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    Franklin Square

    4.8 (10 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Haitian soldiers who fought alongside Americans
    Madame G.

    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.

    Ariel W.

    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.

    Mark M.

    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.

    Dan R.

    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.

    Haitian soldiers who assisted the United States in the battles against Britain.

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    The twelve year old boy in the statue represents Henri Christophe who became the commander of the Haitian army and King of Haiti.

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    DeVaul Henderson Lake Loop - Morning walk. Sun's up!

    DeVaul Henderson Lake Loop

    (3 reviews)

    Little One and I have been cooped up in the house because she has been sick, so I took her out to…read moreget some fresh air. The DeVaul Henderson Lake Loop (DHLL) seemed to be the best bet due to length of the trail. When you are on Hwy 144 and you get to the roundabout, turn in on Veterans Memorial Parkway, where the Bryan County Administrative Complex is. The trail is located right next to it. You can't miss it. Parking - You can pretty much park anywhere on the grass along Veterans Memorial Parkway. I like to park toward the other end, by the elementary school, where you see the 4 wooden posts. Trail Description - From the 4 wooden posts, down to the paved path, the ground is dirt and a mix of sand and pine needles, and not paved, but that distance is minimal. It is surround by tall trees. Once you get down to the paved part, the signs indicate that it's a 0.5 mile loop. This loop has 3 different connection points to other parts of DeVaul Henderson Recreation Park (to soccer fields and restrooms) and I believe to the side of the Bryan County Administrative Complex. The connection points are located on the opposite side of Veterans Memorial Parkway. There are park benches all around the lake, as well as flotation devices in case someone gets in and needs some saving. There was a unique bench (kind of like one of those stone benches you see in gardens) and it had a sign "The Murphy Bench" that was placed there in memory of an infant boy. How tragic, but so touching. Difficulty Level - Easy for all ages. It is stroller and wheelchair friendly too, but might experience some bumpiness when going down that first small stretch to the paved path. Beware - There are signs that say "Beware of Wildlife". I am assuming they mean alligators, because that is what they always seem to warn you about around these parts, but we did not personally see any. But do we ever really see them when they are around? Unless they decide to come out of the water. However, we did see a lot of ducks swimming in the lake, as well as a beautiful white one just sitting on the side in the grass. This is a great place to run, walk, speed walk, scoot (my Little One took her scooter) and I saw some people fishing too. It's a great pit stop if you happen to be in the area. You can fill up on gas at the Shell Station and stretch those legs before you go on the next leg of your trip. Get outside, People!

    This lake loop is 1/2 mile. The path is paved and stroller friendly. It also connects to other…read morepaved pathways leading past the soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, dog park and finally into the Green Creek trails. There are restrooms available.

    Wormsloe State Historic Site - Wormsloe - Museum

    Wormsloe State Historic Site

    (269 reviews)

    We had a wonderful time exploring Wormsloe. While you can choose to walk the grounds, taking the…read moreshuttle through the iconic path of 440 massive oak trees was both informative and enjoyable. They've recently updated their shuttles, which made for a comfortable experience even though they are wooden bench seats. They run every 30 minutes, take you to the museum and trails, and the ride itself lasts about 15-20 minutes each way. After the ride, we spent some time in the small museum which was cute and took the trail out to the Colonial Life Area. It's a nice walk through the forest with plenty of fresh air and different kinds of birds that really adds to the visit. The Colonial Life Area was small so don't expect a large village or anything. We also managed to find a few things in the gift shop, which has a surprisingly good selection. Definitely a highlight if you're looking for that classic, historic, and forest atmosphere!

    There are places you visit for the history. There are places you visit for the beauty. Wormsloe is…read moreboth -- but it's worth knowing going in that it doesn't always treat those two things equally. Start with what it gets right. The 1.5-mile avenue of live oaks leading to the site is one of the most stunning natural corridors in the South -- more than 400 trees, Spanish moss hanging in every direction, the kind of canopy that makes you slow down without being asked. The grounds are genuinely breathtaking, and no photograph fully prepares you for the real thing. Our guide Brian was excellent -- personable, knowledgeable, and generous with detail about the site's long lineage and the current family who still call part of the land home. The blend of guided and self-directed exploration worked well. The museum is modest but worthwhile, the tabby ruins of Noble Jones' original colonial fortification are the oldest standing structure in Savannah , and the nature trails along the marsh add a quieter, more reflective dimension to the visit. Where the experience falls short -- and this is worth saying plainly -- is in how little the tour engages with the full human history of the place. From the time Georgia's Trustees lifted the ban on slavery in 1749, the Jones family enslaved more than 350 people across Wormsloe and their other landholdings through the Civil War. That history is largely absent from the guided experience. Brian covered the family lineage thoughtfully, but the enslaved people who cleared this land, maintained these grounds, and made Wormsloe what it became were not given meaningful space in the narrative. It's worth noting that the Barrow family -- direct descendants of Noble Jones -- retained the historic house, slave quarters building, and family cemetery when the state acquired the property, and by agreement must reside on the premises as their primary residence. Whether that arrangement shapes what guides are able to address is something only the site can answer. But the gap is noticeable, and other visitors have noted the same -- that understanding the full history of slavery at Wormsloe requires research done independently, outside the tour itself. Wormsloe is worth visiting. The grounds are stunning, the colonial history is well presented, and Brian made the experience genuinely enjoyable. Just go in knowing you may need to seek out the rest of the story on your own.

    Chatham County Wetlands Preserve

    Chatham County Wetlands Preserve

    (4 reviews)

    Near some botanical gardens, this separate tract of land was not particularly happening when I…read morebriefly dropped in, but it is free. A lake with a small bridge is the main attraction, with some areas around it to walk and a picnic enclosure. The highway is nearby and audible to some extent. There are some short trails, but signs caution against swimming in the water (which is true pretty much anywhere in the region given the robust reptile population).

    It was a beautiful day last Friday and my youngest and I had been cooped up in the house most of…read morethe week, so for Adventure Friday, we decided to explore Chatham County Wetlands Preserve. This 494-acre wetland preserve and park is another piece of property purchased by Chatham County. They created a 20-acre lake and have planted more than 20,000 trees. This park is tucked away on Highway 17, on Chief of Love Road. Parking - When you turn off on Hwy 17, you just have to continue driving until you get to a fork in the road. I stayed to the left and then we found ourselves in a huge gravel lot where it seemed the most appropriate to park the car. Trail Description - Once I parked the car, we walked to the fork where I could see the barrier and hiking sign (I saw it on the drive in). We started there and kept to the left. It started out as a pretty well marked path, under the trees. Once you get out of the shaded part, it's just grassy. It will bring you around the lake, and it's wide open, so there is no way you would get lost. We opted to take a shortcut and cut through on the bridge. There was a man there fishing. He said some days the fish bite like crazy and other says, nothing, so just a tip to anyone who likes to go fishing. There are picnic tables and a covered picnic area in the middle by the bridge that are great spots for meal and snack breaks. There were beautiful flowers along the way and also a patch of what I think are called Cypress Trees at one end of the lake. They are pretty much dead, but I thought they were pretty to look at the cluster of them. The reflection of the trees on the sunny day was just perfect. My Fitbit clocked the portion we did as about 1 mile. Kid-Friendly - Absolutely! Very flat trail, however not paved. Unless you have a B.O.B or a jogging stroller with bike-like tires, I would just use a baby carrier. Thankful that Chatham County is very nature focused and is committed to providing green space in the area for its residents. There seemed to be another trail by the park sign, so we will have to come back to explore that portion!

    Franklin Square - parks - Updated May 2026

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