Wright Square (Savannah, Georgia)

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Wright Square
Monument - panoramio (48).jpg
William Washington Gordon Monument in the square
Former name(s)Percival Square
Court House Square
Post Office Square
Namesake James Wright
Maintained byCity of Savannah
Location Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates 32°04′40″N81°05′32″W / 32.0779°N 81.0923°W / 32.0779; -81.0923
North Bull Street
EastEast President Street
SouthBull Street
WestWest President Street
Construction
Completion1733(291 years ago) (1733)

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. [1]

Contents

The second square established in Savannah, it was originally named Percival Square, for John Percival, 1st Earl of Egmont, generally regarded as the man who gave the colony of Georgia its name (a tribute to Great Britain's King George II). It was renamed in 1763 to honor James Wright, the third and final royal governor of Georgia. Throughout its history it has also been known as Court House Square and Post Office Square; the present Tomochichi Federal Building and United States Court House is adjacent to the west. [2]

The square is the burial site of Tomochichi, a leader of the Creek nation of Native Americans. Tomochichi was a trusted friend of James Oglethorpe and assisted him in the founding of his colony. When Tomochichi died in 1739, Oglethorpe ordered him buried with military honors in the center of PercIval Square. In accordance with his people's customs the grave was marked by a pyramid of stones gathered from the surrounding area. In 1883, citizens wishing to honor William Washington Gordon replaced Tomochichi's monument with an elaborate and highly allegorical monument to Gordon, called the William Washington Gordon Monument. [3] William Gordon is thus the only native Savannahian honored with a monument in one of the city's squares. [2] Gordon's own daughter-in-law, Nellie Gordon, objected strongly to this perceived insult to Tomochichi. She and other members of the Colonial Dames of the State of Georgia planned to erect a new monument to Tomochichi, made of granite from Stone Mountain. [4] The Stone Mountain Monument Company offered the material at no cost. Mrs. Gordon felt that she was being condescended to and insisted on paying. The Monument Company sent her a bill—some sources say for 50 cents, others for one dollar—payable on Judgment Day. Mrs. Gordon paid the bill and attached a note explaining that on Judgment Day the Dames "would be too busy attending their own duties on that momentous day." [5] [6] The new monument was erected in 1899. It stands in the southeast corner of the square and eulogizes Tomochichi as a great friend of James Oglethorpe and the people of Georgia. [7] [3]

6 East State Street, in the northeastern tything lot of the square, doubled as Dixie's Flowers, the flower shop Mandy (Alison Eastwood) works at in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil .

Bradley Lock and Key, located in the Patrick Duffy Building at 24 East State Street, also in the northeastern tything lot, is the oldest operating business in Savannah. [5]

Dedication

NamesakeImageNote
James Wright JamesWrightBySoldi.jpg The square is named for James Wright (1716–1785), the last British Royal Governor of the Province of Georgia.

Markers and structures

NameImageNote
Gordon Monument Wright square.jpg Another view of the monument.

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
  • 111–119 Bull Street (1907) [1]
  • William Waring Property, 12 West State Street (1824–1825) [1] – oldest building on the square
  • Edward Lovell Property, 14 West State Street (1853) [1]
  • Isaac Morrell Building, 16 West State Street (1853) [1]
  • 18 West State Street (1916) [1]
Western civic/trust block
Southwestern residential/tything block
  • 135–139 Bull Street (1875)
  • Lindsay & Morgan Building, 5–11 West York Street (1921)
  • Thomas Henderson Building, 15–21 West York Street (1890)
Northeastern residential/tything block
  • 6 East State Street (by 1900)
  • 8 East State Street (1929)
  • 14 East State Street (1908)
  • 18 East State Street (1905)
  • Patrick Duffy Building, 24 East State Street (1885) [8] – presently the home of Bradley Lock and Key
  • A. R. Altmeyer Building, 110–118 Bull Street (1892) [1]
Northeastern civic/trust block
  • Lutheran Church of the Ascension, 120 Bull Street (1878) [1]
Southeastern civic/trust block
  • Old Chatham County Court House, 124 Bull Street (1889) [1]
Southeastern residential/tything block
  • Peter Ott Property, 15–19 East York Street (1892) [1]
  • John Schwarz Building, 136–140 Bull Street (1890) [1]

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 ("tything") 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 "out-lying 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">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">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. The oldest building original to the square is 510 East St. Julian Street, which dates to 1797.

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

Telfair 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 Barnard Street and West President Street, and was laid out in 1733 as one of the first four squares. It is south of Ellis Square, west of Wright Square and north of Orleans Square. Liberty Square formerly stood to its west but was later paved over. The oldest building on the square is Telfair Academy, at 121 Barnard Street, which dates to 1818–1820.

<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">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">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.

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

Chatham 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 Barnard Street and West Wayne Street, and was laid out in 1847. It is south of Pulaski Square and west of Monterey Square in the southwestern corner of the city's grid of squares. The square is named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. Although Pitt never visited Savannah, he was an early supporter of the Georgia colony, and both Chatham Square and Chatham County are named in his honor. The oldest building on the square is the Enoch Hendry Row House, at 108–112 West Taylor Street, which dates to 1851.

<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 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 known as Calhoun Square. It was given its current name in 2023.

<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.

References

  1. 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. 22
  2. 1 2 Chan Sieg (1984). The squares: an introduction to Savannah. Virginia Beach: Donning.
  3. 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. Original is archived here, 2007-10-25. Accessed 2023-02-24.
  4. ↑ Berinato, Christopher. "That's so Savannah: Tomochichi's boulder a monument to a man integral to Georgia's founding". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  5. 1 2 "New generation at Bradley's locksmiths" – Savannah Morning News , September 7, 2019
  6. ↑ An Introduction to Historic Savannah by John Duncan, February 23, 2004, accessed June 14, 2007.
  7. ↑ Tour Guide Manual for licensed tour guides in the City of Savannah, accessed June 16, 2007.
  8. ↑ A Key to Savannah – Freemans Rag
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