Author: sam wright

When you stay at Hamilton-Turner Inn, your room has more than a number. Many are named for people whose stories intersect with Savannah and Georgia. One of them belongs to General Nathanael Greene. And his connection to Savannah runs much deeper than a name on a guest-room door. Who Was Nathanael Greene? Nathanael Greene was… Continue reading Who Was General Nathanael Greene? The Revolutionary War Hero Behind One of Our Rooms

Spend a few days in Savannah and you will probably encounter the name Telfair. Telfair Square. Telfair Academy. Telfair Museums. And, if you are staying with us at Hamilton-Turner Inn, the Mary Telfair Room. But who was Mary Telfair? Her story is particularly fitting for a city known for preserving and celebrating its art, architecture… Continue reading Who Was Mary Telfair? The Savannah Woman Behind Her Room at Hamilton-Turner Inn

Savannah College of Art and Design does not really have a traditional campus. That is one of the first things visitors notice. There is no single gate separating the university from Savannah. Instead, SCAD buildings are woven throughout the city. Historic structures become classrooms. Old warehouses become studios. Students move between streets and squares that… Continue reading Visiting SCAD in Savannah? Make the Historic District Part of the Experience

Before Hamilton-Turner was an inn, it was a home. Before it welcomed travelers, it welcomed Savannah society. And before guests photographed the mansion from Lafayette Square, people reportedly stood outside to marvel at something they had never seen glowing from a private house before: Electric light. The building has been collecting stories since 1873. Who… Continue reading The History of Hamilton-Turner Inn: From Savannah Mansion to Historic Hotel

A Tybee Island Day Trip From Savannah: Dolphins, Lighthouses & the Coast One of the best things about visiting Savannah is how quickly the scenery can change. In the morning, you can be walking through shaded squares surrounded by nineteenth-century homes. Half an hour later? You’re looking at the Atlantic Ocean. Tybee Island sits approximately… Continue reading A Tybee Island Day Trip From Savannah: Dolphins, Lighthouses & the Coast

150 Years on Lafayette Square: The History of Hamilton-Turner Inn Before it was a hotel, Hamilton-Turner Inn was a home built to make an impression. It has illuminated Lafayette Square with some of Savannah’s first electric lights. It has hosted lavish nineteenth-century parties. It survived one of the city’s great fires. It was nearly demolished.… Continue reading 150 Years on Lafayette Square: The History of Hamilton-Turner Inn

How the Girl Scouts Began in Savannah: The Story of Juliette Gordon Low Savannah has given the world plenty of stories. But one of its most influential began with 18 girls and a 51-year-old Savannah woman named Juliette Gordon Low. On March 12, 1912, Low organized the first Girl Scout troop in her hometown of… Continue reading How the Girl Scouts Began in Savannah: The Story of Juliette Gordon Low

The History of Savannah, Georgia: Exploring the Savannah Historic District Some cities preserve their history inside museums. Savannah surrounds you with it. Walk through the Savannah Historic District and nearly three centuries of American history appear block by block. Brick streets disappear beneath live oaks. Church steeples rise above the tree canopy. Iron balconies cling… Continue reading The History of Savannah, Georgia: Exploring the Savannah Historic District

Why Is Bull Street Important to Savannah? Bull Street is one of the most historically and visually important streets in Savannah, Georgia. Running through the center of the Historic District, it connects public squares, monuments, churches, government buildings, Forsyth Park, Victorian neighborhoods, local businesses, and the Starland District. A walk along Bull Street is more… Continue reading Bull Street History: Walking Through the Heart of Savannah

Who Was the Earl of Chatham? William Pitt the Elder, First Earl of Chatham, was one of Britain’s most influential 18th-century political leaders. He served in Parliament, became secretary of state, and later served as prime minister from 1766 to 1768. Known as the “Great Commoner,” Pitt became respected in the American colonies for opposing… Continue reading The Earl of Chatham: The Statesman Remembered Across Savannah