On February 12, 1733,[a]General James Oglethorpe and settlers from the shipAnne landed atYamacraw Bluff and were greeted byTomochichi, theYamacraws, and Indian traders John andMary Musgrove. Mary Musgrove often served as an interpreter. The city of Savannah and the colony of Georgia were founded on that date. In 1751, Savannah and the rest of Georgia became aRoyal Colony, with Savannah as its capital.[11]
By the outbreak of theAmerican Revolutionary War, Savannah had become the southernmost commercial port in theThirteen Colonies. British troopstook the city in 1778, and the following year, a combined force of American and French soldiers, including Haitians, failed to rout the British at theSiege of Savannah. The British did not leave the city until July 1782.[12] In December 1804 the state legislature declaredMilledgeville the new capital of Georgia.
Savannah, a prosperous seaport throughout the nineteenth century, was the Confederacy'ssixth most populous city and the prime objective of GeneralWilliam T. Sherman'sMarch to the Sea. On December 21, 1864, local authorities negotiated a peaceful surrender to save Savannah from destruction, and Union troops marched into the city at dawn.[13]
Savannah was named after the Savannah River, which probably derives from variant names for theShawnee, a Native American people who migrated to the river in the 1680s. The Shawnee destroyed another Native people, theWesto, and occupied their lands at the head of the Savannah River's navigation on thefall line, near present-dayAugusta.[14] These Shawnee, whose Native name wasŠa·wano·ki (literally, "southerners"),[15] were known by several local variants, including Shawano, Savano, Savana and Savannah.[16] Another theory is that the name Savannah refers to the extensive marshlands surrounding the river for miles inland, and is derived from the English term "savanna", a kind of tropical grassland, which was borrowed by the English from Spanishsabana and used in theSouthern Colonies. (The Spanish word comes from theTaino wordzabana.)[17] Still other theories suggest that the name Savannah originates fromAlgonquian terms meaning not only "southerners" but perhaps also "salt".[18][19]
Savannah lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) upriver from the Atlantic Ocean.[20] According to theUnited States Census Bureau (2011), the city has a total area of 108.7 square miles (281.5 km2), of which 103.1 square miles (267.0 km2) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km2) is water (5.15%). Savannah is the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in Georgia. It is also near theU.S. Intracoastal Waterway. Georgia'sOgeechee River flows toward the Atlantic Ocean some 16 miles (26 km) south of downtown Savannah and forms the southern city limit.
Savannah is prone to flooding due to abundant rainfall, an elevation just above sea level, and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater surge risk during hurricanes. The city currently uses five canals. In addition, several pumping stations have been built to help reduce the effects of flash flooding.[21]
Savannah's climate is classified ashumid subtropical (KöppenCfa). Throughout the Deep South, this is characterized by long and almost tropical summers and short, mild winters. Savannah records only a few days of freezing temperatures each year, and snowfall is rare. Due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast, Savannah rarely experiences temperatures as extreme as those in Georgia's interior. Nevertheless, the extreme temperatures have officially ranged from 105 °F (41 °C), on July 20, 1986, and July 12, 1879, down to 3 °F (−16 °C) during theJanuary 1985 Arctic outbreak.[22][23]
Seasonally, Savannah tends to have hot and humid summers with frequent (but brief) thunderstorms that develop in the warm and tropical air masses, which are common. Although summers in Savannah are frequently sunny, half of Savannah's annual precipitation falls from June through September. Average dewpoints in summer range from 67.8 to 71.6 °F (20 to 22 °C). Winters in Savannah are mild and sunny with average daily high temperatures of 61.4 °F (16 °C) in January. November and December are the driest months recorded at Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport. Each year, Savannah reports 21 days on average with low temperatures below freezing, though in some years, fewer than 10 nights will fall below freezing, and the city has even gone an entire winter season (1879–80) without recording a freeze.[24] Although decades might pass between snowfall events, Savannah has experienced snow on rare occasions, most notablyin December 1989, when up to 3.9 inches (9.9 cm) was recorded in one day in parts of the city.[22][25]
Savannah is at risk forhurricanes, particularly of theCape Verde type of storms that take place during the peak of the season. Because of its location in theGeorgia Bight (the arc of the Atlantic coastline in Georgia and northern Florida) as well as the tendency for hurricanes to re-curve up the coast, Savannah has a lower risk of hurricanes than some other coastal cities such asCharleston, South Carolina. Savannah was seldom affected by hurricanes during the 20th century.Hurricane David, in August 1979, is a notable exception.[26] However, the historical record shows that the city was frequently affected during the second half of the 19th century. The most prominent of these storms was the1893 Sea Islands hurricane, which killed at least 2,000 people. (This estimate may be low, as deaths among the many impoverished ruralAfrican Americans living on Georgia's barrier islands may not have been reported.)
