Timeline of Savannah, Georgia

The following is a of the history of Savannah, Georgia, United States.

18th century

• 1733
• Savannah founded in British Colony of Georgia by James Oglethorpe.
• Ellis, Johnson, Percival, and St. James Squares laid out per Oglethorpe Plan.
• First City Market established.
• 1734
• Reynolds Square laid out.
• Solomon's Lodge (Masonic lodge) founded.
• Pirates' House Inn established.
• 1735 – Congregation Mickve Israel formed.
• 1739
• Wormsloe Plantation established.
• October 5: Creek leader Tomochichi died. He is buried in Percival Square.
• 1740 – Bethesda Orphanage founded near town.
• 1742 – Oglethorpe Square laid out.
• 1750
• Colonial Park Cemetery established.
• Christ Church built.
• Savannah Female Asylum founded.
• 1754
• Savannah becomes capital of British Province of Georgia.
• 1755
• January 1: Georgia legislature convenes.
• Independent Presbyterian Church founded.
• 1762 – Bonaventure Plantation established.
• – The Christian Camphor Cottage was built. It is believed to be the city's oldest extant structure.
• 1765
• Levi Sheftall Family Cemetery established.
• Greenwich Plantation established.
• 1771 – Habersham House completed.
• 1773 – Mordecai Sheftall Cemetery established (possibly 1769).
• 1775
• January: Provincial Congress held.
• June: Committee of Safety organized at the liberty pole.
• 1776 (or before) – The Eppinger House was built. It is believed to be the oldest extant brick structure in the city.
• 1778
• December 29: Battle of Savannah; British in power.
• Georgia state capital relocated from Savannah to Augusta.
• 1779
• Town Hall built.
• Siege of Savannah.
• 1782
• British occupation ends.
• Georgia state capital relocated to Savannah from Augusta.
• 1786
• Georgia state capital relocated again from Savannah to Augusta.
• Chatham Artillery established.
• 1788
• Town becomes part of the U.S. state of Georgia.
• African Baptist Church and Chatham Academy established.
• 1789 – Savannah chartered as a city.
• 1790
• John Houstoun becomes mayor.
• Franklin Square and Washington Square laid out
• 1791 – Warren Square laid out.
• 1796 – November 26: Fire.
• 1799 – City Exchange constructed, replacing one that burned in 1796. Columbia Square and Greene Square laid out.

