city was beautiful.
The next day, April 30th, saw me going to the Southeast part of the city. That is where the only market in Savannah, a Kroger's supermarket, was located. There was also a thrift store that I wanted to go to down there. I walked through Forsyth Park again. I wore a silk dress from The Gap and sandals from Catherine Malandrino, which were also very comfortable and good for walking.
This house, in the Victorian Park area, had a jeweler's up top and a veterinarian below.
Beware of the wormholes! Don't go in!
This house is called the Gingerbread House, for obvious reasons. It was built in 1899 and is subdivided into flats.
This is the Savannah Library. No book sale here either, but another lovely setting to read.
The Forsyth Fountain again!
Then I attempted to see all the squares. This is Toomer square, named for Louis Toomer, the African American founder of Carver State Bank.
This is Pulaski square, named for Casimir Pulaski, a Polish patriot who was mortally wounded on this spot when fighting the British during the revolution.
This is Orleans Square. The fountain is the German Memorial fountain, built by some of the many German people in Savannah.
This is Telfair Square. Mary Telfair was the last of the family. She was a spinster, so she gave her enormous fortune to build a women's hospital as well as the Art Museum. The museum was closed because they were filming a movie there. This was her home.
Ellis Square is now a tennis court.
This is Johnson Square, named for Governor Robert Johnson of South Carolina. He befriended the colonists led by General Oglethorpe, when they first founded Georgia.
This monument was built for Major General Nathaneal Greene of Rhode Island, in honor of his contributions to the Revolutionary War. He was from Rhode Island. He made it through the war but later died of heatstroke after riding his horse in the Goergia humidity and heat.
This is Christ Church, and Episcopal church that was the first house of worship built in Georgia in 1733. John Wesley, founder of the Episcopalian faith, was the pastor.
These "Dolphin" downspouts are considered very chic by Savannahians.
This is Reynolds Square, which houses the statue of Wesley. Captain John Reynolds was governor of Georgia in the mid-1750s.
This is Warren Square. It recognizes the Hohensteins. Joseph Warren was a General in the Revolutionary War who was killed in the battle of Bunker Hill.
Remember the Hohensteins from Bonaventure Cemetery? This stone is for John Sr, who was a shipping magnate, and the secretary and treasurer of the Savannah Pilotage Commission.
This is Washington Square. It houses the fire bell that I described earlier in my review.
This is Greene Square, named for good old Nathanael. For some reason, the statues of famous people are not in the squares that are named for them.
These are the oldest standing houses in Savannah.
This is Columbia Square. Columbia was the poetic personification of the United States. She is the winged goddess.
This is the Kehoe House. The father ran an iron foundry and whatever is not brick in this house is made of wrought iron- the columns, stairs, and front door! Wrought iron was a symbol of wealth.
This is Oglethorpe Square. James Oglethorpe was a British Lieutenant General who was given a royal charter to establish the colony of Georgia, named for King George. His mission was to bring the poor of Britain over to the colony, and act as a buffer to Spanish Florida. He left Georgia to fight in Florida and never returned.
Tomo-Chi-Chi, a Yamacraw Indian companion of James Oglethorpe is buried here. He was the friend and ally of the colonists and helped them with the local Indians.
This is the headquarters of General Tecumseh Sherman, who conducted the workings of the Revolutionary Army here. The Green-Meldrum house was loaned to him by Julian Green, who built it as part of his marriage contract to Lucy Meldrum.
This is Madison Square, named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. The statue is of Sergeant William Jasper, who died in the Revolutionary War during the siege of Savannah.
This is the Andrew Low house. His wife, Juliette Low, founded the Girl Scouts of America.
This is Lafayette Square, named for the Marquis de Lafayette, Gilbert du Motier, a French aristocrat who was a hero of the Revolutionary War. He helped the French and Americans defeat the British.
This is Troup Square, the location of the giant gyroscope compass. George Troup was the former Governor, Congressman, and Senator of Georgia. The square was built while he was still alive.
This is Whitefield Square. It honors Reverend George Whitefield, the founder of the Bethesda Orphanage, the oldest in the United States. There were many retirement homes around it. I spent a few minutes talking to a lovely old gent named Lovell as I sat there. He liked my hair.