Source:NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[22][33][34]
The first meteorological observations in Savannah probably occurred atOglethorpe Barracks circa 1827, continuing intermittently until 1850 and resuming in 1866. The Signal Service began observations in 1874, and theNational Weather Service has kept records of most data continually since then; since 1948,Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport has served as Savannah's official meteorological station. Annual records (dating back to 1950) from the airport's weather station are available on the web.[35]
Savannah is a city of diverse neighborhoods. More than 100 distinct neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of the city: Downtown (Landmark Historic District and Victorian District), Midtown, Southside, Eastside, Westside, and Southwest/West Chatham (recently annexed suburban neighborhoods).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Savannah's official 2020 population was 147,780, up from the official 2010 count of 136,286 residents.[52] The U.S. Census Bureau's official 2020 population of theSavannah metropolitan area—defined asBryan, Chatham, andEffingham counties—was 404,798, up 16.45% from the 2010 census population of 347,611.[53] Savannah is also the largest principal city of the Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area. This larger trading area includes the Savannah andHinesville metropolitan statistical areas as well as theStatesboro andJesup micropolitan statistical areas. The official 2020 population of this area was 608,239, up from 525,844 at the 2010 census.[54]
In 2010, there were 51,375 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% weremarried couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. Among them, 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. As of 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $29,038, and the median income for a family was $36,410. Males had a median income of $28,545 versus $22,309 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $16,921. About 17.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. By the 2022American Community Survey, the median household income was $53,258 with a per capita income of $31,006.[55]
Racial distribution map of Savannah and Chatham County (source: 2010 U.S. census). Each dot represents 25 residents:White,Black,Asian,Hispanic orother (yellow).
Savannah, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 55.04%Black, 38.03%White, 2.00%Asian, 0.03%Native American, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.93% fromother races, and 2.01% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 4.07% of the population.Non-Hispanic whites were 32.6% of the population in 2010,[57] compared to 46.2% in 1990.[58] In 2020, its makeup was 48.62% Black or African American, 36.60%non-Hispanic white, 0.21% Native American, 3.80 Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.47% some other race, 3.53% multiracial, and 6.62% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[50]
Map showing precincts of Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department
The total number of violent crimes in the Savannah-Chatham County reporting area ran just above 1,000 per year from 2003 through 2006. In 2007, however, the total number of violent crimes jumped to 1,163. Savannah-Chatham has recorded between 20 and 25 homicides each year since 2005.
In 2007, Savannah-Chatham recorded a sharp increase in home burglaries but a sharp decrease in thefts from parked automobiles. During the same year, statistics show a 29 percent increase in arrests for Part 1 crimes.[59] An additional increase in burglaries occurred in 2008 with 2,429 residential burglaries reported to Savannah-Chatham police that year. That reflects an increase of 668 incidents from 2007. In 2007, there were 1,761 burglaries, according to metro police data.[60] Savannah-Chatham police report that crimes reported in 2009 came in down 6 percent from 2008.
