Savannah, Georgia
Oldest city in Georgia, United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Savannah (/səˈvænə/ sə-VAN-ə) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia.[6] A strategic port city in the American Revolution and during the American Civil War,[7] Savannah is today an industrial center and an important Atlantic seaport. It is Georgia's fifth most populous city, with a 2020 U.S. census population of 147,780.[8] The Savannah metropolitan area, Georgia's third-largest, had a 2020 population of 404,798.[4]
Savannah | |
---|---|
Downtown Savannah viewed from Bay Street Historic Gingerbread House in Victorian Historic District | |
Nickname: "The Hostess City of the South" | |
Coordinates: 32°04′52″N 81°05′28″W | |
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
County | Chatham |
Established | February 12, 1733; 291 years ago (1733-02-12) |
Founded by | James Oglethorpe |
Named for | Savannah River |
Government | |
• Mayor | Van R. Johnson (D) |
• City Manager | Joseph Melder |
Area | |
• City | 113.27 sq mi (293.36 km2) |
• Land | 108.50 sq mi (281.01 km2) |
• Water | 4.77 sq mi (12.35 km2) |
Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• City | 147,780 |
• Rank | 185th in the United States 5th in Georgia |
• Density | 1,300/sq mi (500/km2) |
• Urban | 309,466 (US: 132nd)[3] |
• Urban density | 1,503.4/sq mi (580.5/km2) |
• Metro | 404,798 (US: 135th) |
Demonym | Savannahian |
Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
ZIP Codes | 31401–31412, 31414-31416, 31418-31421 |
Area code | 912 |
FIPS code | 13-69000[5] |
GNIS feature ID | 0322590[2] |
Website | www.savannahga.gov |
Each year, Savannah attracts millions of visitors to its cobblestone streets, parks, and notable historic buildings. These include the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA), the Georgia Historical Society (the oldest continually operating historical society in the South), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African-American Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in the U.S. and now a museum and visitor center).[6][9]
Savannah's downtown area, which includes the Savannah Historic District, its 22 parklike squares, and the Savannah Victorian Historic District, is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated by the federal government in 1966).[6] Downtown Savannah largely retains the founder James Oglethorpe's original town plan, a design known as the Oglethorpe Plan. During the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted by Atlanta, Savannah held sailing competitions in the nearby Wassaw Sound.
On February 12, 1733,[10] General James Oglethorpe and settlers from the ship Anne landed at Yamacraw Bluff and were greeted by Tomochichi, the Yamacraws, and Indian traders John and Mary Musgrove. Mary Musgrove often served as an interpreter. The city of Savannah was founded on that date, along with the colony of Georgia. In 1751, Savannah and the rest of Georgia became a Royal Colony, with Savannah as its capital.[11]
By the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, Savannah had become the southernmost commercial port in the Thirteen Colonies. British troops took the city in 1778, and the following year a combined force of American and French soldiers, including Haitians, failed to rout the British at the Siege of Savannah. The British did not leave the city until July 1782.[12] In December 1804 the state legislature declared Milledgeville the new capital of Georgia.
Savannah, a prosperous seaport throughout the nineteenth century, was the Confederacy's sixth most populous city and the prime objective of General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea. On December 21, 1864, local authorities negotiated a peaceful surrender to save Savannah from destruction, and Union troops marched into the city at dawn.[13]
Savannah was named after the Savannah River, which probably derives from variant names for the Shawnee, a Native American people who migrated to the river in the 1680s. The Shawnee destroyed another Native people, the Westo, and occupied their lands at the head of the Savannah River's navigation on the fall line, near present-day Augusta.[14] These Shawnee, whose Native name was Ša·wano·ki (literally, "southerners"),[15] were known by several local variants, including Shawano, Savano, Savana and Savannah.[16] Another theory is that the name Savannah refers to the extensive marshlands surrounding the river for miles inland, and is derived from the English term "savanna", a kind of tropical grassland, which was borrowed by the English from Spanish sabana and used in the Southern Colonies. (The Spanish word comes from the Taino word zabana.)[17] Still other theories suggest that the name Savannah originates from Algonquian terms meaning not only "southerners" but perhaps also "salt".[18][19]
Savannah lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) upriver from the Atlantic Ocean.[20] According to the United States Census Bureau (2011), the city has a total area of 108.7 square miles (281.5 km2), of which 103.1 square miles (267.0 km2) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km2) is water (5.15%). Savannah is the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in the state of Georgia. It is also located near the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway. Georgia's Ogeechee River flows toward the Atlantic Ocean some 16 miles (26 km) south of downtown Savannah, and forms the southern city limit.