This is Taylor Square, somehow related to John C Calhoun, 8th US Vice President and a staunch defender of slavery. Susie Taylor was a freed slave who became a nurse and the first African American to openly teach students in Georgia in 1851.
This is Congregation Micvie Israel, built in 1733, and the only Gothic Jewish Temple in the world.
This is Monterey Square, the location of Casimir Pulaski's memorial. I told you about Pulaski earlier. The square honors the battle of Monterey, fought during the Mexican American War.
This is Chatham Square, the location of the grave of Louis Toomer, who I also told you about earlier. William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham, was the British leader during the Seven Years War, and supported the colonization of Georgia.
This is Franklin Square, named for Benjamin. The monument to Henri Christophe, a Haitian drummer in the battle of Savannah in 1779. He later became a leader in the Haitian resistance to the French rule on their Caribbean Island.
On May 1st, I went down to the waterfront. I wore slacks from Shein and a top from Macy's. A nice lady stopped me and told me that I was beautiful. I liked her!
This mural was down there in a garden. The riverfront is beautiful.
Of course, every southern city has some type of memorial to Martin Luther King. Just wait until we get to the Atlanta portion of my trip!
This is a replica of a schooner, the most common type of three-masted ship on the Savannah River.
This is the World War two Memorial, called "A World Apart". The names of many veterans from Georgia are etched inside.
Here is the Goergia Queen Paddle Riverboat.
The Olympic Flame came through Savannah on the way to Atlanta. The statue is in Morrell Park.
This is a statue of Florence Martus, the "Waving Girl". She never married, and the myth was that she pined for a sailor who never returned to her. In reality, she didn't want to work, so she waved the towel every day, and had so many suitors that she never even considered marrying. Thousands of men turned up for her funeral.
This is the African American Monument, depicting a happy united family.
Here's good old City Hall, with a gilded dome like many Eastern cities. The gilding is easier to maintain than the copper that was originally there.
There was a free river cruise here, so I hopped aboard for the 15-minute trip.
Then I went to the GraveFace Museum, a true crime museum. I have been to the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia twice. It's super weird and creepy, so I wanted to see how this one compares. It's not for everyone.
This is an early anesthesia machine.
The farm oddities included a two-headed African Ox and Siamese twin lambs.
Here we have a two-headed fawn.
And Clementine, the Five-Legged Cow.
This is Anton LaVey, the founder of American Satanism. The display explained what he believed in and how he became in charge, and recruited followers.
This is a Victorian Memento Mori, constructed entirely of the dead lady's long hair. There were quite a few of these, but this one was the most elaborate.
This was drawn by Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker.
There was an entire room dedicated to some creepy punk rocker that I never heard of. I guess he was famous. He did some very strange things on stage and was always getting arrested. That happened to Elvis too, but this guy was a whole other world.
This room had many exhibits from the freak shows at old county fairs. Lots of weird stuff, like fat ladies and midgets and sword swallowers. There was also a man who rolled cigarettes with his feet since he had no arms.
There was a room dedicated to two famous cannibals, Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer. I didn't take pictures. I had heard about Gein, and I remember when Dahmer was arrested. Too weird even for me.
A typical Mafia hit. Many bullet holes. They had a lot of information about the Mafia and the things they did.
The Manson family. One of these girls is dead, and the others keep getting denied parole.
Aileen Wournos' prison panties. She was the only female serial killer. She was down in Florida.
Many paintings done by John Wayne Gacy, the famous American serial killer who also had a business acting as a clown for children's parties. He loved Bob Ross, the television painting teacher. He painted along with Ross as he taught landscape drawing. He was very prolific, as he was on death row for a long time.
Overall, a very strange and creepy museum, but does not outdo the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. That one is still the best oddity museum. Of course, Mutter has medical oddities, which are somehow even weirder.
On May 2nd, I once again boarded the Hound, bound for Atlanta. I wore a top from Shein and ponte slacks from Express for the four-hour ride. Stay tuned for those adventures!