In 2009, 11,782 crimes were reported to metro police — 753 fewer than in 2008. Within 2009, there was a 12.2 percent decrease in violent crimes compared with 2008. Property crimes saw a 5.3 percent decline, which included a 5.2 percent reduction in residential burglary. In 2008, residential burglary was up by almost 40 percent. While some violent crimes increased in 2009, crimes like street robbery went down significantly. In 2009, 30 homicides were reported, four more than the year before. Also, 46 rapes were reported, nine more than the year before. In the meantime, street robbery decreased by 23 percent. In 2008, metro police achieved a 90 percent clearance rate for homicide cases, described as exceptional by violent crime unit supervisors. In 2009, the department had a clearance rate of 53 percent, which police attributed to outstanding warrants and grand jury presentations.[61]
The SCMPD provides the public with up-to-date crime report information through an online mapping service.[62] The year of 2015 saw a dramatic increase in the number of violent crimes, including at least 54 deaths due to gun violence, a number not seen since the early 1990s.[63] The first quarter of 2018 saw crime trending downward, compared to 2017.[64]
Among Savannah's non-Christian population, which forms a minority,Hinduism was the city's second-largest religion.Judaism was Savannah's third-largest, with a history dating back to 1733.[69]Orthodox Judaism,Reform Judaism, andConservative Judaism were the predominant Jewish traditions adhered to.Islam was the area's fourth-largest religion, followed by theBaha'i.[68]
Agriculture was essential to Savannah's economy during its first two centuries.Silk andindigo production, both in demand in England, were early export commodities. By 1767, almost a ton of silk per year was exported to England.[70] Georgia's mildclimate offered perfect conditions for growingcotton, which became the dominant commodity after theAmerican Revolution. Its production under theplantation system and shipment through thePort of Savannah helped the city's European immigrants achieve wealth and prosperity.[71]
By the nineteenth century, the Port of Savannah had become one of the most active in the United States. In the United States' early years, goods produced in theNew World had to pass through Atlantic ports such as Savannah's before they could be shipped to England.[71] ThePort of Savannah grew to become North America's fourth-largest port for shipping container traffic. In 2023, the port handled 4.9 milliontwenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU).[72]
For years, Savannah was the home ofUnion Camp, which housed the world's largest paper mill. The plant is now owned byInternational Paper and remains one of Savannah's largest employers. Savannah is also home to theGulfstream Aerospace Corporation, maker of private jets, and various other significant industrial interests.TitleMax is headquartered in Savannah.Morris Multimedia, a newspaper and television company based in Savannah.
In 2000,JCB, the third-largest producer of construction equipment in the world and the leading manufacturer of backhoes and telescopic handlers, built its North American headquarters near Savannah inPooler on I-95 nearSavannah/Hilton Head International Airport. By 2023, Naturals2Go relocated to Savannah,[75] andAmazon has operated throughout Savannah and its metropolitan area since 2021.[76][77][78]
Beyond its architectural significance as the nation's largest, historically restored urban area, Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene and offers cultural events throughout the year.
TheSavannah Book Festival – an annual book fair held on Presidents' Day weekend in the vicinity of historicTelfair andWright squares, includes free presentations by more than 35 contemporary authors. Special events with featured writers are offered nominally throughout the year.[81]
Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home[82] – a museum house dedicated to the work and life of the acclaimed fiction writerFlannery O'Connor, who was born in Savannah and lived in the city until the age of fifteen.[83] In addition to its museum, the house offers literary programming, including the annual Ursrey Lecture honoring American fiction writers.[84]
Several ofCaitlín R. Kiernan's works are set in Savannah, includingIn the Garden of Poisonous Flowers (novella, 2002) and "Houndwife" (short story, 2010).
The Coastal Jazz Association – presents a variety of jazz performances throughout the year in addition to hosting the annual Savannah Jazz Festival.[90]
Savannah Children's Choir – non-profit, auditioned choir for children in 2nd through 8th grades that performs throughout the community and in annual holiday and spring concerts.[91]
Savannah Concert Association – presents a variety of guest artists for chamber music performances each season. Performances are generally held in theLucas Theatre for the Arts.[92]
Savannah Music Festival – an annual music festival of diverse artists which is Georgia's largest musical arts festival and is nationally recognized as one of the best music festivals in the world.[citation needed]
The Savannah Orchestra – Savannah's professional orchestra presents an annual season of classical and popular concert performances.[93]
The Savannah Philharmonic – a professional orchestral and choral organization that presents year-round concerts (classical, pops, education).[94]
The Savannah Winds – amateur concert band hosted by the music department of Georgia Southern University.[95]
The Armstrong Youth Orchestra – Savannah's professional orchestra for elementary, middle school, high school, and some college students.[96]
Annual Haitian Flag Day – an annual festival of diverse artists, music, and various festivities.