Savannah is prone to flooding, due to abundant rainfall, an elevation at just above sea level, and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater surge risk during hurricanes. The city currently uses five canals. In addition, several pumping stations have been built to help reduce the effects of flash flooding.[21]
Climate
Savannah's climate is classified as humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa). In the Deep South, this is characterized by long and almost tropical summers and short, mild winters. Savannah records few days of freezing temperatures each year (and has rare snowfall). Due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast, Savannah rarely experiences temperatures as extreme as those in Georgia's interior. Nevertheless, the extreme temperatures have officially ranged from 105 °F (41 °C), on July 20, 1986 and July 12, 1879, down to 3 °F (−16 °C) during the January 1985 Arctic outbreak.[22][23]
Seasonally, Savannah tends to have hot and humid summers with frequent (but brief) thunderstorms that develop in the warm and tropical air masses, which are common. Although summers in Savannah are frequently sunny, half of Savannah's annual precipitation falls during the months of June through September. Average dewpoints in summer range from 67.8 to 71.6 °F (20 to 22 °C). Winters in Savannah are mild and sunny with average daily high temperatures of 61.4 °F (16 °C) in January. November and December are the driest months recorded at Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport. Each year Savannah reports 21 days on average with low temperatures below freezing, though in some years fewer than 10 nights will fall below freezing, and the city has even gone an entire winter season (that of 1879-80) without recording a freeze.[24] Although decades might pass between snowfall events, Savannah has experienced snow on rare occasions, most notably in December 1989, when up to 3.9 inches (9.9 cm) was recorded in one day in parts of the city.[22][25]
Savannah is at risk for hurricanes, particularly of the Cape Verde type of storms that take place during the peak of the season. Because of its location in the Georgia Bight (the arc of the Atlantic coastline in Georgia and northern Florida) as well as the tendency for hurricanes to re-curve up the coast, Savannah has a lower risk of hurricanes than some other coastal cities such as Charleston, South Carolina. Savannah was seldom affected by hurricanes during the 20th century, with one exception of being hit by Hurricane David in 1979.[26] However, the historical record shows that the city was frequently affected during the second half of the 19th century. The most prominent of these storms was the 1893 Sea Islands hurricane, which killed at least 2,000 people. (This estimate may be low, as deaths among the many impoverished rural African Americans living on Georgia's barrier islands may not have been reported.)
Savannah was most recently affected by an active 2016 hurricane season, including Hurricane Matthew (which made a partial eyewall landfall),[27] and was brushed by Hurricane Irma in 2017.[28][29][30]
Climate data for Savannah, Georgia (Savannah/Hilton Head Int'l), 1991–2020 normals,[lower-alpha 1] extremes 1871–present[lower-alpha 2] | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 84 (29) |
87 (31) |
94 (34) |
95 (35) |
102 (39) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
104 (40) |
102 (39) |
97 (36) |
89 (32) |
83 (28) |
105 (41) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 77.5 (25.3) |
80.9 (27.2) |
84.9 (29.4) |
89.1 (31.7) |
94.0 (34.4) |
97.5 (36.4) |
98.8 (37.1) |
97.6 (36.4) |
94.0 (34.4) |
88.6 (31.4) |
83.3 (28.5) |
78.2 (25.7) |
99.7 (37.6) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 61.4 (16.3) |
65.1 (18.4) |
71.4 (21.9) |
78.2 (25.7) |
84.7 (29.3) |
89.6 (32.0) |
92.3 (33.5) |
90.8 (32.7) |
86.4 (30.2) |
79.0 (26.1) |
70.2 (21.2) |
63.7 (17.6) |
77.7 (25.4) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 50.7 (10.4) |
54.0 (12.2) |
60.0 (15.6) |
66.7 (19.3) |
74.1 (23.4) |
80.1 (26.7) |
83.0 (28.3) |
82.1 (27.8) |
77.7 (25.4) |
68.8 (20.4) |
59.1 (15.1) |
53.2 (11.8) |
67.5 (19.7) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 40.0 (4.4) |
42.9 (6.1) |
48.6 (9.2) |
55.2 (12.9) |
63.4 (17.4) |
70.7 (21.5) |
73.7 (23.2) |
73.3 (22.9) |
69.0 (20.6) |
58.6 (14.8) |
48.0 (8.9) |
42.6 (5.9) |
