Oglethorpe Town, Sava

  • Also Known As: City Plan of Savannah

  • Vicinity: E Broad St, Oglethorpe Ave, MLK Jr Blvd and Savannah River
  • Type: Historic District
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Historic District

The Oglethorpe Town district follows the 1733 layout spearheaded by General James Edward Oglethorpe, encompassing the city's first six wards. Spanning from the Savannah River south to Oglethorpe Avenue, and bounded by East Broad Street and MLK Jr Boulevard (formerly West Broad), this district represents the foundational footprint of the Georgia Colony. Designed as a revolutionary grid of "Wards," each centered around a public square, this area served as the civic and commercial heart of the settlement. By 1818, this district remained the most densely developed part of the city, housing landmark sites like Johnson Square, the Olde Pink House, and the Savannah Theatre. Today, this specific sector of the North Historic District is celebrated as one of the most significant examples of colonial town planning in the world, preserving the unique "Trust Lot" and "Tithing Lot" system that allowed Savannah to grow into a sophisticated maritime powerhouse. - AsNotedIn


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PLACES

Name of Notable Genus AsNotedIn Address Proximity
Name Genus AsNotedIn Address Proximity
Low, Juliette Gordon, Historic District
  • Sight
  • NRHP
  • US NHL
10 Oglethorpe Ave, E, 330 Drayton St, 329 Abercorn St
Isaiah Davenport House
  • Sight
  • NRHP
324 E State St
US Customhouse
  • Sight
  • NRHP
1 - 3 E Bay St
Owens-Thomas House
  • Sight
  • NRHP
  • US NHL
124 Abercorn St
Telfair Academy
  • Sight
  • NRHP
  • US NHL
121 Barnard St

Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1730/00/00 Oglethorpe creates a plan for the port city of Savannah with six urban squares. The first four squares are Johnson, Wright, St James (Telfair) and Ellis.
1733/02/01 James Edward Oglethorpe Founder James Oglethorpe founds the city of Savannah in the Colony of Georgia. Each freemen immigrates to the new colony are awarded a house lot in the city, a five-acre garden lot outside of town, and a 45-acre farm lot beyond the garden lots.
1733/03/00 Noble Jones Surveyor Noble Jones works as the first surveyor in the Province of Georgia and works with Oglethorpe to develop the planned city of Savannah.
1734/03/29 Gov William Bull Architect "View of Savannah" painting shows about 50 structures, all the same, basic single-story clapboard homes, 2416 feet in size with a loft above and a small yard in the back. Bull came from South Carolina to work as the city's first architect.
1840/00/00 Charles B Cluskey Engineer, Contractor City Council hires Charles B Cluskey to design and build retaining walls all along the bluff above Factors Walk and River Street to prevent erosion.
1840/05/00 Charles B Cluskey Engineer, Contractor City Council authorizes Cluskey to incorporate four brick stores, or vaults, into the Factors retaining wall. Cluskey Embankment Stores are built adjacent to City Hall along the Drayton St Ramp.
1842/09/00 Cluskey surrenders the Factors Walk retaining wall project to William S Walker, of James E Walker and Brothers. Walker completed the job and the City made the final payment in December 1842.

Data »

Particulars for Oglethorpe Town, Sava:
Area of Significance Community Planning and Development
Sight Category Historic District
Urban Planning Oglethorpe Plan




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