Johnson Square (Savannah, Georgia)

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Johnson Square
NathanGreene Monument.JPG
The Nathanael Greene Monument stands in the center of the square
Namesake Robert Johnson
Maintained byCity of Savannah
Location Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates 32°04′48″N81°05′29″W / 32.0799°N 81.0915°W / 32.0799; -81.0915
North Bull Street
EastEast St. Julian Street
SouthBull Street
WestWest St. Julian Street
Construction
Completion1733(291 years ago) (1733)

Johnson Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in the northernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, it was the first of the squares to be laid out, in 1733, and remains the largest of the 22. It is east of Ellis Square, west of Reynolds Square and north of Wright Square. Situated on Bull Street and St. Julian Street, it is named for Robert Johnson, colonial governor of South Carolina and a friend of General James Oglethorpe. [1] [2] The oldest building on the square is the Ann Hamilton House, at 26 East Bryan Street, which dates to 1824. [3]

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Interred under his monument in the square is Revolutionary War hero General Nathanael Greene, the namesake of nearby Greene Square. Greene died in 1786 and was buried in Savannah's Colonial Park Cemetery. His son was buried beside him after drowning in the Savannah River in 1793. Following vandalism of the cemetery by occupying Union forces during the Civil War the location of Greene's burial was lost. After the remains were re-identified, Greene and his son were moved to Johnson Square. An obelisk in the center of the square now serves as a memorial to General Greene. The cornerstone of the monument was laid by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, in 1825. At that time the obelisk did not yet commemorate any specific individual or event. In fact, due to financial restrictions the unmarked obelisk served for several years as a joint monument to both Greene and Casimir Pulaski. Inscriptions honoring Greene were added in 1886, but the Greenes' physical remains did not arrive until 1901, following their "rediscovery." [4] [2] [5]

Johnson Square contains two fountains, as well as a sundial. [2]

Henry Cleenewerck's drawing of the first flag of independence raised in the South (November 8, 1860) The first flag of independence raised in the South, by the citizens of Savannah, Ga. November 8th, 1860 - drawn by Henry Cleenewerck, Savannah, Ga. ; lithographed by R.H. Howell, Savannah, LCCN2004665374.jpg
Henry Cleenewerck's drawing of the first flag of independence raised in the South (November 8, 1860)

Another landmark of Johnson Square is the Johnson Square Business Center. This building, formerly known as the Savannah Bank Building, was the city's first "skyscraper", built in 1911. Johnson Square is known as the financial district, or banking square, and many of the city's financial services companies are located here. These companies include the Savannah Bancorp, Savannah Bank, Coastal Bank Headquarters, Bank of America branch, SunTrust branch, TitleMax Corporate Headquarters, and a Regions Bank building. Christ Church Episcopal occupies the southeastern trust lot of the square at 28 Bull Street. Christ Church is "the Mother Church of Georgia", established in 1733. Early clergy of the church include John Wesley and George Whitefield.

The first flag of independence raised in the South was in Johnson Square on November 8, 1860.

The Pulaski House Hotel was in operation in the northwestern corner of the square between 1835 and 1948. [6] It was torn down eight years later. [7] Regions Bank stands in its place, as of 2023. [8]

Screven House Hotel stood at the corner of Bull Street and Congress Street in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [6] [9] It was demolished and replaced, in 1913, by the Savannah Hotel, which became the Manger Building.

Markers and structures

ObjectImageNote
Historical marker Savannah Johnson Square.jpg Erected by the Georgia Historical Commission in 1955.
Sundial SundialJohnsonSq.jpg Dedicated to Colonel William Bull, the namesake of Savannah's Bull Street. Bull was a South Carolinian who assisted General James Oglethorpe with the establishment of Savannah and, as a surveyor, laid out the original street grid. The sundial has four panels, one on each side of its square granite base. The dial itself is bronze, set atop a marble shaft. One of the base panels reproduces a 1734 map of Savannah. [2]
Fountain Johnson Square fountain.jpg One of the square's two fountains, with Christ Church in the background.

Constituent buildings

Each building below is in one of the eight blocks around the square composed of four residential "tything" blocks and four civic ("trust") blocks, now known as the Oglethorpe Plan. They are listed with construction years where known.