57.2 (14.0) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 23.3 (−4.8) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
39.4 (4.1) |
49.8 (9.9) |
62.7 (17.1) |
68.6 (20.3) |
67.2 (19.6) |
57.1 (13.9) |
42.1 (5.6) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
Record low °F (°C) | 3 (−16) |
8 (−13) |
20 (−7) |
28 (−2) |
39 (4) |
49 (9) |
61 (16) |
57 (14) |
43 (6) |
28 (−2) |
15 (−9) |
9 (−13) |
3 (−16) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.28 (83) |
2.80 (71) |
3.50 (89) |
3.39 (86) |
3.62 (92) |
6.65 (169) |
5.75 (146) |
5.46 (139) |
4.35 (110) |
3.72 (94) |
2.39 (61) |
3.21 (82) |
48.12 (1,222) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.5 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 12.8 | 9.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 107.6 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 69.6 | 67.0 | 66.8 | 65.4 | 70.1 | 73.6 | 76.0 | 78.6 | 77.7 | 72.9 | 72.3 | 70.8 | 71.7 |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 37.0 (2.8) |
38.8 (3.8) |
45.7 (7.6) |
51.6 (10.9) |
60.8 (16.0) |
67.8 (19.9) |
71.2 (21.8) |
71.6 (22.0) |
67.5 (19.7) |
56.5 (13.6) |
48.0 (8.9) |
40.5 (4.7) |
54.8 (12.6) |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 175.5 | 181.0 | 232.0 | 275.6 | 288.9 | 276.0 | 271.3 | 245.8 | 214.3 | 228.6 | 193.5 | 174.2 | 2,756.7 |
Percent possible sunshine | 55 | 59 | 62 | 71 | 67 | 65 | 62 | 60 | 58 | 65 | 61 | 56 | 62 |
Source: NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[22][31][32] |
The first meteorological observations in Savannah probably occurred at Oglethorpe Barracks circa 1827, continuing intermittently until 1850 and resuming in 1866. The Signal Service began observations in 1874, and the National Weather Service has kept records of most data continually since then; since 1948, Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport has served as Savannah's official meteorological station. Annual records (dating back to 1950) from the airport's weather station are available on the web.[33]
Cityscape
Neighborhoods
Savannah is a city of diverse neighborhoods. More than 100 distinct neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of the city: Downtown (Landmark Historic District and Victorian District), Midtown, Southside, Eastside, Westside, and Southwest/West Chatham (recently annexed suburban neighborhoods).
Historic districts
Besides the Savannah Historic District, one of the nation's largest, five other historic districts have been formally demarcated:[34]
- Savannah Victorian Historic District
- Cuyler–Brownsville District
- Thomas Square Historic District
- Pin Point Historic District
- Ardsley Park–Chatham Crescent Historic District
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1800 | 5,146 | — | |
1810 | 5,215 | 1.3% | |
1820 | 7,523 | 44.3% | |
1830 | 7,303 | −2.9% | |
1840 | 11,214 | 53.6% | |
1850 | 15,312 | 36.5% | |
1860 | 22,292 | 45.6% | |
1870 | 28,235 | 26.7% | |
1880 | 30,709 | 8.8% | |
1890 | 43,189 | 40.6% | |
1900 | 54,244 | 25.6% | |
1910 | 65,064 | 19.9% | |
1920 | 83,252 | 28.0% | |
1930 | 85,024 | 2.1% | |
1940 | 95,996 | 12.9% | |
1950 | 119,638 | 24.6% | |
1960 | 149,245 | 24.7% | |
1970 | 118,349 | −20.7% | |
1980 | 141,654 | 19.7% | |
1990 | 137,560 | −2.9% | |
2000 | 131,510 | −4.4% | |
2010 | 136,286 | 3.6% | |
2020 | 147,780 | 8.4% | |
2022 (est.) | 148,004 | 0.2% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[35] 1850-1870[36] 1870-1880[37] 1890-1910[38] 1920-1930[39] 1940[40] 1950[41] 1960[42] 1970[43] 1980[44] 1990[45] 2000[46] 2010[47] 2020[48] |
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Savannah's official 2020 population was 147,780, up from the official 2010 count of 136,286 residents.[49] The U.S. Census Bureau's official 2020 population of the Savannah metropolitan area—defined as Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham counties—was 404,798, up 16.45% from the 2010 census population of 347,611.[50] Savannah is also the largest principal city of the Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area, a larger trading area that includes the Savannah and Hinesville metropolitan statistical areas as well as the Statesboro and Jesup micropolitan statistical areas. The official 2020 population of this area was 608,239, up from 525,844 at the 2010 census.[51]