The American Traditions Vocal Competition – an annual vocal competition that desires to foster and preserve traditions of musical expression significant in the culture of the United States in the past and present. The Competition includes theJohnny Mercer Award.[97]
Savannah Children's Theatre – a nonprofit, year-round drama theater company geared toward offering elementary through high school students (and adults) opportunities for participation in dramatic and musical productions.[98]
Savannah Community Theatre – a full theater season with a diverse programming schedule featuring some of Savannah's finest actors in an intimate, three-quarter-round space.[99]
Little Theatre of Savannah – founded in 1950, The Little Theatre of Savannah, Inc., is a nonprofit, volunteer-based community organization dedicated to celebrating the theater arts. Recognizing the unique social value, expressive fulfillment, and opportunity for personal growth that theater provides its participants, the Little Theatre of Savannah invites all members of the community to participate both on- and off-stage.[100]
The Savannah Theatre – Savannah's only fully professional resident theater, producing music revues with live singers, dancers, and the most rockin' band in town. Performances happen year-round, with several different titles and a holiday show.[101]
The Savannah Repertory Theatre – part of the cultural fabric of Savannah since 2016 and the city's only nonprofit professional theater.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts – founded in December 1921, the Lucas Theatre is one of several theaters owned by theSavannah College of Art and Design. It hosts the annual Savannah Film Festival.
Trustees Theater – once known as the Weis Theater, which opened on February 14, 1946, this theater reopened as the Trustees Theater on May 9, 1998, and hosts a variety of performances and concerts sponsored by the Savannah College of Art and Design. SCAD also owns the building.
Odd Lot Improv – founded in 2010, a family-friendly improv comedy troupe performing weekly shows on Mondays and Fridays.[102]
House of Gunt – alternative drag collective founded in 2013 with monthly shows at Club One on top of other performances around the city throughout the year.[103]
Art Rise Savannah, Inc. – a local community nonprofit devoted to increasing access to the arts and improving opportunities for artists in the city.[104]
Savannah's architecture, history, and reputation forSouthern charm and hospitality are internationally known. The city's former promotional name was the "Hostess City of the South", which the city government still uses.[105][106] An earlier nickname was "the Forest City", in reference to the large population oflive oak trees that flourish in the Savannah area. These trees were especially valuable in shipbuilding during the 19th century.[107] In 2019, Savannah attracted 14.8 million tourists from across the country and around the world.[108] Savannah's downtown area is one of the largestNational Historic Landmark districts in the United States.[11]
The city's location offers visitors access to the coastal islands and the Savannah Riverfront, both popular tourist destinations.Tybee Island (officially named Savannah Beach from 1929 until 1978)[109][110][111] is a beach community and the site of the historicTybee Island Light Station, the firstlighthouse on the southernAtlantic coast. Other picturesque towns adjacent to Savannah include the shrimping village ofThunderbolt and three residential areas that began as summer resort communities for Savannahians:Beaulieu, Vernonburg, and theIsle of Hope.
TheGeorgia Historical Society is an independent educational and research institution with a research center in Savannah. The center's library and archives hold the oldest materials related to Georgia's history.
TheSavannah Civic Center on Montgomery Street hosts more than nine hundred events annually.
Savannah has consistently been named one of "America's Favorite Cities" byTravel + Leisure. In 2012, the magazine rated Savannah highest in "Quality of Life and Visitor Experience".[113] Savannah was also ranked first for "Public Parks and Outdoor Access", visiting in the Fall, and as a romantic escape.[114] Savannah was also named as America's second-best city for "Cool Buildings and Architecture", behind onlyChicago.[115]
The mile-longJones Street, in Savannah's Historic District, has been described as one of the most charming streets in the United States.[116][117]
Savannah is noted for its 22 squares and small parks along five historic streets running north to south. Each street has between three and five squares. The squares vary in size and character, from the formal fountain and monuments of the largest,Johnson, to the playgrounds of the smallest,Crawford. Elbert,Ellis, and Liberty Squares are classified as the three "lost squares" destroyed in the course of urban development during the 1950s. Elbert and Liberty Squares were paved over to make way for a realignment of U.S. Route 17, while Ellis Square was demolished to build theCity Market parking garage. The city restored Ellis Square after razing the parking garage. The garage was rebuilt as an underground facility, the Whitaker Street Parking Garage, and opened in January 2009. The restored Ellis Square opened in March 2010.[118][119][120] Separate efforts are now underway to revive Elbert and Liberty Squares.
