YOUR KEY TO THE CITY
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Welcome To KEY TO THE CITY's Page For
Savannah
Chatham County, Georgia
ZipCodes
31401, 31405, 31406, 31409, 31410, 31411
Motto
Georgia's First City
Turf Grass Capital of the World
The Garden City
History & History-related items
Chamber of Commerce.
Organizations, Churches, and Sports.
Here is a map of downtown Savannah
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Climate
sub-tropical with hot summers and mild winters.
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History & History Related Items
Savannah, located in the last of the 13 original colonies, had its beginnings when General James Edward Oglethorpe and 120 weary travelers from the English ship Ann ended their journey at Yamacraw Bluff in 1733. Oglethorpe is credited with creating the first "planned" city in the Untied States; the same year the colonists landed, a carefully laided-out town became reality. The shady squares and parks that give Savannah an air all its own were created two and a half centuries ago. Forsythe Park is the center piece of this city square layout. The Savannah City Hall is crowned with a golden dome and is located at the intersection of Bull and Bay. Savannah contains the oldest orginal historic structures in Georgia and many of its buildings are on the Nation Register.
The city grew and flourished as its preeminence as a port and trade center became acknowledged; for almost a century the Savannah Cotton Exchange set world cotton prices. During these decades of the mid-1700s to mid-1800s, Savannah prided itself on its cultural and social identity, and its residents built lavish homes that reflected the affluence of the times. Savannah's luck changed with the onslaught of the Civil War, a period punctuated by blockades and the stifling of the city's trading economy.
As the city struggled to rebuild its economy after the war, the original residential and trading centers were slowly abandoned. In the 1950s, the first efforts at restoration of the historic district began. Savannah found its identity again, this time as a preserver of the invaluable past. After more than 40 years of determined and creative efforts, Savannah's heritage has become a vital part of her present and future. Savannah is the county seat of Chatham County.
Learn more about Savannah History on this informative history page.
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Attractions
Savannah is the subject and the setting of the 1994 best-selling book by New York author John Berendt, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.'' A movie by the same name, based on the book and directed by Clint Eastwood, was released in late 1997.
Dozens of other movies have been fimed in whole or in part in Savannah, including "Glory," "Gator," "Cape Fear," "The Gingerbread Man," "Now and Then" and "Forrest Gump." "The Legend of Bagger Vance" was filmed here by Robert Redford in 2000. In addition, a few of Savannah's more unique locations can be found in "Forces of Nature" (including the large globe of the world seen at a restaurant behind Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck, actually a water tower, which is located approximately 4 miles south of the city, at the intersection of DeRenne and Abercorn Extension).
Savannah's claim to fame is its annual St. Patrick's Day celebration, the largest in the Southeast and among the largest in the nation. The March 17 festivities typically draw 200,000 to 400,000 people to the city.
Website for Savannah Georgia
Savannah Area Information Center
639 E Park Ave
Savannah, GA 31401-6642
Phone: 912-232-6373
Savannah Visitors Center
301 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Savannah, GA 31415-4217
Phone: 912-944-0455
Savannah History Museum
303 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Savannah, GA 31415-4217
Phone: 912-238-1779
Savannah Science Museum
4405 Paulsen St
Savannah, GA 31405-3637
Phone: 912-355-6705
Savannah Tourist Guide
7505 Waters Ave
Savannah, GA 31406-3825
Phone: 912-355-1740
Ships Of The Sea
41 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Savannah, GA 31415-2435
Phone: 912-232-1511
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Savannah is governed by a Mayor, eight aldermen and a city manager
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