In 2010, there were 51,375 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. Among them, 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. As of 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $29,038, and the median income for a family was $36,410. Males had a median income of $28,545 versus $22,309 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,921. About 17.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. By the 2022 American Community Survey, the median household income was $53,258 with a per capita income of $31,006.[52]
Race and ethnicity
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[53] | Pop 2010[47] | Pop 2020[48] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH) | 49,903 | 49,381 | 54,082 | 37.95% | 36.23% | 36.60% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 74,691 | 74,782 | 71,845 | 56.79% | 54.87% | 48.62% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 277 | 315 | 311 | 0.21% | 0.23% | 0.21% |
Asian alone (NH) | 1,984 | 2,697 | 5,610 | 1.51% | 1.98% | 3.80% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 78 | 130 | 238 | 0.06% | 0.10% | 0.16% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 188 | 242 | 692 | 0.14% | 0.18% | 0.47% |
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,451 | 2,347 | 5,213 | 1.10% | 1.72% | 3.53% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,938 | 6,392 | 9,789 | 2.23% | 4.69% | 6.62% |
Total | 131,510 | 136,286 | 147,780 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 55.04% Black, 38.03% White, 2.00% Asian, 0.03% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.07% of the population. Non-Hispanic whites were 32.6% of the population in 2010,[54] compared to 46.2% in 1990.[55] In 2020, its makeup was 48.62% Black or African American, 36.60% non-Hispanic white, 0.21% Native American, 3.80 Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.47% some other race, 3.53% multiracial, and 6.62% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[48]
Crime
The total number of violent crimes in the Savannah-Chatham County reporting area ran just above 1,000 per year from 2003 through 2006. In 2007, however, the total number of violent crimes jumped to 1,163. Savannah-Chatham has recorded between 20 and 25 homicides each year since 2005.
In 2007, Savannah-Chatham recorded a sharp increase in home burglaries but a sharp decrease in larcenies from parked automobiles. During the same year, statistics show a 29 percent increase in arrests for Part 1 crimes.[56] An additional increase in burglaries occurred in 2008 with 2,429 residential burglaries reported to Savannah-Chatham police that year. That reflects an increase of 668 incidents from 2007. In 2007, there were 1,761 burglaries, according to metro police data.[57] Savannah-Chatham police report that crimes reported in 2009 came in down 6 percent from 2008.
In 2009, 11,782 crimes were reported to metro police — 753 fewer than in 2008. Within that 2009 number is a 12.2 percent decrease in violent crimes when compared with 2008. Property crimes saw a 5.3 percent decline, which included a 5.2 percent reduction in residential burglary. In 2008, residential burglary was up by almost 40 percent. While some violent crimes increased in 2009, crimes like street robbery went down significantly. In 2009, 30 homicides were reported, four more than the year before. Also, 46 rapes were reported, nine more than the year before. In the meantime, street robbery decreased by 23 percent. In 2008, metro police achieved a 90 percent clearance rate for homicide cases, which was described as exceptional by violent crimes unit supervisors. In 2009, the department had a clearance rate of 53 percent, which police attributed to outstanding warrants and grand jury presentations.[58]
The SCMPD provide the public with up-to-date crime report information through an online mapping service.[59] The year of 2015 saw a dramatic increase in the number of violent crimes, including at least 54 deaths due to gun violence, a number not seen since the early 1990s.[60] The first quarter of 2018 saw crime trending downward, compared to 2017.[61]
Religion
Prior to British colonization of the Americas and the founding of colonial Georgia, the coastal region's indigenous inhabitants practiced Native American religions. Since colonization, the city of Savannah and surrounding area have remained predominantly Christian. However, a Jewish community has lived in Savannah since the colony's very first year. Later, Gullah-Geechee culture and Hoodoo practices were also observed, often alongside Christianity.
