Timeline of Savannah, Georgia

The following is a timeline of the history of Savannah, Georgia, United States.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

18th century

• 1733
  • Savannah founded in British Colony of Georgia by James Oglethorpe.
  • Ellis, Johnson, Percival, and St. James Squares laid out per Oglethorpe Plan.
  • First City Market established.
• 1734
  • Reynolds Square laid out.
  • Solomon's Lodge (Masonic lodge) founded.
  • Pirates' House Inn established.
• 1735 – Congregation Mickve Israel formed.^[1][2]
• 1739
  • Wormsloe Plantation established.
  • October 5: Creek leader Tomochichi died. He is buried in Percival Square.^[3]
• 1740 – Bethesda Orphanage founded near town.
• 1742 – Oglethorpe Square laid out.
• 1750

  • 

    Colonial Park Cemetery was established in 1750

    Colonial Park Cemetery established.
  • Christ Church built.^[2]
  • Savannah Female Asylum founded.^[2]
• 1754
  • Savannah becomes capital of British Province of Georgia.^[4]
• 1755
  • January 1: Georgia legislature convenes.^[2]
  • Independent Presbyterian Church founded.
• 1762 – Bonaventure Plantation established.

• 

  The Christian Camphor Cottage, built in 1764 on today's East Oglethorpe Avenue, is believed to be the oldest extant structure in the city

  c. 1764 – The Christian Camphor Cottage was built. It is believed to be the city's oldest extant structure.^[5]
• 1765
  • Levi Sheftall Family Cemetery established.
  • Greenwich Plantation established.
• 1771 – Habersham House completed.
• 1773 – Mordecai Sheftall Cemetery established (possibly 1769).
• 1775
  • January: Provincial Congress held.^[2]
  • June: Committee of Safety organized at the liberty pole.^[6]
• 1776 (or before) – The Eppinger House was built. It is believed to be the oldest extant brick structure in the city.^[7]
• 1778
  • December 29: Battle of Savannah; British in power.^[2]
  • Georgia state capital relocated from Savannah to Augusta.^[2]
• 1779
  • Town Hall built.^[2]
  • Siege of Savannah.^[2]
• 1782
  • British occupation ends.^[4]
  • Georgia state capital relocated to Savannah from Augusta.^[4]
• 1786
  • Georgia state capital relocated again from Savannah to Augusta.^[4]
  • Chatham Artillery established.^[2]
• 1788

  • 

    Greene Square was laid out in 1799

    Town becomes part of the U.S. state of Georgia.
  • African Baptist Church^[8] and Chatham Academy established.^[2]
• 1789 – Savannah chartered as a city.^[2]
• 1790
  • John Houstoun becomes mayor.
  • Franklin Square and Washington Square laid out
• 1791 – Warren Square laid out.
• 1796 – November 26: Fire.^[9]
• 1799 – City Exchange constructed, replacing one that burned in 1796. Columbia Square and Greene Square laid out.

19th century

• 1800 – Population: 5,146.^[10]
• 1802 – Savannah Volunteer Guards established.^[2]
• 1804
  • Seamen's Hospital opens.
  • Bonaventure Plantation destroyed by fire.
  • Lebanon Plantation established.
• 1809 – Savannah Society Library founded.^[11]
• 1810 – Population: 5,315.^[12]
• 1812 – Hibernian Society organized.^[13]

• 

  Oliver Sturges House, built in 1813

  1813 – Oliver Sturges House built.
• 1815 – Orleans Square and Chippewa Square laid out.
• 1817 – Savannah Steamboat Company in business.^[2]
• 1818
  • Telfair Academy built.
  • The Savannah Theatre established.^[2][14]
• 1819
  • May: Steamboat Savannah travels to Liverpool, England.^[15][2]
  • May: U.S. President Monroe visits town.^[3]
  • William Scarbrough House (residence) built.
  • Owens–Thomas House (residence built).
• 1820
  • January: Great Savannah Fire of 1820.^[12]
  • Isaiah Davenport House built.
• 1821
  • The city's first hotel, City Hotel, is completed.^[16]
  • Second iteration of City Market built.
• 1824 – Savannah Fire Company formed.^[3]
• 1825 – March: Lafayette visits town.^[3]

• 

  The Nathanael Greene Monument was erected in Johnson Square in 1830

  1830
  • Nathanael Greene Monument in Johnson Square completed.
  • Population: 7,303.^[17]
• 1831 – Savannah–Ogeechee Canal constructed.
• 1833 – First Baptist Church built.
• 1834 – Oglethorpe Barracks built (approximate date).
• 1837
  • Pulaski Square, Lafayette Square, Madison Square and Troup Square laid out.
  • Central of Georgia Railroad begins operating.^[18]
• 1839 – Georgia Historical Society organized.^[2]
• 1840
  • Sorrel–Weed House built.
  • Population: 11,214.^[10]
• 1841 – Crawford Square laid out.
• 1842 – Convent of St. Vincent de Paul founded.^[2]
• 1844 – Savannah Institution for Savings instituted.^[3]
• 1846 – Bonaventure Cemetery established near town.
• 1847
  • Chatham Square and Monterey Square laid out.
  • Fort Pulaski built near town.

