Reynolds Square (Savannah, Georgia)

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Reynolds Square
Planters Inn on Reynolds Square, 29 Abercorn Street (1913).jpg
Planters Inn, overlooking the square
Former name(s)Lower New Square
Namesake Captain John Reynolds
Maintained byCity of Savannah
Location Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates 32°04′45″N81°05′21″W / 32.0793°N 81.0892°W / 32.0793; -81.0892
North Abercorn Street
EastEast St. Julian Street
SouthAbercorn Street
WestEast St. Julian Street
Construction
Completion1734(290 years ago) (1734)

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 (originally Habersham House), which dates to 1771. [1]

Contents

Originally called Lower New Square (due to its being the first one laid out, in 1734, after the original four), it was later renamed for Captain John Reynolds, governor of Georgia in the mid-1750s. Reynolds was, in fact, an unpopular governor, and it is said that the celebration held upon his arrival in the colony was rivaled only by that held upon his departure. [2]

The square contains a bronze statue, by Marshall Daugherty, honoring John Wesley, founder of Methodism. Wesley spent most of his life in England but undertook a mission to Savannah between 1735 and 1738, during which time he founded the first Sunday school in America. The statue was installed in 1969 on the spot where Wesley's home is believed to have stood. [3] [4] The statue is intended to show Wesley preaching out-of-doors as he did when leading services for Native Americans, a practice which angered church elders who believed that the Gospel should only be preached inside the church building. [5] Sculptor Marshall said: "The moment is as he looks up from his Bible toward his congregation, about to speak and stretching out his right hand in love, invitation, and exhortation. In contrast, the hand holding the Bible is intense and powerful – the point of contact with the Almighty." [6]

Reynolds Square was the site of the Filature, [7] which housed silkworms as part of an early—and unsuccessful—attempt to establish a silk industry in the Georgia colony. [8] [9]

Dedication

NamesakeImageNote
Captain John Reynolds Jeremiah Theus (1719-1774) - Captain John Reynolds (c.1713-1788) - BHC2963 - Royal Museums Greenwich.jpg The square is named for Royal Navy officer Captain John Reynolds (c. 1713–1788).

Markers and structures

ObjectImageNote
John Wesley statue 15-17-040, John Wesley Statue - panoramio.jpg The statue, the work of Marshall Daugherty and honoring John Wesley, was installed in 1969.

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 trust/civic block
  • Habersham House, 23 Abercorn Street (1771) [1] – oldest building on the square; now The Olde Pink House
  • 24 Drayton Street (1924)
Southwestern trust/civic block
Southwestern residential/tything block
  • 31–39 Abercorn Street (1920) [1]
  • (The Hunter–Mackay House, 125 East Congress Street [10] – demolished around 1939; a parking garage now occupies the location)
Northeastern residential/tything block
  • Christ Church parish house, 18 Abercorn Street (1911) [1] (formerly the Leroy Myers Cigar Company)
  • 9 Lincoln Street (1853) [1]
  • 226 East Bryan Street (17 Lincoln Street) (1852) [1] – now Abe's on Lincoln (ground floor)
Southeastern trust/civic block
  • 28 Abercorn Street (1919) [1]
Southeastern residential/tything block

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">The Olde Pink House</span> Restaurant and tavern in Savannah, Georgia, United States

The Olde Pink House is a restaurant and tavern in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located on Abercorn Street, in the northwestern trust lot of Reynolds Square, the building dates from 1771. It is bounded by East Bryan Street to the north, Abercorn Street to the east and East Saint Julian Street to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Sturges House</span> United States historic place

The Oliver Sturges House is a historic building in Savannah, Georgia, United States, built in 1813. It is located in the southwestern trust block of Reynolds Square, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The building has also been known as the Hiram Roberts House. Roberts lived from 1806 to 1880. The house was originally two floors; a third was added in 1835.

<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">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">Johnson Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

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. The oldest building on the square is the Ann Hamilton House, at 26 East Bryan Street, which dates to 1824.

<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">Orleans Square</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Orleans 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 Barnard Street and West McDonough Street, and was laid out in 1815, shortly after the event it commemorates: General Andrew Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans that January. It is south of Telfair Square, west of Chippewa Square and north of Pulaski Square. The oldest building on the square is the John Ash House, at 114–116 West Hull Street, which dates to 1817.

<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">Pulaski Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Pulaski 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 Barnard Street and West Macon Street, and was laid out in 1837. It is south of Orleans Square, west of Madison Square and north of Chatham Square. It is known for its live oaks. The oldest buildings on the square are the Theodosius Bartow House and the Bernard Constantine House, which date to 1839.

<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 Carriage 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">Taylor Square (Savannah, Georgia)</span> Public square in Savannah, Georgia

Taylor 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 was originally named Calhoun Square for the American statesman John C. Calhoun. The square was renamed Taylor Square in 2023 to honor the Civil War 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planters Inn</span> Hotel in Savannah, Georgia, US

Planters Inn is a hotel in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It occupies the building at 29 Abercorn Street which was constructed in 1913. It stands in the southwestern trust/civic block of Reynolds Square, adjoining the Oliver Sturges House, which pre-dates it by exactly a century, being one of two houses originally on the plot. Formerly the John Wesley Hotel, Planters Inn was established in 1984. The inn has sixty rooms, and is in close proximity to the Olde Pink House restaurant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abercorn Street</span> Prominent street in Savannah, Georgia

Abercorn Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Drayton Street to the west and Lincoln Street to the east, it runs for about 7.8 miles (12.6 km) from East Bay Street in the north to Harry S. Truman Parkway in the south. It is concurrent with SR 204 from 37th Street south. The street is named for James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn, a financial benefactor of the Georgia colony. Its northern section passes through the Savannah Historic District, a National Historic Landmark District.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Historic Building Map: Savannah Historic District – Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (November 17, 2011), p. 11
  2. Chan Sieg (1984). The squares: an introduction to Savannah. Virginia Beach: Donning.
  3. City of Savannah's monuments page 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.
  4. Official Savannah Guide's Tour Savannah's Squares, accessed June 16, 2007.
  5. See Savannah by T.D. Conner (2001), accessed June 14, 2007
  6. "John Wesley, 1703-1791: Founder of Methodism". Georgia Historical Society. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  7. Filature
  8. Tour Guide Manual for licensed tour guides in the City of Savannah, accessed June 16, 2007.
  9. Savannah Scene magazine, May–June 2007, pp 10–11, accessed June 16, 2007.
  10. Spracher, Luciana M. (2003). Lost Savannah: Photographs from the Collection of the Georgia Historical Society. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7385-1487-1.