Franklin Square is the site of Savannah's Haitian Monument, which commemorates the heroic efforts of theChasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue in the 1779 Siege of Savannah and for an independent America. One of the few black regiments to fight for the American side in the Revolutionary War, the soldiers were recruited from present-dayHaiti, which was the French colony ofSaint-Domingue until its independence in 1804. Chippewa Square honors theBattle of Chippawa during theWar of 1812. It features a largestatue of James Oglethorpe, the city's founder. In popular culture, the square is the location of the park bench seen in the 1994 filmForrest Gump from which the title character dispenses wisdom to others waiting for a bus.[121]
Because both Calhoun Square (the official name until 2022)[122] andWhitefield Square were named for prominent slaveholders, a movement was begun in 2021 to rename them Sankofa Square and Jubilee Square, respectively.[123] Calhoun Square was renamedTaylor Square in 2024.[124]
Colonial Park Cemetery was the city's principal burial ground for much of the eighteenth century when Georgia was a British colony.Laurel Grove Cemetery, with the graves of many Confederate soldiers and enslaved African Americans, was Savannah's chief municipal cemetery during the nineteenth century.Bonaventure Cemetery is aformer plantation and the final resting place for some illustrious Savannahians. Also located in Savannah are theMordecai Sheftall Cemetery and theLevi Sheftall Family Cemetery, which both date back to the second half of the eighteenth century.
Fort Jackson (named for the Georgia politicianJames Jackson, notAndrew Jackson) lies on the Savannah River, one mile east of Savannah's Historic District. Built between 1808 and 1812 to protect the city from attack by sea, it was one of severalConfederate forts defending Savannah from Union forces during theCivil War.Fort Pulaski National Monument, located on Cockspur Island, 17 miles (27 km) east of Savannah, preserves the largest fort protecting the city during the war. TheUnion Army bombardedFort Pulaski in April 1862 with the aid of a newrifledcannon. Confederate troops soon surrendered, and the cannon rendered all brick fortifications obsolete.
Factors Walk andRiver Street's pedestrian promenade, restored nineteenth-century cotton warehouses, and passageways include shops, bars, and restaurants.
City Market – Savannah's restored central market and popular nightlife destination features antiques, souvenirs, small eateries, and two large outdoor plazas.[127]
American Prohibition Museum – Located in Savannah's City Market, this unique museum displays the history ofprohibition in America from 1907 to 1933. It also traces the roots ofNASCAR, which developed from the era'sbootlegging operations.
Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens – a developing botanical garden located at Bamboo Farm, a former USDA plant-introduction station south of Savannah that began operations in 1919.
Oatland Island Wildlife Center – located east of Savannah, a facility owned and operated by the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education featuring wildlife from surrounding coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
Ossabaw Island – an environmentally protected and commercially undeveloped barrier island south of Savannah.
Pinkie Masters Bar – a popular Savannah watering hole and the site of presidential visits and political campaigns. Pinkie Masters was a local political figure and a friend of PresidentJimmy Carter, who visited the bar and the city several times.
Pirates' House – historic restaurant and tavern located in downtown Savannah.
With its distinctive dome in tissue-paper-thin, 23-karat gold leaf, Savannah'sCity Hall (1906), which stands on Bay Street at the head ofBull Street, is the first building constructed for exclusive use by the municipal government.Map of Savannah's aldermanic districts
Savannah adopted acouncil-manager form of government in 1954. The city council consists of the mayor and eight aldermen, six of whom are elected from one of six aldermanic districts, each electing one member. The other two members and the mayor are elected at-large.
The council levies taxes, enacts ordinances, adopts the annual budget, and appoints the city manager.[133] The city manager enacts the policies and programs established by council, recommends an annual budget and work programs, appoints bureau and department heads, and exercises general supervision and control over all employees of the city.[133]
Mercer University began a four-yeardoctor of medicine program in August 2008 at Memorial University Medical Center. Mercer, with its main campus inMacon, received additional state funding in 2007 to expand its existing partnership with Memorial by establishing a four-year medical school in Savannah (the first in southern Georgia). Third- and fourth-year Mercer students have completed two-year clinical rotations at Memorial since 1996; approximately 100 residents are trained yearly in several medical practices. The expanded program opened in August 2008 with 30 first-year students.
Savannah Law School, which opened in 2012 in the historic Candler building on Forsyth Park, ceased operations in 2018.[138]
Savannah is also home to most of the schools in the Chatham County school district, theSavannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Notable secondary schools in Savannah-Chatham County include the following:
The Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah[e] is also a part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. An environmental education center, it serves thousands of students throughout the Southeastern United States. Located east of Savannah on a marsh island, it features a 2-mile (3.2 km) Native Animal Nature Trail that winds through maritime forests, salt marsh, and freshwater wetlands. Along the trail, visitors can observe native animals such as Florida panthers, Eastern timber wolves, and alligators in their natural habitat.