Northwestern residential/tything block
  • 10 Whitaker Street (1878) [3]
  • 18 West Bryan Street (1912) [3]
  • John L. Hardee Property, 22–24 West Bryan Street (1878) [3]
Southwestern trust/civic block
  • United Community Bank, 27 Bull Street (1912) [3]
Northeastern residential/tything block
  • Johnson Square Business Center, 2 East Bryan Street (1911) [3] – former Savannah Bank and Trust Building
  • Ann Hamilton House, 24–26 East Bryan Street (1824) [3] – oldest building on the square
  • 30–32 East Bryan Street (1916) [3]
  • 9 Drayton Street (1853) [10]
  • Citizens Bank Building, 15 Drayton Street (1895) [3] – now Propes Hall, part of SCAD
Northeastern trust/civic block
Southeastern trust/civic block
Southeastern residential/tything block
  • The Manger Building, 7 East Congress Street (1913) [3] – formerly Screven House and the Hotel Savannah

Related Research Articles

The city of Savannah, Province of Georgia, was laid out in 1733, in what was colonial America, around four open squares, each surrounded by four residential "tithing") blocks and four civic ("trust") blocks. The layout of a square and eight surrounding blocks was known as a "ward." The original plan was part of a larger regional plan that included gardens, farms, and "outlying villages." Once the four wards were developed in the mid-1730s, two additional wards were laid. Oglethorpe's agrarian balance was abandoned after the Georgia Trustee period. Additional squares were added during the late 18th and 19th centuries, and by 1851 there were 24 squares in the city. In the 20th century, three of the squares were demolished or altered beyond recognition, leaving 21. In 2010, one of the three "lost" squares, Ellis, was reclaimed, bringing the total to today's 22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greene Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Greene Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is the easternmost square in the second row of the city's five rows of squares. The square is located on Houston Street and East President Street, and is south of Washington Square, east of Columbia Square and north of Crawford Square. The oldest buildings on the square are at 510 East York Street, 509 East President Street and 503 East President Street, each in the southwestern trust/civic block, which are believed to have been built at the same time as the square itself (1799).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Columbia Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the second row of the city's five rows of squares, on Habersham Street and East President Street. It is south of Warren Square and between Oglethorpe Square to the west and Greene Square to the east. The oldest building on the square is at 307 East President Street, today's 17 Hundred 90 Inn, which, as its name suggests, dates to the 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Franklin Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the northernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, at Montgomery Street and West St. Julian Street. It is west of Ellis Square in the northwestern corner of the city's grid of squares. The square now anchors the western end of the City Market retail area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellis Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Ellis Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the northernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, on Barnard Street and West St. Julian Street, and was one of the first four squares laid out. Today, it marks the western end of City Market. The square is east of Franklin Square, west of Johnson Square and north of Telfair Square. The oldest building on the square is the Thomas Gibbons Range, at 102–116 West Congress Street, which dates to 1820.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reynolds Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Reynolds Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the northernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, on Abercorn Street and East St. Julian Street. It is east of Johnson Square, west of Warren Square and north of Oglethorpe Square. The oldest building on the square is The Olde Pink House, which dates to 1771.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Warren Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the northernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, on Habersham Street and East St. Julian Street. It is east of Reynolds Square, west of Washington Square and north of Columbia Square. The oldest building on the square is the Spencer–Woodbridge House, at 22 Habersham Street, which dates to 1790. The Lincoln Street Parking Garage occupies the entire western side of the square.