Founded in 1733, with the establishment of the Georgia colony, Christ Church is the longest continuous Christian congregation in Georgia. Early rectors include the Methodist evangelists John Wesley and George Whitefield. Located on the original site on Johnson Square, Christ Church continues as an active congregation.[62] The Independent Presbyterian Church, which was founded in 1755, has represented the community's Presbyterian constituency. Other historically prominent churches have included: the First Bryan Baptist Church, an African American church that was organized by Andrew Bryan in 1788;[63] First African Baptist Church;[63] and St. Benedict the Moor Church, which was the first African American Catholic church in Georgia, and one of the oldest in the Southeast.[64]
The oldest standing house of worship is First Baptist Church (1833), located on Chippewa Square. Other historic houses of worship in Savannah include: the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Episcopal St. John's Church, and Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.).[6]
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the largest Christian group overall were Protestants within the Baptist tradition, served by the Southern Baptist Convention, National Baptist Convention, National Missionary Baptist Convention, and Progressive National Baptist Convention. Non-denominational Protestants represented the second-largest Christian group, including the Christian churches and Churches of Christ. Methodists were the third-largest, spread among the United Methodist Church and African Methodist Episcopal Church. The single second-largest Christian denomination was the Roman Catholic Church, served by the Diocese of Savannah.[65]
Among Savannah's non-Christian population, which forms a minority, Hinduism was the city's second-largest religion. Judaism was Savannah's third-largest, with a history dating back to 1733.[66] Orthodox Judaism, Reform Judaism, and Conservative Judaism were the predominant Jewish traditions adhered to. Islam was the area's fourth-largest religion, followed by the Baha'i.[65]
Savannah adopted a council-manager form of government in 1954. The city council consists of the mayor and eight aldermen, six of whom are elected from one of six aldermanic districts, with each district electing one member. The other two members and the mayor are elected at-large.
The council levies taxes, enacts ordinances, adopts the annual budget, and appoints the city manager.[67] The city manager enacts the policies and programs established by council, recommends an annual budget and work programs, appoints bureau and department heads, and exercises general supervision and control over all employees of the city.[67]
Police and fire departments
In 2003 Savannah and Chatham County voted to merge their city and county police departments. The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department was established on January 1, 2005, after the Savannah Police Department and Chatham County Police Department merged.
In February 2018, the city and county governments ended the police department merger. This reestablished both the Savannah Police Department and the Chatham County Police Department, and they now operate as two separate agencies.[68] The departments have a number of specialty units, including K-9, SWAT, Bomb Squad, Marine Patrol, Dive, Air Support and Mounted Patrol. The 9-1-1 Communications Dispatch Center handles all 9-1-1 calls for service within the county and city, including fire and EMS. The Savannah Fire Department serves the City of Savannah, and there are separate municipal firefighting organizations elsewhere in Chatham County.
State representation
Derek Mallow (D) and Ben Watson (R) represent the Savannah area in the Georgia State Senate.[69][70] Carl Gilliard (D), Anne Allen Westbrook (D), Ron Stephens (R), Edna Jackson (D) and Jesse Petrea (R) represent the area in the Georgia House of Representatives.[71]
Prisons
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Coastal State Prison in Savannah.[72][73]
Agriculture was essential to Savannah's economy during its first two centuries. Silk and indigo production, both in demand in England, were early export commodities. By 1767, almost a ton of silk per year was exported to England.[74] Georgia's mild climate offered perfect conditions for growing cotton, which became the dominant commodity after the American Revolution. Its production under the plantation system and shipment through the Port of Savannah helped the city's European immigrants to achieve wealth and prosperity.[75]
By the nineteenth century, the Port of Savannah had become one of the most active in the United States. In the early years of the United States, goods produced in the New World had to pass through Atlantic ports such as Savannah's before they could be shipped to England.[75] The Port of Savannah grew to become North America's fourth-largest port for shipping container traffic. In 2023, the port handled 4.9 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU).[76]
Savannah's first hotel, City Hotel, was completed in 1821. It also housed the city's first United States Post Office branch.[77] Between 1912 and 1968, the Savannah Machine & Foundry Company was a shipbuilder in Savannah.[78]
For years, Savannah was the home of Union Camp, which housed the world's largest paper mill. The plant is now owned by International Paper, and it remains one of Savannah's largest employers. Savannah is also home to the Gulfstream Aerospace company, maker of private jets, as well as various other large industrial interests. TitleMax is headquartered in Savannah. Morris Multimedia, a newspaper and television company, is also based in Savannah.
