Savannah Vacation News

Spring or Fall is the right season for Savannah’s Tour of Homes

Beautiful fall weather and the lure of exploring a distinct variety of architectural styles of Italianate Row Homes, Colonial era Cottages, and Victorian Townhouses brought even more robust throngs of tour goers to downtown Savannah’s historic district last weekend than normal.  As usual the fall tour of homes and tea weekend was a resounding success as the weather cooperated right on cue to the delight of the large turnout. As in previous years, the tour is a wonderful community builder among historic district residents as well as visitor’s to the landmark historic district alike where Savannahians can share our pride and delight as demonstrated with our select award winning architectural wonders that made the cut for this year's inclusion of featured homes and gardens.

So many images come to mind when reflecting over the fall tour experience just completed last week as well as the equally well received spring tour of homes and gardens this past March. Considered by many experts the greatest living example of an explosion of antebellum through Victorian era architectural influences, Savannah’s landmark historic district has been the go to venue to see these exquisitely renovated exterior and interior masterpieces in coastal Georgia’s own inimitable lowcountry townhouse style in both the spring and fall season tour of homes.  For over 70 years now, Christ Church and The Historic District Foundation have worked together to put on the spring tour of homes and gardens.  Not to be outdone, St. Vincent’s Academy and St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital have presented the fall tour of homes and tea for an equally impressive number of years.  No tour of Savannah’s Historic District is complete without perusing the interiors of our impressive aggregate of showcase homes and you would be hard pressed to beat the scheduled private tour, either in the fall or the spring.

SCAD Alumni Show House

The SCAD Alumni Show House is located at 126 W. Harris Street. This elegant house overlooks Pulaski Square, and is just "kitty-corner" across from our property listing #1067.

The house boasts more than 8000 sq. ft. with an intimate garden and carriage house. The house has had many owners over the years, including the famous antiques dealer Jim Williams, who purchased the house in 1973.

SCAD Alumni will create design and lifestyle rooms in the home. This event will offer design aficionados an unsurpassed opportunity to see one of the historic districts premier properties embellished by the talents of SCAD Alumni design professionals.

The show house will be open from October 6 to November 3, 2007. Tickets are $20.

Davenport House Museum offers unique holiday tour

The Isaiah Davenport House Museum welcomes you to a December Interpretation November 20th through December 31st. The official website states:

The understated taste of an authentic Federal-style holiday season in Savannah is the story the Davenport House Museum tells in December. Tours explore how the Davenports celebrated Christmas and New Year’s between the years 1820-1827.

This fascinating tour will run throughout the holiday season. Tickets are $8 per adult, $5 for children 6-17. Children under 6 are free.

Fall 2007 Tour of Homes in Savannah

On Saturday, October 20, 2007, St. Joseph’s/Candler will present St. Vincent's Annual Historic Tour & Tea.

This popular self-guided tour includes the original Convent building and eight private homes in Savannah's Historic District. This is the only tour of homes this fall in Savannah.

The centerpiece of this self-guided tour is the tea, homemade confections and traditional tea sandwiches served on the grounds of the Convent. Proceeds benefit the Historic preservation of the original 1845 Convent building.

Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 20th and costs $35 per person.

Come see for yourself why native Savannahians and out-of-towners alike say this annual fall event is “the best tour in Savannah.”

Steady as she goes for Savannah’s downtown facelift and Ellis Square Restoration

Back in 2006 as we commented about in an online post, Savannah was recognized as one of the top 10 hot spots for entrepreneurs with all of the “vibrant growth to the Hostess City.”  Back then, we excerpted a blog that reported that “Savannah has never been a stranger to contemporary design with influences like the Savannah College of Art and Design. A move toward a more modern aesthetic is something that needs to be carefully studied and considered in order for it to fit in with the rich context and architectural styles that exist in Savannah today. Fortunately, the City's Historic Review Board and organizations like the Historic Savannah Foundation are mindful of this. Their scrutiny and vigilance will ensure that Savannah never loses its historic character even as it moves into the future. In the year ahead all indications are that quality mixed-use development will reach out in new directions.”

And the beat goes on for forward leaning Savannah as this grand old lady keeps on keeping on with her visionary blending of new and old infrastructure as she maintains her prime strategic geographic leadership role while fulfilling the many needs of the residents of coastal Georgia. Now that the back portion of the City Market Parking Garage construction has finally come up to street level over the past few weeks to provide a base for the resurrection of Ellis Square, Savannah's historic district balances her rich architecture with her need to adapt in spite of all the delays.  Take the You Tube tour driving up Bull Street below as far as the Sorrel-Weed House as you weigh the wonderful old architecture in the vidcast against the stills of the new construction and more modern buildings in the blog post.