We made our last port of call in Florida on March 29th on Amelia Island. After 122 days of cruising the sunshine state we were officially 3 states away from Virginia. Wow, timing is flying by. Our first docking was in Brunswick, GA where we stayed for over 2 weeks. With April 15th quickly approaching we took a road trip home, to do taxes and visit family. We also unloaded the boat of all those things we thought were so important to have when we started our trip last May, that never got used. Needless to say the rental car had things crammed in every corner. 10 hours later, we were all glad to get back to our dirt home and out of the car. The week was busy but fun and when we left it was after many hugs and kisses, and no additional taxes due to Uncle Sam. Yoohoo!
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| North Carolina state line - a bit blurry so let me translate, 'North Carolina Tar Heels 2017 College Basketball Men's National Champions'. GO HEELS! (Ken was less than appreciative, hehe) |
We left Brunswick on the 17th and anchored out at Kilkenny Creek before arriving in Savannah on the 18th. This is one of my 'had to come here' stops. I had never been and couldn't wait to walk the squares and see all the historic homes. Since there was no way to see it all, we took a extensive historical bus tour, our first full day there. Our driver was fantastic and was even dressed in a colonial era outfit. We got to drive through all the squares in the historical district, down the water front, past Forsyth Park and even into neighboring districts. We learn a lot and it helped us to par down our list to must sees. We took lots of great pics but unfortunately, Ken's camera took an unexpected swim or I should say un-swim into the Wilmington River at Thunder Bolt Marina. I am sorry to say it did not survive its experience and all pics were lost were lost at sea. :( So, I have to make due with the few I have on my phone. Guess we will just have to come back to Savannah and do it all over again. :) But our memories are firmly in place. The historical district of the city was absolutely lovely, the history fascinating and the homes gorgeous. I look forward to coming again.
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| Savannah - Mrs. Wilkes Kitchen - View up from our waiting spot in line of Mrs. Wilkes steps. Line was down the block and got there an hour early to make sure we were in the first seating. It was a southern family style lunch with more yummy selections than we had room on our plate for. Worth the wait! |
After leaving with full tummies we set out to walk the squares and explore. There are monuments and statues everywhere dedicated to founding fathers, military and political leaders and heroes of all kinds. It seems every old home is lovingly cared for. What I enjoyed the most were all the vine covered entrances, steps and walls. And the wrought iron stairs and gates added to the charm. Some of sidewalks were even cobble stoned. That made it a bit of challenge to balance walking without tripping while starring up at the homes. But we manage to avoid any twisted ankles though did a bit of toe tripping. :)
On Madison Square we saw the Green-Meldrim House. It's in a gothic style and was built in the 1850s by Charles Green, a wealthy cotton merchant and shipbuilder. Though it was one of the most elaborate and expensive homes in Savannah, it is most famous for being the headquarters of General Sherman when the Federal troops marched unopposed into the city in 1864.
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| Savannah - Green-Meldrim House |
It was a sunny day but hot and humid, so we made many stops to either rest in the shade of trees in the squares or tour a few air-conditioned historical homes. All lovely and fascinating but picture-less for our blog. I did get pics at Colonial Park Cemetery. Since Ken's thinks I have an odd obsession with cemeteries, he's not surprised these were on my phone. In my defense, it really is a very historical cemetery. It opened in 1750 and by the time it was closed in 1850 to interments, there were 9000 graves sites. Among some of the most famous buried here is Button Gwinnett, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Since it was closed before the Civil War, there are no Confederate soldiers buried.
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| Savannah - Colonial Park Cemetery - This mausoleum became part of the iron gating around the cemetery when the city expanded the streets and put in sidewalks. And actually many graves are under the streets and sidewalks surrounding the cemetery, to allow for symmetry when streets were paved. |
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| Colonial Park Cemetery - Over the years many headstones became separated from the gravesites. Rather than dispose of them, they were set into the brick wall in the back of the cemetery. Very interesting. |
One of the homes we toured was Isaiah Davenport House on Columbia Square, The federal style home as built in 1820 and was the first home saved and restored by Historic Savannah Foundation founded in 1955, to stop the destruction of historically significant buildings in Savannah.
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| Davenport House |
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| Savannah - Wrought iron down spout in the shape of a fish. Our tour guide told us about it and I finally found it in our travels around the historic district. |
As we finished up our 2 days in Savannah, I realized that one of the places I really wanted to visit, we had cruised by on our way up and didn't realize it. So, with Ken on board (no pun intended), we did something we swore we would never do and burn dinosaurs to back track over waters we had been through. Soooo worth the time and 1/2 dinosaur, to visit Wormsloe Plantation, a 1736 Colonial Estate. This estate was built by Noble Jones, who one of the original colonists who came from England with James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe came to America in 1733 to establish the Georgia colony and subsequently Savannah and the now famous layout of town in cellular wards with a square in the center of each.
Jones, got a 500 acre lease, about 8 miles south of Savannah. With plans to farm the land, he began by building a fortified house as defense against the Spanish in St. Augustine and their Indian allies. Both his home and the 8' fortified walls surrounding the home are built from tabby, a combination of line, sand, oyster shells and water. It took 6 years to build the entire structure. Today the ruins are the oldest in the Savannah area. The more than 400 oak trees that line the roadway were planted Wymberley Jones De Renne in 1890s to commemorate the birth of his son. He also built the impressive entrance and arch to celebrate his son's coming of age, in 1913. The descendents of Noble Jones still live on the estate in a home built in 1828.
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| Wormsloe Plantation - Main entrance. Over the arch is engraved '1733 Wormsloe 1913'. 1733 for when Noble Jones arrived in Savannah and 1913 for the year the arch was erected. So very impressive with the 400 plus live oak trees lining the roadway. |
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| Wormsloe Plantation - It was a long walk but so worth it. We saw brides, a pregnant mom and others being professionally photographed along the way. It truly is a beautiful setting for pictures. |
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| In addition to ferns growing on the branches, we saw this palm plant growing in between the trunk and a branch |
After a mile and half walk we got to the ruins of the fortified tabby house. We walked the area of the house, the shoreline of Jones Narrows and the Jones family gravesite. All so interesting and worth the detour.
Lay out of structure, above left and view from north entrance gate, above right.
Walls of one of the bastions.
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| Along the Jones Narrows saw the bones of an old cedar tree. Below, can see the beautiful twistings of the wood. |
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| Jones Family Gravesite - the original burial site of Noble Jones, d.1775 and family members. All remains have since been moved to either Colonial Park or Bonaventure cemeteries. |
With this little but great side trip behind us we leave Georgia and head for South Carolina. About to be one state closer to good ole' Virginia.
PS from Roofus:
I am still recovering from my exercise and fresh air along the St. John's river so I did not mind the quiet time as my humans set out for long days in the Savannah area. Besides it was hot and I'm all about the AC and snuggling into my blanket. The only problem is I have to continually remind them that I do not like sitting in the pilot house. I maybe an old puppy but I have a long memory, and will never forget the rocking and rolling up there when crossing the Chesapeake Bay. They keep trying and I keep reminding them, the salon is where I belong (see my blog pic, where I am visibly anxious, pawing to get down and trying to figure out, if I jump, will I break a leg or not). Maybe before the end of this journey, they will figure it out but beginning to think they are not that smart. Sigh...but I love them anyway.
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