In 2000, JCB, the third-largest producer of construction equipment in the world and the leading manufacturer of backhoes and telescopic handlers, built its North American headquarters near Savannah in Pooler on I-95 near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. By 2023, Naturals2Go relocated to Savannah,[79] and Amazon has operated throughout Savannah and its metropolitan area since 2021.[80][81][82]
Beyond its architectural significance as being the nation's largest, historically restored urban area, the city of Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene, offering cultural events throughout the year.
Books and literature
- The Savannah Book Festival – an annual book fair held on Presidents' Day weekend in the vicinity of historic Telfair and Wright squares, includes free presentations by more than 35 contemporary authors. Special events with featured writers are offered at nominal cost throughout the year.[83]
- Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home[84] – a museum house dedicated to the work and life of the acclaimed fiction writer Flannery O'Connor, who was born in Savannah and lived in the city until the age of fifteen.[85] In addition to its museum, the house offers literary programming, including the annual Ursrey Lecture honoring American fiction writers.[86]
- Other notable authors with ties to Savannah include Conrad Aiken, Mary Kay Andrews, and James Alan McPherson. The songwriter Johnny Mercer was a native Savannahian.[87][88][89][90]
Dance
- Savannah Ballet Theatre – established in 1998 as a nonprofit organization, it has grown to become the city's largest dance company.[91]
Music
- The Coastal Jazz Association – presents a variety of jazz performances throughout the year in addition to hosting the annual Savannah Jazz Festival.[92]
- Savannah Children's Choir – non-profit, auditioned choir for children in 2nd through 8th grades that performs throughout the community and in annual holiday and spring concerts.[93]
- Savannah Concert Association – presents a variety of guest artists for chamber music performances each season. Performances are generally held in the Lucas Theatre for the Arts.[94]
- Savannah Music Festival – an annual music festival of diverse artists which is Georgia's largest musical arts festival and is nationally recognized as one of the best music festivals in the world.
- The Savannah Orchestra – Savannah's professional orchestra, which presents an annual season of classical and popular concert performances.[95]
- The Savannah Philharmonic – professional orchestral and choral organization presenting year round concerts (classical, pops, education).[96]
- The Savannah Winds – amateur concert band hosted by the music department of Georgia Southern University.[97]
- The Armstrong Youth Orchestra – Savannah's professional orchestra for elementary, middle school, high school and some college students.[98]
- Annual Haitian Flag Day – an annual festival of diverse artists, music, and various festivities.
Theater and performance
- The American Traditions Vocal Competition – an annual vocal competition that desires to foster and preserve traditions of musical expression significant in the culture of the United States in the past and present. The Competition includes the Johnny Mercer Award.[99]
- Savannah Children's Theatre – a nonprofit, year-round drama theater company geared toward offering elementary through high school students (and adults) opportunities for participation in dramatic and musical productions.[100]
- Savannah Community Theatre – a full theater season with a diverse programming schedule, featuring some of Savannah's finest actors in an intimate, three-quarter-round space.[101]
- Little Theatre of Savannah – founded in 1950, The Little Theatre of Savannah, Inc., is a nonprofit, volunteer-based community organization dedicated to the celebration of the theater arts. Recognizing the unique social value, expressive fulfillment and opportunity for personal growth that theater provides its participants, the Little Theatre of Savannah invites all members of the community to participate both on- and off-stage.[102]
- The Savannah Theatre – Savannah's only fully professional resident theater, producing music revues with live singers, dancers and the most rockin' band in town. Performances happen year-round, with several different titles and a holiday show.[103]
- The Savannah Repertory Theatre – part of the cultural fabric of Savannah since 2016 and the city's only nonprofit professional theater.
- Lucas Theatre for the Arts – founded in December 1921, the Lucas Theatre is one of several theaters owned by the Savannah College of Art and Design. It hosts the annual Savannah Film Festival.
- Trustees Theater – once known as the Weis Theater, which opened February 14, 1946, this theater reopened as the Trustees Theater on May 9, 1998, and hosts a variety of performances and concerts sponsored by the Savannah College of Art and Design. SCAD also owns the building.
- Odd Lot Improv – founded in 2010, a family-friendly improv comedy troupe performing weekly shows on Mondays and Fridays.[104]
- House of Gunt – alternative drag collective founded in 2013 with monthly shows at Club One on top of other performances around the city throughout the year.[105]
Visual and community arts
- Art Rise Savannah, Inc. – a local community nonprofit devoted to increasing access to the arts and improving opportunities for artists in the city.[106]