A Complete Guide to Savannah’s Historic District
Savannah's Historic District is the historic heart of the city and one of the most distinctive examples of planned urban design in the United States. Founded in 1733, Savannah was laid out around a repeating system of wards, streets, and public squares that still shapes the city visitors explore today.
For a first-time visitor, understanding that layout makes Savannah much easier to appreciate. The Historic District isn't simply a collection of historic buildings and beautiful streets. Its squares, churches, houses, parks, cemeteries, and public spaces are connected by a city plan that has developed over nearly three centuries.
If you're planning a visit, here's what to know about Savannah's Historic District, including its history, layout, major sights, walkability, and how to explore it.
Savannah's Historic District at a Glance
Founded: 1733
Original planner: James Edward Oglethorpe
Known for: Historic squares, architecture, churches, parks, cemeteries, museums, and historic homes
Historic squares remaining: 22
Major park: Forsyth Park
Best way to explore many areas: On foot
Historic periods you'll encounter: Colonial Savannah, the Revolutionary era, the antebellum period, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and later preservation efforts
Popular starting point for exploring: Chippewa Square
Southern end of the historic city plan: Forsyth Park
The Historic District is particularly well suited to walking because its streets and squares were deliberately organized into a compact urban pattern. Savannah's original plan remains one of the city's defining characteristics.
What Is Savannah's Historic District?
Savannah was founded on the Savannah River in 1733 as the first settlement of the new Georgia colony. James Edward Oglethorpe and the early colonists established a planned town rather than allowing the city to develop without an organizing structure.
The basic unit of the plan was the ward. Each ward was organized around a central public square, with streets, residential lots, and civic lots arranged around it.
That pattern was repeated as Savannah expanded.
The result is the unusual cityscape you see today: streets opening onto shaded squares, historic buildings facing public green spaces, and multiple neighborhoods connected by a consistent street pattern.
The original plan is still visible throughout the Historic District and is one of the most important reasons Savannah looks and feels different from many other American cities.
Why Does Savannah Have So Many Squares?
Savannah's squares were not originally designed simply as decorative parks.
They were an important part of the city's organization. Each square served as the center of a ward, with surrounding residential and civic lots arranged around it.
As Savannah expanded, additional wards and squares were added.
Today, 22 historic squares remain in the Historic District. The squares contain monuments, mature trees, gardens, and other features that reflect different periods of Savannah's history.
Each square has its own history, so walking from one to another is almost like moving between different chapters of Savannah's story.
If you're particularly interested in the squares and how they shaped the city, see our guide to Why Savannah Has 22 Historic Squares.
Important Places to See in Savannah's Historic District
There is far more to see in the Historic District than can reasonably fit into a single visit. These are some of the places that help explain Savannah's history and character.
Chippewa Square
Chippewa Square is one of Savannah's most recognizable squares and an excellent place to begin learning about the city's original plan.
It is also where our History of Savannah Walking Tour begins. From here, we introduce Savannah's founding and the city's distinctive system of squares and wards.
Wright Square
Wright Square is one of Savannah's oldest squares and has important connections to the city's colonial history.
It is particularly significant in the history of Tomochichi, the leader of the Yamacraw people who played an important role in the early relationship between the colonists and the Native American communities in the area. Tomochichi was buried at Wright Square in 1739.
Johnson Square
Johnson Square was Savannah's first square, laid out in 1733.
It was named for Robert Johnson, the colonial governor of South Carolina, and was an important location in Savannah's earliest years.
Colonial Park Cemetery
Colonial Park Cemetery provides a different perspective on Savannah's history. Established in the colonial period, the cemetery contains the graves of many people connected to Savannah's early history and includes evidence of the city's changing population and historical circumstances.
It is also an excellent example of how Savannah's history is visible not only in its buildings but in its public landscapes and burial grounds.
For a closer look, read Colonial Park Cemetery: A Must-See Stop in Savannah.
Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is one of Savannah's most prominent historic religious landmarks.
Its architecture also reflects the importance of Catholic and immigrant communities in Savannah's development.
Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters
Savannah's historic architecture cannot be understood without considering the people who built, maintained, and lived within these buildings.
The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters provides an opportunity to learn about wealth, domestic life, slavery, and the labor of enslaved people in antebellum Savannah.
Including this history is important because Savannah's preserved architecture represents both the beauty of the city and the unequal social system in which much of that architecture existed.
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
The birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, connects Savannah's history to the life of one of the city's best-known residents.
The house also illustrates the type of historic residential architecture found throughout the district.
Jones Street
Jones Street is known for its historic residential architecture and tree-lined appearance.
It is a good example of why exploring Savannah on foot can reveal details that are easy to miss when traveling through the city by vehicle.
Monterey Square
Monterey Square is surrounded by notable historic architecture and is closely associated with the history of Savannah's preservation movement and its historic residential neighborhoods.
It is also home to the Mercer-Williams House.
Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park is the largest and one of the most recognizable public green spaces in Savannah's Historic District.
The park provides a transition between the historic squares and the southern portion of the original planned city.
The Historic District Is More Than Its Buildings
One of the easiest mistakes for a first-time visitor is to think of Savannah's Historic District as a collection of individual landmarks.
The more interesting story is how those places fit together.
A historic house tells you something about architecture and the people who lived there.
A square tells you something about Savannah's city plan.
A cemetery tells you something about the people who lived and died here.
A church can reveal the history of a particular community.
A street can show how Savannah developed over generations.
