Nice spot we visited that had Statues and things to look at. Nice easy walk that is worth a visit…read morewhen you are in town

Lafayette Square is gorgeous…read more We dropped by and between the trees with their spanish moss sweeping low over the green grass and brick pathways--we were charmed. It's also home to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, which we stopped by while were were there as well. There's a beautiful fountain in the center of the square that makes for a lovely focal point. There are plenty of benches along the brick pathways for lingering as well. We enjoyed a leisurely afternoon here of reading in lovely weather while listening to the sound of the fountain in the distance.

Established on July 31, 1789 by Congress, the U.S. Custom Service is the oldest federal agency. At…read morethe time of it's creation the new nation was on the brink of bankruptcy after the Revolutionary War and in order to survive George Washington agreed to the collection of taxes on imported goods in order to raise money. That same year a customs house was established in Savannah to collect the taxes on imported goods, regulate importers and exporters, and to prevent smuggling and revenue fraud. The custom house that sits here is actually Savannah's third building to serve that purpose. After the second custom house burned down in 1837 the federal government purchased this plot of land across from in 1845 across from City Hall that used to contain a wood frame house used by Georgia founder James Edward Oglethorpe. The cornerstone for the custom house was laid on July 20, 1848 and the building was designed by New York Architect, John S. Norris in a Greek Revival style. It was constructed entirely of stone in order to make it fire proof and the building was completed in 1852 making it the oldest federal building in Georgia. In the 1850's a vigorous slave trade took place outside the back door of the building where humans waited in cages before their turn on the auction block even though it was in violation of the law. A U.S. Post Office was in the basement of the building, the Customs Service was on the first floor, and the federal courts occupied the second story. It was in this court room that the famous trial of America's last slave ship, the Wanderer took place. In 1861 the Georgia State Convention adopted the Order of Secession and control of the building was taken over by the Confederacy. The Civil War ensued and General Sherman returned the building to the Union four years later when he seized Savannah during his March to the Sea. The building was added to U.S. Register of National Historic Places in 1974. Today Savannah is home to one of the largest ports in the country and the building is occupied solely by Customs and Border Protection. Besides being tasked with collecting taxes, they are also in charge of keeping terrorists and weapons out of the country and facilitating lawful international trade. Equipment used today consists of x-rays, radiation, portal monitors, and density meters. Both people and cargo are examined as they enter the port which is vital to U.S. safety. The United States Customs House was steps away from my hotel during a recent visit to Savannah. Unfortunately I was on a tight time line and although I passed by many times it was closed and I was unable to go inside. If you can work it out for your trip, the inside is open to the public and contains displays that include old tools used to test cargo coming into the port and confiscated items. It is definitely someplace I look forward to visiting when I return.

The US Customs House in Savannah was designed by noted architect John Norris and was completed in…read more1852. It replaced an older and less-imposing customs house and has served as functioning customs house since it opened and still serves in this capacity today. The building's use of stone from foundation to roof is not only grand and bespeaks the importance of this building, but also was a reaction to the problem of fires in the crowded city and Norris was known to employ stone as a fireproofing method in many of his public commissions when there was ample money for such. The iron fence surrounding the building includes a tobacco leaf motif that is also found in the columns and elsewhere on the building and is a reference to the crucial importance of tobacco as an export crop at the Port of Savannah at the time the Customs House was built. When completed, the main post office for Savannah was in the basement and the customs service on the second floor while courtrooms for the local Federal district were upstairs. Colonel John H. Deveaux, the first African-American director of a Customs Service office served here following the Civil War and the building is filled with a lot of other interesting local history. As far as I know, anyone can come inside and admire the impressive architecture (the central staircase inside the building is a real showpiece) and while I was there on official business, I noticed they had several exhibits on contraband that Customs officials had discovered on ships in port--the display included antique weapons, ivory, and it seems like some sort of African masks. I hope the building is open for the public or tours are possible, because it's one of the best examples of Norris' archtecture and holds a real wealth of history. It's also interesting to see such a fine building still in use as it was first intended.

We made a short Uber pitstop here on our final day in Savannah. This was about a 15-20 min Uber…read moredrive from downtown, so it wasn't too difficult to get an Uber here (or to get one to come pick us up). There isn't much to the fort. It's pretty easy to see in maybe a half hour or so. Everyone hangs around for the rifle target practice, that's the most fun. There's also the cannon show which coincides with the arrival of one of the riverboat cruises. Cool history lesson learned here and worth the Uber to get here.

My husband is a history lover so this was a must see. We got there as soon as it opened and the…read morelady inside was helpful and kind. We got inside the fort and it was flooded some. It was a bit soupy to walk around but they are close to the water so it happens. The gentleman doing the presentations on the rifle and cannon was very informative. He knew his stuff! He answered all the questions that were thrown at him. Very cool to see. Parking: Free parking on site in a lot Restrooms: There are some by the visitors center and some in the fort.

I really liked this statue, even though this story is amazingly sad. Luckily it was a stop on our…read moretrolley. We actually got off the trolley at one end of River Street and walked all the way to this end (which is about where this is). I would highly recommend stopping by and reading about this amazing story.

We smoked a nice cigar by the statue. It's right on the water. Such a sad story, she waited too…read morelong for that guy!

