This historic marker sits in front of this gray building that would be easy to overlook. The marker…read moreis on two sides. The front reads, "This one-room frame school, built ca. 1937, was the first separate school building constructed for African-American students on Hilton Head Island. It replaced an earlier Cherry Hill School, which had held its classes in the parsonage of St. James Baptist Church. After the black community on the island raised funds to buy this tract, Beaufort County agreed to build this school." On the reverse, "This was an elementary school with one teacher, with an average of about 30 students. It had grades 1-5 when it opened in 1937, adding grade 6 the next school year. The black community helped pay for maintenance of the school and also supplemented teacher salaries. Cherry Hill School was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2012." The building is not open to the public but it's still worth a stop to check out and remember what things must have been like for black students before equality came around in the South. [Review 14527 overall, 24 of 2021, number 755 in South Carolina.]

A nice square with a monument honoring Haitians who joined in the defense of Savannah. Adjacent to…read morean historic church with daily tours.

We came upon Franklin Square after checking out Savannah's adjacent historic City Market:…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/city-market-savannah This is one of Savannah's 22 squares. It's named after Benjamin Franklin, who - I learned after visiting this square - was appointed by the Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts colonies to be their agent to the Crown circa 1765. What makes this square special is the Haitian Monument featured in the center. It honors more than 500 Haitian soldiers who fought alongside American colonial troops in the Second Battle of Savannah. That was in 1779, during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). At that time, that part of Haiti, where the soldiers came from, was known as the French colony of Saint-Domingue. The monument in this square depicts six soldiers. The drummer is Henri Christophe (1767-1820). Christophe was a leader in the Haitian Revolution, where Haiti gained independence from France (1804). He was later proclaimed Henry I, King of Haiti. Of Savannah's squares, Franklin Square is the northernmost square. It's four blocks south of River Street and is part of the row that's closest to the Savannah River. Unlike several of the squares farther south, Franklin Square is located in a more touristy, commercial part of town. Along with the aforementioned City Market, there are restaurants, bars, hotels, stores, and attractions (e.g., museums) nearby. Also unlike a lot of the other squares, this one is mostly brick with barely any grass, relatively speaking. Like the other squares, it has plenty of park-bench seating, picturesque trees, and classic-looking lampposts. During our late-afternoon Friday visit, the square was active with people coming, going, and resting. It was clean and felt safe. It was loud compared to the other squares because of music and noise from surrounding businesses, horses, trolleys, and cars. Franklin Square was the eighth square to be built overall, in 1790. For reference, the original four squares were laid out in 1733. The square was destroyed in 1935 due to routing for the federal Coastal Highway (US 17). It was restored in 1985.

We always enjoy this landmark representation of the area where we come and hang for fun each year…read more It's one of the things we look forward to taking photos and looking at the images and ways we've all changed through the years! This is a great area to hang, relax, eat and shop and from which to take trips to the water and enjoy the memory making together as a family!

Great public art attraction. Stop and park and then take photos…read more Really nicely decorated for Christmas. Highly recommend.

This is one of those places that instantly pulls you in and makes you feel like you are part of the…read morehistory. Walking along the cobblestone street with the river right beside you is such a cool experience. You get amazing views of the water, big ships passing by, and that classic Savannah charm everywhere you look. There is always something going on here. Street performers, little shops, and great places to grab food or a drink all along the way. It is easy to spend a few hours just wandering in and out of spots and taking it all in. The mix of old brick buildings and lively atmosphere makes it feel unique compared to a lot of other places. The vibe really stands out. It is busy but in a fun way, not overwhelming. You see families, couples, and groups all enjoying the area, and it just has that welcoming energy. Whether you are there during the day or at night, it feels like there is always something to see. Overall this is a must visit if you are in Savannah. Great views, great atmosphere, and a lot to explore packed into one area. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

This is such a beautiful walk. The buildings are amazing and the view of the river is excellent. My…read morelittle cousin was so excited to watch a barge come through! And the bridge looks terrifying from the ground. There are so many shops and restaurants that you could walk down this street every day for a week and always find something new. Is it catered towards tourists? Yes, but I really think that you'll enjoy it.

