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

Franklin Square - Monument - Parks Near Me - Savannah, Georgia

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We came upon Franklin Square after checking out Savannah's adjacent historic City Market: https://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. read more

Franklin Square - Franklin Square on Black Friday, November 24, 2023. - Parks Near Me - Savannah, Georgia

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Franklin Square is surrounded by some of the liveliest night scenes in the city....but it is also a nice shaded place to enjoy during the daytime. It was designed in 1790 in honor of Benjamin Franklin, who was an agent for Georgia in London. It was once known as "Water Tower Square," because it was home to the city's water supply in the mid to late 19th century. The square was restored in the late 20th century after the square's dissection due to Federal Highway 17. In the middle of the square is the Haitian Monument. The monument pays tribute to the Haitian soldiers who fought for American Independence during the Siege of Savannah in 1779. Sculpture James Mastin created this work, which demonstrates the "Les Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue," or Freedom Fighters. The boy is 12-year-old Henri Christophe, who became the commander of the Haitian army and King of Haiti. We enjoyed strolling here after our lunch in the historic district. The Savannah City Market is kind of sandwiched between Ellis Square and Franklin Square, so that's a good reference point to find any of the three landmarks. read more

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This was a nice quaint place to visit. There's the historical monument commemorating the brave Haitian soldiers who fought for the US. I'm glad that the people of Savannah acknowledged and allowed for this monument. There's a place for restaurants adjacent to the park and a historical church as well. This is a great place to visit. read more

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Located at the west end of City Market, Franklin Square was designed in 1790 and named for inventor and American statesman Benjamin Franklin who worked as an agent for Georgia in London from 1768-1775. In the late 19th century, the square was home to Savannah's water supply and it was know as Water Tower Square. In 1935, Federal Highway 17 dissected the square destroying it. Franklin Square was restored in the 1980's to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of Georgia. In the center of the square is the Haitian Monument sculpted by artist James Masden. The monument represents the more than 500 Haitian Freedom Fighters who fought for America's Independence during the Siege of Savannah in 1779. They were one of the only all black regiments to fight on the side of the colonists during the American Revolutionary War. Soldiers were recruited from Haiti and the French colony of Saint-Dominigue. The twelve year old boy in the statue represents Henri Christophe who became the commander of the Haitian army and King of Haiti. The monument took nine years to complete and it was unveiled completed in 2009. On the west side of Franklin Square is the historic First African Baptist Church which is home to one of the oldest African-American congregations in the United States. The church was founded by George Leile, an enslaved preacher in 1773. The church was formerly recognized in 1788 during which time services were held in a barn on a plantation. In 1794, the congregation moved in to the city. Through the years the church grew and split with a faction moving to this church in the 1830's. There is so much interesting African-American history dating back to before the Revolutionary War in Franklin Square. I enjoyed reading all the plaques and learning about the sacrifices African-Americans made for this country before it was even founded. It would be more than 100 years later before they even got the right to vote. At least they finally have a monument that tells their story. read more

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Yet another iconic square in historic Savannah, this one located right at the end of City Market across from the First African Baptist church. The monument of the soldiers is quite amazing, along with the surrounding trees, and engraved plaques telling the story of the African soldiers from Haiti who fought to capture Savannah from the British. There's a few benches here to relax on. read more

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Franklin Square is one of the 24 urban patches of greenery known as "Squares" that you'll find sprinkled all over Savannah. The centerpiece of Franklin Square is a stunning sculpture of five black soldiers and a young drummer. They commemorate the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, a black regiment of French soldiers from Haiti that fought alongside of colonial troops in the Revolutionary War. Sculptures of the six soldiers stand on a 6 foot by 16 foot granite base that has inscriptions on all sides summarizing the history of the regiment. The statues themselves are incredible. You'll see four soldiers wearing the detailed uniforms of the Colonial soldiers aiming their rifles. A fifth soldier lies wounded at their feet while a young drummer boy plays away. The descriptive panels around the base tell the details of their forgotten story. read more

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Another one of Savannah's beautifully manicured vibrant green squares! I cannot get enough of these! Yes, they are ALL 5 stars!!! Who wouldn't want to sit on a bench under a beautiful live oak covered in Spanish moss?! read more

Awesome Savannah Square like the other 23. Love relaxing here or just walking thru. Franklin Square is located on Montgomery, between Bryan and Congress Streets, and anchors the western end of the City Market retail area. read more

Excellent memorial honoring the Haitian volunteers who assisted us in our battle for independence. Centrally located and clean. It's a great place to catch a breather before heading to the river. read more

Franklin Square - Haitian soldiers who assisted the United States in the battles against Britain. - Parks Near Me - Savannah, Georgia