On a recent trip to Savannah, one of my favorite things to do has been to learn the history of the…read moremonuments and squares that are all over this beautiful city. This monument has a very interesting story, both about the man it is dedicated to and who might possibly be buried at its base. The Pulaski Monument is located in the center of Monterey Square in Savannah. The monument is dedicated to one of our country's favorite military figures, Brigadier General Count Casimir Pulaski. Kazimierz Pułaski (1745-1779) was born into a noble family in Warsaw, Poland. He developed a passion for politics and came to the notice of the Continental Army while fighting against Russia. He was then issued an invitation to come to the colonies to aid them in their fight for independence. During the Revolutionary War he fought with honor at the battle of Brandywine despite not having fully enlisted and he became famous for organizing the American calvary. Pulaski was fatally injured at the Siege of Savannah. During the war, the British captured Savannah. Pulaski launched an attempt to take it back but was forced to retreat. As he attempted to inspect the battlefield he was mortally wounded by grape shot. To this day Pulaski remains a popular figure in American history and many parks and monuments throughout the country are named for him. After the war Savannah wanted to honor two war heroes, Pulaski and Nathanael Greene but the cost was prohibitive to the young nation saddled with war debt. Prior to 1823, both men were honored with an obelisk in Johnson Square. The monument to Pulaski was originally slated for Chippewa Square where a cornerstone was laid in 1823, but there wasn't enough money to build it and the location was changed to Monterey Square where a new cornerstone was laid in 1853. Russian born, New York artist Robert Eberhard Launitz created the 55 foot Italian marble monument. About the monument he designed, Mr. Launitz has said, "The monument is surmounted by a statue of Liberty, embracing with her left arm the banner of the Stars and Stripes, while in her right hand is extended the Laurel Wreath. The love of liberty brought Pulaski to America; for love of liberty he fought, and for liberty he lost his life. Thus, I thought that Liberty should crown his monument, and share with him the homage of the free." Once the Pulaski monument was built the obelisk in Johnson Square became the Nathanael Greene monument. A 241 year old mystery haunts Savannah involving Pulaski's final resting place. Some people believe General Pulaski was buried at the base of his monument while others are not so sure. After Pulaski was mortally injured at the Siege of Savannah, he was taken by boat up the coast to Charlestown. Some records say he was buried at sea while others say he made it to the Bowen Plantation where he was buried in an unmarked grave. In 1854 the body was dug up and interred at the base of the memorial despite that it might not actually be Pulaski. After eight years of testing and tracking down Pulaski's relatives in Poland, DNA testing has failed to settle the matter conclusively. Perhaps the general is not at rest as people have reported that this square is haunted by the sound of dying Revolutionary War soldiers.

Another one of the pretty squares in Savannah…read more Madison Square has a 15- and- a- half-foot bronze monument of Sergeant William Jasper in the middle of everything. There's a lot of history, and even some rumored hauntings, in and around the square. Madison Square houses many nice restaurants and shops, as well. The square was designed in 1837, laid out in 1839. It is a nice place to sit, walk around, picnic or just stroll around....lots of nice businesses nearby make this a very popular square....

Impressive Square in Savannah…read more According to our city tour guide Madison Square in Savannah (not in NYC) was where the bloodiest hour of the American Revolution took place. It was in this location, that during the Battle of Savannah, that many soldiers fell in battle. It was said that dead soldiers bodies were thrown into mass graves here but not all of the men who were thrown into the grave were dead (yet). They may have been badly wounded, with death imminent but how horrible that these soldiers must've felt being buried alive. Hence, haunted!! The most common ghost seen in Madison Square is a solid black shadow figure. It is said to have the shape of a full-grown man. A bronze monument of Sergeant William Jasper, an American soldier in the Revolutionary War, stands tall to honor the sergeant. Sgt. Jasper died during the Siege of Savannah on October 9, 1779. My hubby loves paranormal stuff and some of the haunted homes around Madison Square really piqued his interest like the Sorrel-Weed House - this home is said to be one of the most haunted houses in the entire city. We did a mansion tour inside on our first evening here in Savannah. When we had signed up for the Sorrel-Weed House ghost tour we thought that the meeting place was here in Madison Square. That's how we ended seeing this square. Another historic place is the The Green-Meldrim House - this is where General Sherman stayed during the occupation of Savannah and headquartered his confederate troops here. Other buildings on Madison Square is the St. John's Episcopal Church. Review #1854

We were escaping traffic and detouring to get home and somehow got to cross this gorgeous bridge…read more It was built to fascinate and amaze people. We were certainly awed by the design and appearance of it.

I recently visited during the NOGs Tour of Hidden Gardens and was reminded what a lovely home this…read moreis! Truly one of my favorite homes to tour in Savannah. Wonderful history and they do a fabulous job. I also love that they are a part of the Coastal Heritage Society. I often get the annual pass to visit this home as well as other Savannah sites.

I visited this historic home after seeing a couple of the rooms featured in the movie Bride Hard…read more Once I was there to experience the well preserved beauty of the home it was easy to see why it was chosen as a film location. My tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the house and even other movies filmed there. The tour started in the basement with stories about slave workers. The tour ends in the upstairs bedroom, learning about about Alida "Harper" Fowlkes. It you are interest in historic homes, definitely check out the Harper-Fowlkes House if you are in Savannah.