Something About Savannah

River St

Cotton was king in the 1880s. When the Cotton Exchange was completed, Savannah was the top exporter from the Atlantic seaboard and number two in the world. Nearby was a marker commemorating Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin. 

Indeed, Savannah had become such a notable trade center that it also earned the name "Wall Street Of The South". This too is part of "Factor's Walk" which is a series of walkways and bridges that connected the businessmen of town to the counting houses and river boats docked behind these buildings.

The shots above and below gives you an idea just how the trade houses stood between the river and the town. Factor's Walk runs along the bridge and off to the left. Riverfront Savannah is famous for its ironwork with many ornate pedestrian bridges and spans. The cobblestone, for the most part, is ballast from long departed sailing ships.

Definitely gentrified now but no less attractive, this end corner is all part of the same block of buildings as in the previous pictures. Though the "X's" look like graffiti, they are actually iron ties designed to give strength to the old walls made of concrete or tabbi.

There is quite a cost of redoing some of the old cobble - lots of hand labor. The irony is the road is no less bumpy.

Today river trade is measured in rising passenger counts. This is the "American Star," sister ship to the one we sailed on. Savannah is a perfect small ship destination with so much of its 20 square block historic district within easy walking distance of the docks.

Savannah draws many more tourists than those just delivered by ship. That's Savannah's Convention Center across the channel and access from the riverfront can be obtained by ferry. When General Sherman decided not to burn Savannah, he did the town, and America, a real favor.