Why Savannah’s 1733 City Plan Was Revolutionary

When Savannah was founded in 1733, it was not built randomly.

General James Oglethorpe introduced a city plan unlike any other in colonial America.

Rather than a single central square with roads branching outward, Savannah was built around repeating wards.

Each ward included:

• A central square

• Residential lots

• Public trust lots

This modular system allowed the city to grow without losing structure.

The design:

• Improved airflow

• Encouraged community interaction

• Made navigation intuitive

• Balanced civic and residential life

Even modern urban planners study the Oglethorpe Plan.

More than 290 years later, the system still works.