Taken together, those places tell a much larger story about the city.
What Historical Periods Can You Explore?
Savannah's Historic District contains layers of history rather than representing only one period.
Colonial Savannah
The city was founded in 1733, and the original city plan remains visible today. Early Savannah's history includes the relationship between the colonists and Native American communities, the development of the Georgia colony, and the growth of the new town.
The Revolutionary Era
Savannah played an important role during the American Revolution. The city was captured by British forces in 1778 and remained under British control until 1782.
Historic squares, buildings, and monuments throughout the district provide connections to this period.
Antebellum Savannah
During the early and mid-19th century, Savannah grew as a commercial port. Wealthy residents built increasingly elaborate homes, while enslaved people provided much of the labor that supported the city's economy and households.
Many of Savannah's most impressive historic buildings date from this period.
The Civil War
Savannah was occupied by Union forces in December 1864 after General William T. Sherman’s March through Georgia. The city's historic buildings and public spaces preserve connections to this period of American history.
Preservation and the Modern Historic District
Savannah's historic character was not automatically preserved.
By the middle of the 20th century, many historic buildings were threatened by demolition and redevelopment. The Historic Savannah Foundation, established in 1955, played an important role in the local preservation movement.
In 1966, the area known as "Old Savannah" was designated a National Historic Landmark District, helping recognize and preserve the significance of Savannah's original plan and historic architecture.
That preservation history is an important part of understanding why Savannah's Historic District looks the way it does today.
Is Savannah's Historic District Walkable?
Yes. Walking is one of the most useful ways to experience the Historic District because many historic squares, buildings, churches, parks, and landmarks are concentrated within a relatively compact area.
Savannah's original plan also creates a distinctive rhythm: you can walk along a historic street, arrive at a shaded public square, explore the surrounding architecture, and continue to the next square.
The streets and squares were designed as an interconnected urban system, and the surviving plan makes the district particularly interesting to explore on foot.
That said, "walkable" doesn't mean you have to walk everywhere at once. Savannah can be hot and humid, and historic sidewalks can have uneven surfaces.
For more practical information, see Is Savannah Walkable?.
How Long Do You Need to Explore the Historic District?
There isn't one correct amount of time.
A few hours
A few hours gives you enough time to walk through several squares and see some of the major landmarks.
One day
With a full day, you can explore a substantial portion of the Historic District, visit a historic house or museum, stop for meals, and spend time in Forsyth Park or other public spaces.
Two or more days
With additional time, you can slow down and explore individual historic homes, museums, cemeteries, churches, restaurants, and less-visited streets without trying to fit everything into one itinerary.
For help planning the length of your trip, see How Many Days Do You Need in Savannah?.
Should You Take a Walking Tour?
You can certainly explore Savannah's Historic District on your own.
A map can show you where the squares and landmarks are, but it can't necessarily explain why those places matter or how they connect to the city's history.
A guided walking tour adds historical context while you are standing in the places you're learning about. It also gives you an opportunity to ask questions and hear stories that may not be apparent from simply reading a plaque or guidebook.
For visitors who enjoy history, architecture, and storytelling, a walking tour can be a useful way to get oriented before exploring more of Savannah independently.
About the History of Savannah Walking Tour
The History of Savannah Walking Tour is a small-group historical walking tour led by local guide Sarah.
The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and covers about 1.5 miles through Savannah's Historic District.
Tours meet in Chippewa Square and finish near Forsyth Park. The route moves at a relaxed pace, with frequent stops for storytelling, questions, and opportunities to take in Savannah's historic surroundings.
The focus is Savannah's documented history, including the city's founding, historic squares, architecture, and the people and events that shaped the city.
Sarah has more than 8 years of experience leading Savannah walking tours and focuses on making Savannah's history accessible, engaging, and easy to understand.
For more details about the experience, read What to Expect on a Historic Savannah Walking Tour.
Tips for Exploring Savannah's Historic District
If this is your first visit, a few simple things will make exploring the district more enjoyable:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. You'll encounter historic sidewalks and streets as well as paved areas.
Bring water. Savannah's weather can be hot and humid, particularly during warmer months.
Give yourself time. The district rewards slowing down rather than trying to see every landmark quickly.
Look beyond the major landmarks. Architectural details, carriage houses, ironwork, churches, monuments, and smaller squares are part of the experience.
Learn the basic city plan. Once you understand the relationship between wards and squares, Savannah becomes much easier to navigate.
Consider starting with a guided tour. A historical overview early in your visit can give you context for the places you explore later on your own.
For additional planning advice, see Savannah Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors.
Where Should You Start Exploring?
If you're visiting Savannah for the first time, the Historic District is a natural place to begin.
Starting around the central squares gives you an immediate introduction to Savannah's original city plan and puts many historic landmarks within walking distance.
Chippewa Square is one useful starting point, particularly if you'd like to begin with the story of Savannah's founding and understand how the city's squares fit together.
From there, you can explore at your own pace, visit historic houses and museums, walk through the squares, stop at restaurants and cafés, and make your way toward Forsyth Park and the southern part of the Historic District.
The important thing is not to treat Savannah's Historic District as a checklist of landmarks. The real experience comes from seeing how the squares, streets, buildings, and stories connect.
Explore Savannah's History With a Local Guide
If you'd like an introduction to Savannah's Historic District before exploring the city on your own, the History of Savannah Walking Tour offers a relaxed, small-group way to learn about the city's history while seeing its historic squares, architecture, and landmarks in person.