Washington Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the northernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, on Houston Street and East St. Julian Street. It is east of Warren Square and north of Greene Square in the northeastern corner of the city's grid of squares, in Savannah's Old Fort neighborhood. The oldest building original to the square is 510 East St. Julian Street, which dates to 1797.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Wright Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the second row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and President Street, and was laid out in 1733 as one of the first four squares. It is south of Johnson Square, west of Oglethorpe Square, north of Chippewa Square and east of Telfair Square. The oldest building on the square is the William Waring Property, at 12 West State Street, which dates to 1825.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oglethorpe Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Oglethorpe Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the second row of the city's five rows of squares, on Abercorn Street and East President Street, and was laid out in 1742. It is south of Reynolds Square, west of Columbia Square, north of Colonial Park Cemetery and east of Wright Square. The oldest building on the square is the Owens–Thomas House, at 124 Abercorn Street, which dates 1819.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chippewa Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Chippewa Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the middle row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and McDonough Street, and was laid out in 1815. It is south of Wright Square, west of Colonial Park Cemetery, north of Madison Square and east of Orleans Square. The oldest building on the square is The Savannah Theatre, at 222 Bull Street, which dates to 1818.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crawford Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Crawford Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the middle row of the city's five rows of squares, on Houston Street and East McDonough Street, and was laid out in 1841. It is south of Greene Square and east of Colonial Park Cemetery on the eastern edge of the Savannah Historic District. The oldest building on the square is at 224 Houston Street, which dates to 1850.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Madison Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the fourth row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and Macon Street, and was laid out in 1837. It is south of Chippewa Square, west of Lafayette Square, north of Monterey Square and east of Pulaski Square. The square is named for James Madison, fourth president of the United States. The oldest building on the square is the Sorrel–Weed House, at 6 West Harris Street, which dates to 1840.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lafayette Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Lafayette Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the fourth row of the city's five rows of squares, on Abercorn Street and East Macon Street, and was laid out in 1837. It is south of Colonial Park Cemetery, west of Troup Square, north of Taylor Square and east of Madison Square. The square is named for Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution who visited Savannah in 1825. The oldest building on the square is the Andrew Low House, at 329 Abercorn Street, which dates to 1849.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troup Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Troup Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the fourth row of the city's five rows of squares, on Habersham Street and East Macon Street, and was laid out in 1837. It is south of Colonial Park Cemetery, east of Lafayette Square and north of Whitefield Square. The square is named for George Troup, the former Georgia governor, Congressman and senator. It is one of only two Savannah squares named for a person living at the time, the other being Washington Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monterey Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Monterey Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the southernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and Wayne Street, and was laid out in 1847. It is south of Madison Square, west of Taylor Square, north of Forsyth Park and east of Chatham Square. The oldest building on the square is the Herman Kuhlman Duplex, at 22–24 West Taylor Street, which dates to 1851.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Taylor Square, formerly known as Calhoun Square, is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. Laid out in 1851 south of Lafayette Square, west of Whitefield Square, and east of Monterey Square, it is named in honor of the first American Civil War black nurse, educator and memoirist, Susie King Taylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitefield Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Whitefield Square is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the southernmost row of the city's five rows of squares, on Habersham Street and East Wayne Street, and was the final square laid out, in 1851. It is south of Troup Square and east of Taylor Square in the southeastern corner of Savannah's grid of squares. The oldest building on the square is at 412–414 East Taylor Street, which dates to 1855.

Amos Scudder was an American architect, builder and freemason. According to his biographer, Shelley Carroll, Scudder was "an aggressive, litigious entrepreneur who made financial success his business."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston–Johnson–Screven House</span> Former house in Savannah, Georgia

The Houston–Johnson–Screven House was a home in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It stood at the corner of Abercorn Street and East Congress Street, in the southeastern residential/tything block of Reynolds Square, from around 1784 until the building's demolition in 1920. It was replaced the following year by the Lucas Theatre.

References

  1. ↑ Savannah Scene magazine, May–June 2007, pp 10–11, accessed June 16, 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 4 City of Savannah's monuments page Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine This page links directly to numerous short entries, many accompanied by photographs, discussing a variety of monuments, memorials, etc., in the squares and elsewhere. Accessed June 16, 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Historic Building Map: Savannah Historic District – Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (November 17, 2011), p. 9
  4. ↑ Tour Guide Manual for licensed tour guides in the City of Savannah, accessed June 16, 2007.
  5. ↑ Mulberry Grove Plantation, accessed June 16, 2007.
  6. 1 2 "Image 4 of Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  7. ↑ "CONTENTdm". vault.georgiaarchives.org. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  8. ↑ "Boo Business: Little Gracie Watson is a small figure with a big story in Bonaventure Cemetery". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  9. ↑ "New Screven House - Digital Library of Georgia". dlg.usg.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  10. ↑ Savannah, Immortal City: Volume One of the Civil War Savannah Series, Barry Sheehy, Cindy Wallace, Vaughnette Goode-Walker (2011) ISBN   9781934572702
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