19th century

• 1800 – Population: 5,146.
• 1802 – Savannah Volunteer Guards established.
• 1804
• Seamen's Hospital opens.
• Bonaventure Plantation destroyed by fire.
• Lebanon Plantation established.
• 1809 – Savannah Society Library founded.
• 1810 – Population: 5,315.
• 1812 – Hibernian Society organized.
• 1813 – Oliver Sturges House built.
• 1815 – Orleans Square and Chippewa Square laid out.
• 1817 – Savannah Steamboat Company in business.
• 1818
• Telfair Academy built.
• The Savannah Theatre established.
• 1819
• May: Steamboat Savannah travels to Liverpool, England.
• May: U.S. President Monroe visits town.
• William Scarbrough House (residence) built.
• Owens–Thomas House (residence built).
• 1820
• January: Great Savannah Fire of 1820.
• Isaiah Davenport House built.
• 1821
• The city's first hotel, City Hotel, is completed.
• Second iteration of City Market built.
• 1824 – Savannah Fire Company formed.
• 1825 – March: Lafayette visits town.
• 1830
• Nathanael Greene Monument in Johnson Square completed.
• Population: 7,303.
• 1831 – Savannah–Ogeechee Canal constructed.
• 1833 – First Baptist Church built.
• 1834 – Oglethorpe Barracks built (approximate date).
• 1837
• Pulaski Square, Lafayette Square, Madison Square and Troup Square laid out.
• Central of Georgia Railroad begins operating.
• 1839 – Georgia Historical Society organized.
• 1840
• Sorrel–Weed House built.
• Population: 11,214.
• 1841 – Crawford Square laid out.
• 1842 – Convent of St. Vincent de Paul founded.
• 1844 – Savannah Institution for Savings instituted.
• 1846 – Bonaventure Cemetery established near town.
• 1847
• Chatham Square and Monterey Square laid out.
• Fort Pulaski built near town.
• 1848
• Customhouse built.
• Population: 13,573.
• 1850
• Daily Morning News begins publication.
• 1851
• Calhoun Square and Whitefield Square laid out.
• The Marshall House opens.
• 1853
• Forsyth Place (park) laid out.
• Catholic Diocese of Savannah and Laurel Grove Cemetery established.
• St. John's Church consecrated.
• Green–Meldrim House built.
• Georgia State Railroad Museum built.
• 1854
• Yellow fever outbreak.
• Central of Georgia Railway Company Shop Property built.
• Augusta and Savannah Railroad in operation (approximate date).
• 1855 – Young Men's Literary Association organized.
• 1858 – Old Harbor Light erected.
• 1859
• First African Baptist Church rebuilt.
• The Great Slave Auction at Ten Broeck Race Course, March 2 & 3.
• John G. Lawton riverboat explodes, June 9
• 1860 – Central of Georgia Depot and Trainshed built.
• 1861
• March 21: Cornerstone Speech by Alexander H. Stephens.
• Port blockaded by U.S. government.
• Green House (residence) built.
• 1864 – December 22: Savannah taken by Union forces.
• 1866 – City board of education incorporated.
• 1867 – Beach Institute established.
• 1868 – Mercer House (residence) built (approximate date).
• 1870 – McCarthy's Business College established.
• 1871 – Abend Zeitung newspaper begins publication.
• 1873 – First Bryan Baptist Church rebuilt.
• 1874 – Youth's Historical Society founded.
• 1875
• Civil War Memorial in Forsyth Park dedicated.
• Colored Tribune newspaper begins publication.
• Savannah Rifle Association established.
• 1876
• Cathedral of St. John the Baptist dedicated.
• Third iteration of City Market built.
• Another yellow fever outbreak (see also J. W. Schull)
• 1878 – Congregation Mickve Israel synagogue built.
• 1879 – City boundaries expanded.
• 1880
• Confederate memorial built in Forsyth Park.
• Population: 30,709.
• 1882 – Ford Dramatic Association incorporated.
• 1883
• City boundaries expanded.
• William Washington Gordon Monument in Wright Square completed.
• 1886 – Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences opens.
• 1887
• Savannah Cotton Exchange building built.
• Tybee-Savannah railway built.
• 1888 – William Jasper Monument in Madison Square dedicated.
• 1890 – Population: 43,189.
• 1891 – Georgia Industrial College established.
• 1893 – August: Sea Islands hurricane.
• 1898 - Fire at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
• 1899
• Kate Baldwin Free Kindergarten established.
• Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse built.
• 1900
• Population: 54,244.
• Great Dane Trailers founded as the Savannah Blowpipe Company

