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 and history.
Who Was Mary Telfair?
Mary Telfair was born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1791 while her father, Edward Telfair, was serving as governor of Georgia.
She belonged to one of Georgia's prominent early families. The Telfairs were wealthy merchants and landowners, and the family's fortune was connected to Georgia's plantation economy and enslaved labor.
Mary eventually became the last person to carry the Telfair family name.
Yet what made her particularly significant to Savannah was what she chose to do with the family's wealth and property.
How Did Mary Telfair Change Savannah?
Mary Telfair became one of Savannah's important philanthropists.
When she died in 1875, she left the family's Regency-style Savannah mansion, its furniture and its artwork to the Georgia Historical Society with instructions that the property become a public museum.
After renovations and additions, the museum opened to the public in 1886 as the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Today, Telfair Museums describes it as the oldest public art museum in the South and the first museum in the United States founded through the bequest of a woman.
More than 150 years after Mary Telfair made that decision, Savannah visitors are still experiencing the legacy she left behind.
What Is Telfair Museums Today?
Mary Telfair's original gift eventually grew far beyond one home.
Today, Telfair Museums operates three significant Savannah properties:
The Telfair Academy, Mary's former family home.
The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, which interprets Regency architecture alongside the experiences of the free and enslaved people who lived there.
And the Jepson Center, which brings contemporary art into the institution.
Together, the three sites span centuries of Savannah art, architecture and social history.
The Telfair collection now contains thousands of works, making Mary's 19th-century bequest part of an institution that continues to shape Savannah's cultural life today.
Why Is the Telfair Name So Common in Savannah?
Mary's legacy is one reason.
Telfair Square, Telfair Academy and Telfair Museums all keep the family name visible throughout Savannah.
But knowing the story behind the name changes the experience.
What might otherwise look like another historic building becomes the result of a decision made by a Savannah woman in the 1800s to leave her family's home and collection for public use.
That story is also why Mary Telfair's name feels right at home inside Hamilton-Turner Inn.
Stay in the Mary Telfair Room at Hamilton-Turner Inn
The Mary Telfair Room is one of Hamilton-Turner Inn's individually named guest rooms honoring notable people from Georgia's past.
Room 303 features a beautiful bay window and sitting area framed by views through Savannah's magnolia and oak branches.
A soaring 12-foot ceiling gives the room an airy feel, while a queen-size bed and renovated bathroom with a walk-in rain shower provide the comforts of a modern stay.
Guests staying in the Mary Telfair Room can also arrange individual or couples massages through the inn.
The result feels particularly Savannah:
Historic surroundings.
Tall windows.
Old trees just outside.
And a room named after a woman whose legacy can still be found only a short journey away in the Historic District.
Make Mary Telfair's Story Part of Your Savannah Visit
If you are staying in the Mary Telfair Room, make the connection part of your trip.
Visit Telfair Academy.
Walk through the historic home Mary ultimately gave to Savannah.
See its architecture and collections.
Explore the other Telfair Museums sites.
Then return to Hamilton-Turner Inn on Lafayette Square.
It turns the name on the door into something more meaningful.
And that is something Savannah does especially well.
The longer you stay, the more the names, houses, squares and stories begin connecting to one another.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mary Telfair
Who was Mary Telfair?
Mary Telfair was a 19th-century Georgia philanthropist best remembered for the bequest that ultimately created Telfair Museums in Savannah.
When was Mary Telfair born?
She was born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1791 while her father Edward Telfair was serving as governor.
Did Mary Telfair found Telfair Museums?
Her 1875 bequest provided the Telfair family home, furnishings and art that became the foundation of the museum. Telfair Academy opened to the public in 1886.
Why is Telfair Academy important?
Telfair Museums identifies it as the oldest public art museum in the South and the first U.S. museum founded through the bequest of a woman.
Is there a Mary Telfair room at Hamilton-Turner Inn?
Yes. Room 303 at Hamilton-Turner Inn is the Mary Telfair Room, featuring a bay-window sitting area, 12-foot ceiling, queen bed and walk-in rain shower.