Warren A. Candler Historical Hospital My video of it here…read morehttp://www.youtube.com/user/MuseumOfDreams#p/a/u/0/AFx64L5N4ho Currently this property is for sale and pending a real estate company to rehab it so for you photographers you had better head to Savannah Georgia while you can!!! I was at the Pirate House when the waitress told me about this place and if I wasn't waiting for lunch I would have bolted camera in tow! It is not only a historical where Sherman's Army camped out but it this huge oak tree that is a historical marker in itself ( see photos I have included.) Oh and the creep factor was ala The Shinning! I went back at night to take a video..I later found out you can take the local Ghost tour and go down into the morgue. Yeah I am actually glad I skipped that too creepy for me kids. But my video and pictures turned out kinda creepy and cool. I am making a mac do it yourself book of them for friends because they enjoyed them. Ghosts usually always show up in my photographs. But nothing did here yet this place felt incredibly weird and not when I was there at night but during the day..the whole building feels magnetic too like you are begin pulled to it..very strange. I promised to make it out to my second lighthouse adventure and instead spent a bunch of time back here and in Forsythe Park of course I am mad and now I have to go back! Prolly will end up going to this place again..wonder how scary that morgue tour really is afterall? Being a sensitive person runs in my family so I cannot predict what you will feel or see going here but this is such a visual treat it is a really great building for architectural buffs and people who just like to look at abandoned buildings. I cannot understand how the older part of the hospital is in such good condition consider the major amount of usage it has undergone. More info : http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=5781

I was lead to this spot by a website claiming the location is haunted…read more What I found was a newly remodeled, large building that seems to be housing students. The large parking lot was full of cars. There is a historical marker just up the driveway, to the side of the building that gives a bit of history on the building and looks like at one time it had been vandalized with graffiti, which has since been removed so you can again read the sign. Nice historic building that has been renovated keeping historic architectural elements.

Located at plot E-98, little Gracie Watson may be the most popular grave at Bonaventure Cemetery…read more Gracie was born in 1883 in Savannah, GA to W.J. and Frances Watson who were from Boston. Gracie's father was the manager of the opulent Pulaski Hotel in downtown Savannah. A beloved only child, she delighted all of the hotel guests who visited until she sadly passed away at the age of six from pneumonia on April 22, 1889, two days before Easter. Gracie initially had a headstone but in 1890 her heart broken father commissioned a sculpture of her likeness using her photograph, from artist John Walz. The marble statue is incredibly detailed and is one of the only headstones in Georgia to be carved in the persons likeness. Through the years local children have left gifts for Gracie at her grave. After the nose of the statue was damaged, the historical society installed a fence around the grave to protect it from further deterioration. Gracie's parents ended up moving back to New England where they are buried. Now Gracie is kept company by the many visitors to Bonaventure cemetery. It is said that her ghost haunts Johnson Square where the Pulaski Hotel used to stand in Savannah.

Since Bird Girl was moved into a museum years ago, the most popular statue/grave to find is that of…read moreGracie Watson. The entire area around here is beautiful. Look up her story and enjoy the browse around this ethereal cemetery while in Savannah.

I've been coming to Hilton Head Island for over a decade and learned two things this visit that I…read moredid not know: 1) The Hilton Head Rear Range Light EXISTS when I previously had no clue of its existence AND is the island's only true lighthouse. 2) The lighthouse in Harbour Town, on the southern end of Hilton Head Island is actually a faux lighthouse! I believe someone said it was outfitted for a movie. The Hilton Head Island Rear Range Lighthouse was built in 1879, activated in 1880 and is also known as the Leamington Lighthouse. It is the only historic lighthouse on Hilton Head Island. It stands 92-feet tall and shares its space with one of the oldest living LIVE OAK TREES on Hilton Head Island. It was constructed along with a second "front" lighthouse to guide vessels into Port Royal Sound. The lighthouse website says its light was once visible from 15 miles away. It was deactivated in 1932, but served as a lookout tower for enemy ships during World War II. It was restored in 1985 and renovated again in September of 2019. REAR RANGE LIGHTHOUSE FACTS FROM WEBSITE: * Originally, a lighthouse was proposed as far back as 1854, but the price of the land was too high. * Two lighthouses were eventually built on Hilton Head Island in 1863. The rear light was blown down in 1869. ​* Current lighthouse was built as part of a pair in 1879 for $40,000. * Lighthouse Board decided to delay activation of the lights until August 1, 1881, when the range lights on nearby Parris Island would be complete. ​* The lantern and Watch Room at the top were originally built of cypress wood. The range light was originally fixed red. In 1893, the original Hains Oil lamps were replaced with Funck-Heap lamps. The Lantern Room is above the Watch Room, and housed a Fresnel Lens. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - You must attain a day pass at the Palmetto Dunes Guard House to access the lighthouse, since it is in a private gated community. There is currently no fee for the pass, but you are also not allowed to park on the lawn near the lighthouse entrance. FINAL THOUGHTS If you are a fan of lighthouses, this one should be on your list! Sharing the same property is a gorgeous live oak tree said to be one of the oldest trees of its kind on the island. Guestimated at around 450 years old. 2020 / 114