20th century

• 1901
• City boundaries expanded.
• Hill Hall at Savannah State College built.
• 1902
• Benedictine College founded.
• Savannah Union Station completed.
• 1904 – City Exchange demolished.
• 1906 – Savannah City Hall built.
• 1908 – Savannah, Augusta and Northern Railway in operation (approximate date).
• 1909 – December: Savannah axe murders
• 1910
• James Oglethorpe Monument in Chippewa Square dedicated.
• Population: 65,064.
• 1912 – Girl Guides of America founded.
• 1914 – East Henry Street Carnegie Library opens.
• 1919
• Armstrong House completed.
• April: Savannah Centennial Pageant performed.
• 1920 – Population: 83,252.
• 1921 – Lucas Theatre built
• 1925 – Savannah Economic Development Authority established.
• 1926 – Municipal Stadium built.
• 1929
• WTOC radio begins broadcasting.
• Savannah Municipal Airport begins operating.
• Savannah Technical College established.
• 1933 – Greenwich Cemetery established.
• 1935
• Armstrong Junior College founded.
• Union Bag and Paper opens mill.
• 1938 – Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal built.
• 1939 – WSAV radio begins broadcasting.
• 1940 – Coastal Transitional Center opened.
• 1942 – U.S. Army Chatham Field (airfield) active.
• 1950 – Little Theatre of Savannah founded.
• 1951 – Palm Drive-In movie theatre opens.
• 1953 – Talmadge Memorial Bridge built to Hutchinson Island.
• 1954
• Council–manager form of government adopted.
• WTOC-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
• City Market torn down; replaced by Ellis Square parking garage
• 1955 – Historic Savannah Foundation organized.
• 1956
• WSAV-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
• Juliette Gordon Low house museum opens.
• 1960
• Savannah Protest Movement commenced
• Travis Field airport terminal built.
• Population: 147,537.
• 1962 – Savannah station built.
• 1963 – Savannah Union Station demolished.
• 1967 – Grumman Aircraft Engineering Co. opens Savannah office.
• 1968
• The DeSoto Hotel opens.
• Abercorn Plaza shopping centre opens for business.
• 1969 – Oglethorpe Mall opens up for business.
• 1970
• John Rousakis becomes mayor.
• Population: 118,349.
• 1974 – Savannah Civic Center opens.
• 1976 – Abercorn Cinema opens.
• 1977 – City Records Committee established.
• 1978 – Savannah College of Art and Design founded.
• 1979 – September: Hurricane David makes landfall.
• 1980
• Hyatt Regency Savannah opens.
• 1981
• Coastal State Prison built.
• May 2: The shooting of Danny Hansford occurs at Mercer House, the basis of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
• 1986 – Chatham Area Transit established.
• 1988 – Savannah Music Festival founded.
• 1990
• Savannah Mall (the city's second shopping mall) in business.
• Talmadge Memorial Bridge rebuilt.
• 1991
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial built in Emmet Park.
• Lady & Sons restaurant in business.
• 1994
• Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport terminal built.
• Bestseller book about Savannah Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil published.
• 1998
• Savannah Arts Academy established.
• Floyd Adams becomes the first African American to become the Mayor of the City of Savannah.
• 1999
• Georgia Tech Savannah established.
• City website online (approximate date).

21st century

• 2000 – Lucas Theatre renovated.
• 2002
• African-American Monument on River Street dedicated.
• Islamic Center of Savannah established.
• 2004 – Otis Johnson becomes mayor.
• 2005
• Abercorn Walk shopping center in business.
• Savannah-Chatham Metro Police established.
• 2009 – The Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra is established.
• 2010 – Population: 136,286.
• 2012
• Edna Jackson becomes mayor.
• Savannah Law School established.
• 2016
• Eddie Deloach becomes mayor, first Republican since 1996.
• All of Savannah and Chatham county east of I95 was evacuated ahead of Hurricane Matthew.
• 2017 – All of Savannah and Chatham County east of I95 evacuated due to the impact of Hurricane Irma.
• 2018
• Savannah Law School closed.
• City and county police merger ends, separating the two agencies.
• Roy Minter sworn in as new police chief of Savannah Police Department.
• 2022 – Population: 147,780 (+11,494 since 2010)

See also

• History of Savannah, Georgia
• List of mayors of Savannah, Georgia
• of other cities in Georgia: Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon

References

Bibliography

Published in 18th–19th century

• 1881
• 1884
• 1896

Published in 20th century

1900s–1950s

1950s–1990s

• Alexander A. Lawrence, A Present for Mr. Lincoln: The Story of Savannah from Secession to Sherman (Macon, Ga.: Ardivan Press, 1961).
• Preston Russell and Barbara Hines, Savannah: A History of Her People since 1733 (Savannah, Ga.: Frederic C. Beil, 1992).
• Whittington B. Johnson, Black Savannah, 1788-1864 (Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1996).
• Derek Smith, Civil War Savannah (Savannah, Ga.: Frederic C. Beil, 1997).
• Patrick Allen, ed., Literary Savannah (Athens, Ga.: Hill Street Press, 1998).

Published in 21st century

• Mills B. Lane, Savannah Revisited: History and Architecture, 5th ed. (Savannah, Ga.: Beehive Press, 2001).
• Walter J. Fraser Jr., Savannah in the Old South (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2003).
• Jacqueline Jones, Saving Savannah: The City and the Civil War (New York: Knopf, 2008).

External links

• University of Texas, Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection. Maps of Savannah, various dates
• Items related to Savannah, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)