Troup Square (Savannah, Georgia)

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Troup Square
Troup Square Armillary Sphere Savannah GA.jpg
The armillary sphere in the center of the square
Namesake George Troup
Maintained byCity of Savannah
Location Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates 32°04′21″N81°05′23″W / 32.0724°N 81.0896°W / 32.0724; -81.0896
North Habersham Street
EastEast Macon Street
SouthHabersham Street
WestEast Macon Street
Construction
Completion1837(187 years ago) (1837)

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. [1]

Contents

A large iron armillary sphere stands in the center of the square, supported by six small metal turtles. [2] The armillary has been the source of some controversy, as it is one of the few examples of modern sculpture in the squares. [3]

A special dog fountain is located on the west side of the square. The Myers Drinking Fountain was a gift from Savannah mayor Herman Myers in 1897 and was originally placed in Forsyth Park. When moved to Troup Square, its height was adjusted for use by dogs and has become the site of an annual Blessing of the Animals. [4] [2]

The Unitarian Universalist Church sits on the western side of the square and is its oldest building, albeit not original to the square: built in 1851, it was moved a 0.33 miles (0.53 km) from Oglethorpe Square nine years later. It is believed that James Lord Pierpont wrote the tune to "Jingle Bells" while he was the church's music director, but other sources claim he only copyrighted it when he was in the role, and that he wrote it in Medford, Massachusetts. The oldest building original to the square is the Lewis Cook Duplex, at 313–315 East Charlton Street, which dates to 1852.

In 1969 Savannah landscape architect Clermont Huger Lee and Mills B. Lane planned and initiated a project to remove the central vandalized playground, close the fire lane, install an armillary sundial, and add new walls, benches, lighting, and plantings. [5]

Dedication

NamesakeImageNote
George Troup George M. Troup.jpg The square is named for George Troup (1780–1856), former governor of Georgia.

Markers and structures

ObjectImageNote
Armillary sphere Troup Square Armillary Sphere Savannah GA - Close Up.jpg A close-up of the sphere.

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 lot
Northwestern civic/trust lot
  • Unitarian Universalist Church, 321 Habersham Street (1851) – oldest building non-original to the square, having been moved from Oglethorpe Square in 1860
  • Frances Threadcroaft Duplex, 301–307 East Harris Street (1868)
  • Sarah Coombs Property, 309–311 East Harris Street (1863)
  • Parsonage of the Unitarian Universalist Church, 313 East Harris Street (1870)
Southwestern residential/tything lot
  • John Kenney House, 319 East Charlton Street (1870) [7]
  • Michael McQuade House, 317 East Charlton Street (1883) [7]
  • Lewis Cook Duplex, 313–315 East Charlton Street (1852) [7] – oldest building original to the square
  • Mary Edmundson House, 311 East Charlton Street (1873) [7]
  • Charles Lampe Duplex, 301 & 305 East Charlton Street (1855) [7]
Northeastern residential/tything lot
  • Cohen Row, 312–320 Habersham Street (1883) [6]
Northeastern civic/trust lot
  • 324 Habersham Street (1885) [6]
  • Troup Trust, 410–424 East Macon Street (1872–1885) – 410–416 built for Edward Kennedy (1885); [6] 418–424 built for John McDonough (1872) [7]
Southeastern civic/trust lot
  • McDonough Row, 410–424 East Charlton Street (1882) [7]
Southeastern residential/tything lot
  • Mortimer Williams House, 401 East Charlton Street (1860) [6]
  • Dale Row, 405–411 East Charlton Street (1882) [6]
  • George Haslam House, 417 East Charlton Street (1872) [6]
  • Henry Bragdon/Edward Segur Duplex, 419–421 East Charlton Street (1868) [6]
  • Ellen Williams House, 423 East Charlton Street (1867)

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.

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

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<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

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

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

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<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">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.

Moses Eastman was an American silversmith based in Savannah, Georgia. He was also the founder of, and sole benefactor in, the construction of Savannah's Unitarian Universalist Church.

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

Habersham Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Lincoln Street to the west and Price Street to the east, it runs for about 4.82 miles (7.76 km) from East Bay Street in the north to Stephenson Avenue in the south. The street is named for merchant and statesman James Habersham. It was known as Prendergast Street in 1760. Its northern section passes through the Savannah Historic District, a National Historic Landmark District.

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

Charlton Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Harris Street to the north and Jones Street to the south, it runs for about 0.86 miles (1.38 km) from Purse Street in the west to East Broad Street in the east. Originally known only as Charlton Street singular, its addresses are now split between "West Charlton Street" and "East Charlton Street", the transition occurring at Bull Street in the center of the downtown area. The street is named for Thomas Charlton, fifteenth mayor of Savannah.

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

Harris Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Liberty Street to the north and Charlton Street to the south, it runs for about 0.86 miles (1.38 km) from Purse Street in the west to East Broad Street in the east. Originally known only as Gordon Street Harris, its addresses are now split between "West Harris Street" and "East Harris Street," the transition occurring at Bull Street in the center of the downtown area. The street is named for Charles Harris, former mayor of Savannah. The street is entirely within Savannah Historic District, a National Historic Landmark District.

References

  1. ↑ Official Savannah Guide's Tour Savannah's Squares, accessed June 16, 2007.
  2. 1 2 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.
  3. ↑ Chan Sieg (1984). The squares: an introduction to Savannah. Virginia Beach: Donning.
  4. ↑ Tour Guide Manual for licensed tour guides in the City of Savannah, accessed June 16, 2007.
  5. ↑ Dolder, Ced (Spring 2014). "Clermont Lee, (1914-2006) Pioneering Savannah Landscape Architect" (PDF). Magnolia – Publication of the Southern Garden History Society. XXVII (2): 4. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  6. 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. 53
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Historic Building Map: Savannah Historic District – Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (November 17, 2011), p. 54
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