One of the oldest lighthouses, if not the oldest lighthouse on HHI. Found out about this one after…read moreI left town last year. Figured I'd find it on this trip. So I googled it and got the directions. I grabbed my lighthouse partner and we went over! It's on a golf course inside of a gated community, so make sure you stop at the guard station. They're pretty friendly. If it wasn't for them, I probably would have gotten lost in there. The only downside is that you can't go up!

Locals say that each of Savannah's twenty two squares has it's own personality. These Squares were…read moreoriginally used to practice and drill for the militia, but today they are gathering places of beauty and history. The city design was dreamt up by a one James Oglethorpe of Yorkshire, England. In 1732, Oglethorpe was granted a charter to found the colony of Georgia, and his plan for the city's layout was based on the Enlightenment ideals of science, humanism and secular government. Oglethorpe Square is named after this man, the founder of Georgia and Savannah. It's paths are connected and multi-directional, without being chaotic. There are many benches for lounging and trees to provide shade and a sense of comfort. You won't find a statue of James Oglethorpe in the square with his namesake, you will have to head to Chippewa Square to see that. Oglethorpe Square is clean, peaceful and a lovely place to visit.

Oglethorpe Square is one of the 22 Squares of Savannah. Compared to the other squares, this one is…read morefairly "unremarkable." For example, it doesn't have an obelisk commemorating an American Revolutionary War general like Johnson Square ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/johnson-square-savannah ) nor does it have a monument like the Haitian Monument in Franklin Square ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/franklin-square-savannah ). In this sense, Oglethorpe Square is rather plain and boring. However, from our visit, I still found it to be a charming, nice-looking, and well-maintained square; hence, the Yelp four stars ("Good"). Oglethorpe Square is located in the North Historic District, only a couple blocks north of Colonial Park Cemetery. If you're in the area, I recommend visiting the cemetery: https://www.yelp.com/biz/colonial-park-cemetery-savannah Oglethorpe Square was one of two squares built after the original four. Overall, it was the sixth to be laid out, in 1742. For reference, Colonial Cemetery opened in 1750 and nearby Columbia Square, two blocks east, was laid out in 1799. Oglethorpe Square was named after General James Oglethorpe (1696-1785). Oglethorpe founded Georgia, then one of the Thirteen Colonies, in 1732. Oglethorpe County and Oglethorpe University are also named after the general, as well as, presumably, Oglethorpe Power. Anyway, back to the square. It consists of nine roughly equally-sized sections (mini squares, almost) divided by brick walkways. It's like a public park with lots of grass, a variety of trees, bushes, and flowers, and benches and trash cans. The center square is all grass with a classic lamppost at each of the four corners. During our visit, the grounds appeared well kept. A sign on a pedestal in the northeast corner of the square read: "In memory of the Moravian colonists in Savannah, 1735-1740, who maintained a mission to the Indians. This memorial is presented to the City of Savannah by the Wachovia Historical Society of Winston-Salem, NC." I think that's cool because I'm originally from the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina and I'm familiar with Old Salem and the Moravians: https://www.yelp.com/biz/old-salem-museums-and-gardens-winston-salem-3 I didn't know about their connection with Savannah until after visiting Oglethorpe Square.