• 

  The United States Customhouse was built in Bay Street in 1848

  1848
  • Customhouse built.^[2]
  • Population: 13,573.^[19]
• 1850
  • Daily Morning News begins publication.
• 1851
  • Calhoun Square and Whitefield Square laid out.
  • The Marshall House opens.
• 1853
  • Forsyth Place (park) laid out.^[13][20]
  • Catholic Diocese of Savannah^[13] and Laurel Grove Cemetery established.
  • St. John's Church consecrated.
  • Green–Meldrim House built.
  • Georgia State Railroad Museum built.
• 1854
  • Yellow fever outbreak.^[21]
  • Central of Georgia Railway Company Shop Property built.
  • Augusta and Savannah Railroad in operation (approximate date).^{[citation needed]}
• 1855 – Young Men's Literary Association organized.^[11][22]
• 1858 – Old Harbor Light erected.

• 

  First African Baptist Church was built in 1859

  1859
  • First African Baptist Church rebuilt.
  • The Great Slave Auction at Ten Broeck Race Course, March 2 & 3.^[23]
  • John G. Lawton riverboat explodes, June 9^[24]
• 1860 – Central of Georgia Depot and Trainshed built.
• 1861
  • March 21: Cornerstone Speech by Alexander H. Stephens.
  • Port blockaded by U.S. government.^[2]

  • 

    4 dollar banknote from the Bank of Commerce in Savannah, Georgia, 1864.

    Green House (residence) built.
• 1864 – December 22: Savannah taken by Union forces.^[25]
• 1866 – City board of education incorporated.^[2]
• 1867 – Beach Institute established.^[13]
• 1868 – Mercer House (residence) built (approximate date).
• 1870 – McCarthy's Business College established.^[13]
• 1871 – Abend Zeitung newspaper begins publication.^[13]
• 1873 – First Bryan Baptist Church rebuilt.
• 1874 – Youth's Historical Society founded.^[13]
• 1875
  • Civil War Memorial in Forsyth Park dedicated.
  • Colored Tribune newspaper begins publication.^[26]
  • Savannah Rifle Association established.^[13]
• 1876
  • Cathedral of St. John the Baptist dedicated.^[2]
  • Third iteration of City Market built.
  • Another yellow fever outbreak^[27] (see J. W. Schull)
• 1878 – Congregation Mickve Israel synagogue built.^[2]
• 1879 – City boundaries expanded.^[2]
• 1880
  • Confederate memorial built in Forsyth Park.^[28]
  • Population: 30,709.^[10]
• 1882 – Ford Dramatic Association incorporated.^[13]
• 1883

  • 

    The William Washington Gordon Monument erected in Wright Square in 1883

    City boundaries expanded.^[2]
  • William Washington Gordon Monument in Wright Square completed.
• 1886 – Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences opens.^[2]
• 1887
  • Savannah Cotton Exchange building built.
  • Tybee-Savannah railway built.^[21]
• 1888 – William Jasper Monument in Madison Square dedicated.
• 1890 – Population: 43,189.^[10][2]
• 1891 – Georgia Industrial College established.^[2]
• 1893 – August: Sea Islands hurricane.
• 1898 - Fire at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.^[2]
• 1899
  • Kate Baldwin Free Kindergarten established.
  • Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse built.
• 1900
  • Population: 54,244.^[10][2]
  • Great Dane Trailers founded as the Savannah Blowpipe Company

20th century

• 1901
  • City boundaries expanded.^[2]
  • Hill Hall at Savannah State College built.
• 1902
  • Benedictine College founded.
  • Savannah Union Station completed.
• 1904 – City Exchange demolished.

