Three centuries of history from colonial settlement to modern renaissance
Savannah’s timeline begins with James Oglethorpe’s landing in 1733 and extends through colonial planning, Revolutionary conflict, cotton wealth, architectural ambition, preservation, literary fame, and modern tourism. Savannah as Georgia’s mother city, America’s first planned city, and a place that repeatedly reinvented itself without losing its historic frame.
That story is easiest to understand on foot. The river, the bluff, the squares, the churches, the cemeteries, and the preserved streets make the timeline visible, helping visitors attach dates to places.
1733–1760s: founding and the Oglethorpe Plan
James Oglethorpe established Savannah as Georgia’s first city on February 12, 1733, landing with 120 colonists aboard the Anne. The famous Oglethorpe Plan, with its ward system and public squares, remains one of the finest examples of colonial urban planning in America.
Early Savannah also carried religious and civic complexity. John Wesley arrived as Christ Church rector, George Whitefield established Bethesda Orphanage, and the early Georgia colony gradually shifted from restrictions toward a more diverse religious landscape. The city’s planned form and civic identity began together.
Revolution, cotton, and the port city
The Declaration of Independence was read publicly in Savannah at Reynolds Square. During the Revolutionary War, American and French forces attempted to retake the city from the British in the Siege of Savannah, where Casimir Pulaski was mortally wounded.
In 1793, Eli Whitney’s cotton gin transformed Savannah into one of the most important cotton ports in the world. Cotton wealth flowed through the port and helped produce many of the mansions, public buildings, and architectural landmarks that now define the historic district. The SS Savannah later became the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, completing a voyage to Liverpool.
Architecture, Civil War, and preservation
English architect William Jay arrived and designed several of Savannah’s most iconic buildings, helping shape the city’s architectural golden age. Monterey Square was later established to commemorate the Battle of Monterey during the Mexican-American War.
During the Civil War, Union General Sherman spared Savannah from destruction and presented the city to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. That decision, combined with later preservation efforts by the Historic Savannah Foundation, helped leave one of the largest intact historic districts in the United States. The Historic District now encompasses 2.5 square miles and contains one of the largest collections of architecturally significant buildings in North America.
Modern Savannah: preservation, SCAD, River Street, and Midnight
The twentieth century brought new layers: Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts in Savannah; the Historic Savannah Foundation saved numerous buildings from demolition; the Historic District received National Historic Landmark status; SCAD transformed the city into a major arts education center while revitalizing historic buildings; and River Street was remade from deteriorating warehouses into a shopping and entertainment district.
Publication of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil sparked a tourism renaissance. Savannah hosted yachting events for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, drew major film productions, and continued growing as a visitor destination. The modern city is old fabric shaped by preservation, literature, tourism, and new civic choices.