The Georgia Gazette was the Georgia colony's first newspaper published in Savannah beginning April 7, 1763.[139] Today theSavannah Morning News is Savannah's only remaining daily newspaper. It first appeared on January 15, 1850, as theDaily Morning News. TheSavannah Tribune and theSavannah Herald are weekly newspapers focusing on the city's African-American community.Connect Savannah was a free weekly newspaper focused on local news, culture, and music. It ceased publication in 2024.[140]The Coastal Buzz is the metro area's only media company dedicated to "positive news". It is owned and operated by Positive Life Media.
Amtrak operates apassenger terminal at Savannah for itsPalmetto andSilver Service trains, which run between New York City andMiami. Two southbound and three northbound trains make daily stops at the Savannah terminal.
Public transit throughout the region is assured byChatham Area Transit (CAT). There are 17 fixed routes, plus the CAT's dot (downtowntransportation)[141] system, which provides fare-free bus service on the Forsyth Loop and Downtown Loop, as well as free passage between River Street and Hutchinson Island via the Savannah Belles Ferry.[142] TheGeorgia Queen andSavannah River Queenpaddle steamers are also berthed on River Street.[143]
Interstate 95 — Runs north–south just west of the city; provides access to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and intersects with Interstate 16, which leads into the city's center.
Interstate 16 — Terminates in downtown Savannah at Liberty and Montgomery streets and intersects with Interstate 95 and Interstate 516.
Interstate 516 — An urban perimeter highway connecting southside Savannah, at DeRenne Avenue, with the industrialized port area of the city to the north; intersects with the Veterans Parkway and Interstate 16 as well. Also known as Lynes Parkway.
U.S. Route 80 (Victory Drive) — Runs east–west through midtown Savannah and connects the city with the town ofThunderbolt and the islands ofWhitemarsh,Talahi,Wilmington andTybee. It merges with the Islands Expressway and is the only means of reaching theAtlantic Ocean by automobile.
Harry S. Truman Parkway — Runs through eastside Savannah, connecting the east end of downtown with southside neighborhoods. Construction began in 1990 and opened in phases (the last phase, connecting with Abercorn Street, was completed in 2014).
Veterans Parkway — Links Interstate 516 and southside/midtown Savannah with southside Savannah and is intended to move traffic quicker from north–south by avoiding high-volume Abercorn Street. Also known as the Southwest Bypass.
Islands Expressway — An extension of President Street to facilitate traffic moving between downtown Savannah, the barrier islands, and the beaches of Tybee Island.
In 2003, Savannah and Chatham County voted to merge their city and countypolice departments. TheSavannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department was established on January 1, 2005, after the Savannah Police Department and Chatham County Police Department merged.
In February 2018, the city and county governments ended the police department merger. This reestablished both the Savannah Police Department and the Chatham County Police Department, and they now operate as two separate agencies.[146] The departments have several specialty units, including K-9, SWAT, Bomb Squad, Marine Patrol, Dive, Air Support and Mounted Patrol. The 9-1-1 Communications Dispatch Center handles all 9-1-1 calls for service within the county and city, including fire and EMS. TheSavannah Fire Department serves the City of Savannah, and there are separate municipal firefighting organizations elsewhere in Chatham County.
^O.S. February 1, 1732, according to the Julian calendar used in the British colonies until September 2, 1752. With the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, eleven days in the date were omitted, and the modern New Year (January 1) replaced the Julian contemporary New Year (March 25), previously observed in England and Wales.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Savannah were kept at downtown from January 1871 to April 1945,Hunter Field from May 1945 to September 1950, and at Savannah/Hilton Head Int'l since October 1950. For more information, seeThreadEx.
^The book and film have been credited with dramatically increasing tourism in Savannah in recent decades.
^The Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah was known as the Oatland Island Education Center until 2007.
^abcd"Savannah".New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press. September 11, 2006.Archived from the original on September 8, 2007. RetrievedJanuary 1, 2008.
^"Savannah", inThe Concise Columbia Encyclopedia (Columbia University Press, 1994), p. 779.
^Sarkissian, Arek."2010-01-22".Savannahnow.com. Savannah Morning News and Evening Press.Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. RetrievedMay 24, 2010.
^Malcolm Bell, Jr., "Ease and Elegance, Madeira and Murder: The Social Life of Savannah's City Hotel,"The Georgia Historical Quarterly, vol. 76, no. 3 (Fall 1992), p. 552.
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