Saturday, September 18, 2010

Bonaventure Cemetery

The Bonaventure Cemetery was made famous in the 1994 book "Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil" by John Berendt (a great book I'd highly recommend to everyone out there!).  The cover of the book featured a statue from the cemetery nicknamed the "Bird Girl".  Today, the statue has been moved to the Telfair Museum of Art due to the amount of tourists the cemetery started receiving.  As this is still an actively used cemetery, the tourists began interfering with mourners and thus the statue was moved.

The cemetery is open to visitors every day from 8 AM to 5 PM and there is no admission charge.  You can see graves dating from back in the mid-1800's all the way through to today.  When visiting, it's interesting to see graves of yesteryear as many of them also commemorate people who died in the various wars of America.  Be sure though to be respectful of the graves you visit while you there and anyone else who is visiting.

Friday, September 17, 2010

River Street Savannah

We were able to explore River Street in Savannah on Labor Day weekend when they were having a special event, including various food, drinks, arts, crafts and entertainment.  However, even when there isn't a holiday special going on, this area is still a pleasant area to walk down.  The path is full of various kitschy shops and restaurants.  It also offers a nice view of the Savannah River and at the end features the statue of the Waving Girl.

The Waving Girl statue depicts Florence Martus, who as legend has it, waved at all sailors coming in to port in Savannah in hopes that her lover would return.  When she was young, her lover departed at sea and she spent her whole life waiting for him, even though he never did come back.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Scarborough House

The Scarborough House, also known as the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, was our very first stop in Savannah.  This naval museum was placed here due to the original owner of the house, William Scarborough, being one of the main owners of the Steamship Savannah.  There is an $8 admission charge to enter and the museum is open every day, except Mondays, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

For anyone who has any interest in sea-faring vessels, this museum is a must visit.  You'll see model ships of various shapes and sizes, as well as various maritime historical artifacts.  You can even steer your own (fake) ship, just like Leann...

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Tapas By Anna

Located in the center of City Market in Savannah, Tapas By Anna provides a delicious stop for anyone walking around the city.  Despite having the word "Tapas" in their name, they still offer huge portions.  We tried the Spaghetti & Meatballs and the Blackened Chicken Salad, both of which were excellent.  They also have cooling mist fans for the outside tables for the hot summer days of Savannah.  This restaurant definitely gets 2 thumbs up from us and we'd recommend it to anyone visiting Savannah.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Vic's On The River

Savannah is full of fine restaurant fare, so it's a shame we couldn't sample it all while we were there.  On our first night though, we were able to make a reservation at Vic's On The River, which made an absolutely delicious meal.  We ordered a Grilled Filet Mignon and a Brown Sugar Cured Double Cut Pork Chop, both of which were outstanding.  In addition to the food quality, the service was exceptional.  I'd also recommend that when making a reservation, request a window view of the river as that will only serve to enhance your experience.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Owens-Thomas House

The Owens-Thomas House is another historical house tour available in Savannah.  As part of the Telfair Museum, you actually pay just one admission to go to the Telfair Musuem, the Jepson Center for the Arts and the Owens-Thomas House, as long as you visit all within a one-week timeframe.

This house, designed by English architect William Jay, is considered by many to be the finest example of a Regency-house style architecture.  The house was originally built in 1816-1819 and was made mostly from local materials.  You can also step into the servant quarters, which has retained its original furnishings and "haint-blue" paint made by the original slave residents.

The tour is interesting and they can fill up, so be sure not to get there right before they close for the day.  Since it comes with admission to the 2 art museums of the city, it is a tour I'd recommend taking.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Isaiah Davenport House

This Federal-style house was completed in 1820.  By 1955, neighbors wanted to tear down the structure due to its significant deterioration.  However, a group of women, known as the "Magnificent Seven" raised $22,000 to buy and restore the property.  This was the first of many projects to restore historical homes in Savannah and helped lead the city to where it is today.

Today, you can tour the house for only $8 a person.  We took the tour and found it to be mildly interesting.  You'll learn about the history of the house and see some interesting architecture and furnishings inside.  However, there is no stand-out attraction to the house.  The most significant part of the house is the fact that this was the first historical house in Savannah to be restored and led to the restoration of various other houses.

If you have plenty of time in Savannah, and have an interest in the history of the city, it would be worth visiting.  However, if you only have a limited amount of time in the city, I'd recommend some of the many other attractions reviewed on this blog.