Off we went on our bikes, to save ourselves from the long day and tired feet of yesterday! Savannah is such an easy place to bike in, this was a great choice!
Williams-Mercer House
We hopped on, crossed the street and went through Forsyth Park, past the historic fountain under repair, and off to the Williams-Mercer House located at 429 Bull Street, Savannah GA. After finding the carriage house, where the shops are now located and the tours start, we had time to shop a bit before the tour.
This home, the setting for the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, has its own historic secrets. Family descendants still live on the upper floor, but the lower floor is open for tours. Clearly an amazing amount of thought went into its construction with things like shutters inside the house that recess into the walls, and a “moat” of sorts around the outside that drew in the cool air to keep the home cool even back in the 1800s before A/C came along!
Small purchases made and a shawl spinning around in Shawna’s head which would have to be considered for a day or two before a decision to purchase would be made.
Through Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, or The Bobsey Twins!
Adventure Awaits
03
Relax & Read
Books On Bay
Next it was off to Books on Bay, the bookstore that used to be on Bay Street until the lease ran out and they moved to 411 Abercorn Street.
Here we find a number of first editions, books from the 1800’s and collections! They also had water and M&M’s, as well as Peanut M&M’s so who could complain about that. Friendly staff and an amazing relaxing interior space.
Dragonflies, Sailboats & Local Artists At Their Best
Of course, the next place we would run into would be an artisan store and why in the world wouldn’t one shop where Adam Sandler shops, lol. Actually, who cares, the creations in here are so unique and beautiful that it’s completely worth it. But being smart, Melissa shopped, asked questions and left with the attitude “I’ll consider the purchases and plan to return tomorrow if the items still resonate with me tomorrow!” Guess what, we went back, smart shopper!
The Pirate’s House
The Pirate’s House contains what is said to be the oldest structure in the state of Georgia. This little cabin sat in what was originally part of a botanical garden established by the Georgia Trustees. The small cabin was known as the Herb House and originally housed the gardener for the Trustee’s Experimental Garden. With Savannah’s strict laws about their historic buildings, the Herb House is fully in tact standing just the same as it was when it was first built.
The historic restaurant and inn that stood nearby was originally built in 1753 and was created as a place of refuge for weary seafarer’s who docked at the bustling Savannah River Port. It very quickly became the meeting point for pirates and sailors from the seven seas. It is located just a block from the Savannah River, it served as a natural gathering place for the rough maritime crowd that frequented Savannah’s busy port in the 1700s.
After falling into disrepair over time the Pirates’ House and surrounding land was acquired by The Savannah Gas Company and it caught the interest of Mrs. Hansell Hilyer, wife of the president of the company. She renewed the house museum into the restaurant of the present day and connected the Herb House to the main building itself, blending historical atmosphere with hospitality. The Pirate’s House is a restaurant serves food in it’s 15 charming dining rooms, ach with its own character and maritime-themed decor.
During the renovation a number of interesting things were uncovered, including a tunnel from what was the courtyard out to the river, and another underground area that no one is quite sure what it was used for?
The building is associated with Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, giving it additional fame in popular culture and literature.
Treasure Island!
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote “Treasure Island.” The novel was first published as a book in 1883, though it initially appeared as a serial in the children’s magazine “Young Folks” from 1881-1882 under the title “The Sea Cook.”
Stevenson was a Scottish author who became one of the most celebrated writers of adventure fiction. “Treasure Island” was actually his first major success and helped establish many of the pirate tropes we recognize today – including treasure maps marked with an “X,” one-legged seamen, and the famous parrot-toting Long John Silver.
The book was inspired partly by a map that Stevenson drew for his stepson, and it became one of the most beloved adventure novels ever written. It’s particularly notable for being one of the first major works to be written specifically for a young adult audience while still appealing to adult readers.
Bonaventure Cemetary
Historic Splurge
After an interesting return from the cemetery we needed ice cream! Finding a cute little sign, we locked up our bikes and stepped inside…. to a strange little shop with a silly little cooler full of prewrapped, packed ice cream bars and popsicles. Well, the tables outside were cute, so why not… Well – why not – maybe the price tag of $5.00 for a popsicle and $6.00 for an ice cream bar. But we were here and so it goes, one historic splurge based on what I still say was false advertising through a cute little sign on the sidewalk!
History & Hauntings
With a twisted handlebar fix and repair of Shawna’s bike rack, a somewhat scary ride home from the cemetery, little did we know that our ghost tour would actually reveal ghosts during our visit to Juliette Gordon’s home. In fact, it wasn’t until much later that they surfaced…
At the corner of Bull & Oglethorpe Streets in the heart of Savannahs Historic District, stands the birthplace of Juliette Gordon, founder of the Girl Scouts. Juliette was born to William Washington Gordon and Eleanor “Nellie” Kinzie Gordon on October 31, 1860. For two decades this prominent family contributed to the deep history of Savannah.
William Washington Gordon, Willie, was son of Ambrose Gordon. Little Willie was named after his father’s commanding officer, who also a nephew of the first president. Willie’s mother, Elizabeth, was a spirited woman who defied the ban on trade with England during the War of 1812. She is said to have shipped her cotton down the Savannah River while sitting atop of the bales in a rocking chair. Her hope was that the soldiers would be too chivalrous to fire at a woman.
Little Willie was the first Georgian to graduate from West Point, the founder of the Central Georgia Railroad, and the first Gordon to live in the house.
Juliette, nicknamed Daisy, experienced several ear injuries, resulting in almost total hearing loss that affected her for the rest of her life. Although she married William Mackay Low in 1886, however they did not have any children. when her husband passed in 1905, she wondered what her life’s purpose was? The personal crises led her to find her life’s calling – founding the Girl Scouts of America in 1912. Her birthplace at 10 East Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah GA was the first National Historic Landmark in Savannah. The home, built in 1818-1821 was restored to its 1886 features and original furnishings. It now operates as a museum celebrating Juliette’s legacy and the Gordon family’s role in Savannah history.
It’s also the place to stumble into a ghost or two, if you look carefully. And then… the Downtowner, free Uber, and off to bed.
haunted Gatherings
Do You See What I See?
They say old houses in Savannah have stories to tell – sometimes you just hav to know wher to look for they storyteller.