• 

  Savannah City Hall was built on Bay Street, at the head of Bull Street, in 1904

  1906 – Savannah City Hall built.^[2][29]
• 1908 – Savannah, Augusta and Northern Railway in operation (approximate date).^{[citation needed]}
• 1909 – December: Savannah axe murders
• 1910
  • James Oglethorpe Monument in Chippewa Square dedicated.
  • Population: 65,064.^[10][2]
• 1912 – Girl Guides of America founded.^[30]
• 1914 – East Henry Street Carnegie Library opens.
• 1919
  • Armstrong House completed.
  • April: Savannah Centennial Pageant performed.^[31]
• 1920 – Population: 83,252.^[10]
• 1921 – Lucas Theatre built
• 1925 – Savannah Economic Development Authority established.^[32]
• 1926 – Municipal Stadium built.
• 1929
  • WTOC radio begins broadcasting.^[33]
  • Savannah Municipal Airport begins operating.
  • Savannah Technical College established.
• 1933 – Greenwich Cemetery established.
• 1935
  • Armstrong Junior College founded.
  • Union Bag and Paper opens mill.^[34]
• 1938 – Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal built.
• 1939 – WSAV radio begins broadcasting.^[33]
• 1940 – Coastal Transitional Center opened.
• 1942 – U.S. Army Chatham Field (airfield) active.
• 1950 – Little Theatre of Savannah founded.
• 1951 – Palm Drive-In movie theatre opens.^[35]

• 

  Talmadge Memorial Bridge was completed in 1953

  1953 – Talmadge Memorial Bridge built to Hutchinson Island.
• 1954
  • Council–manager form of government adopted.
  • WTOC-TV (television) begins broadcasting.^[36]
  • City Market torn down; replaced by Ellis Square parking garage
• 1955 – Historic Savannah Foundation organized.^[37]
• 1956
  • WSAV-TV (television) begins broadcasting.^[36]
  • Juliette Gordon Low house museum opens.
• 1960
  • Savannah Protest Movement commenced
  • Travis Field airport terminal built.
  • Population: 147,537.^[10]
• 1962 – Savannah station built.
• 1963 – Savannah Union Station demolished.
• 1967 – Grumman Aircraft Engineering Co. opens Savannah office.^[34]
• 1968
  • The DeSoto Hotel opens.
  • Abercorn Plaza shopping centre opens for business.
• 1969 – Oglethorpe Mall opens up for business.
• 1970
  • John Rousakis becomes mayor.
  • Population: 118,349.
• 1974 – Savannah Civic Center opens.
• 1976 – Abercorn Cinema opens.^[35]
• 1977 – City Records Committee established.^[38]
• 1978 – Savannah College of Art and Design founded.
• 1979 – September: Hurricane David makes landfall.^[39]

• 

  The Hyatt Regency Savannah was built between Bay Street and River Street in 1980

  1980
  • Hyatt Regency Savannah opens.
• 1981
  • Coastal State Prison built.
  • May 2: The shooting of Danny Hansford occurs at Mercer House, the basis of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
• 1986 – Chatham Area Transit established.
• 1988 – Savannah Music Festival founded.
• 1990
  • Savannah Mall (the city's second shopping mall) in business.
  • Talmadge Memorial Bridge rebuilt.
• 1991
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial built in Emmet Park.^[28]
  • Lady & Sons restaurant in business.^[40]
• 1994
  • Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport terminal built.
  • Bestseller book about Savannah Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil published.
• 1998
  • Savannah Arts Academy established.
  • Floyd Adams becomes the first African American to become the Mayor of the City of Savannah.
• 1999
  • Georgia Tech Savannah established.
  • City website online (approximate date).^{[41][chronology citation needed]}

21st century

• 2000 – Lucas Theatre renovated.^[35]
• 2002
  • African-American Monument on River Street dedicated.
  • Islamic Center of Savannah established.^[42][43]
• 2004 – Otis Johnson becomes mayor.
• 2005
  • Abercorn Walk shopping center in business.
  • Savannah-Chatham Metro Police established.
• 2009 – The Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra is established.^[44]
• 2010 – Population: 136,286.
• 2012
  • Edna Jackson becomes mayor.^[45]
  • Savannah Law School established.
• 2016
  • Eddie Deloach becomes mayor, first Republican since 1996.^[46]
  • All of Savannah and Chatham county east of I95 was evacuated ahead of Hurricane Matthew.^[47]
• 2017 – All of Savannah and Chatham County east of I95 evacuated due to the impact of Hurricane Irma.^[48]
• 2018
  • Savannah Law School closed.^[49]
  • City and county police merger ends, separating the two agencies.^[50]
  • Roy Minter sworn in as new police chief of Savannah Police Department.^[51]
• 2022 – Population: 147,780 (+11,494 since 2010)^[52]

See also

• History of Savannah, Georgia
• List of mayors of Savannah, Georgia
• Timelines of other cities in Georgia: Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon