Savannah True History Tours

09/17/2024

in 1862, the United States experienced its deadliest day. Savannahians were not immune. Brigadier General Alexander Lawton’s Brigade was fiercely engaged as the Battle of Sharpsburg (called Antietam north of the Potomac) opened. Lawton’s Brigade, numbering 1,150 men that morning, lost 554 that day. Five of his six regimental commanders were casualties.

In the photo accompanying this post, you see the D.R. Miller Cornfield and a touch of the East Woods. If that photo was taken at 10 AM on September 17, 1862, you’d see nearly 8,000 killed and wounded Americans. Nearly 23,000 would become casualties across the full battlefield.

Lawton was seriously wounded and fortunate to escape with his life. He would not fully recover until 1863, and he never again held field command. He returned to Savannah after the war and was selected as the fifth President of the American Bar Association. He continued in public service with his appointment as Minister to Austria-Hungary. Lawton died in 1896 at the age of 77 and is buried in his beautiful family plot in Bonaventure.

Lawton receives mentions on both our Civil War and Dark History Tours. Because we’re geeks of the geekiest variety, we’d even be happy to show you his house - Just ask!

08/30/2024

Another big THANK YOU is in store! You voted us Savannah’s Best Group Activity and Brandon as Savannah’s Best Tour Guide in Savannah Magazine's annual poll! Savannah, you’ve embraced us from day one, and we’re so lucky to live in this amazing city. We’ll never stop researching and telling the TRUE history of Savannah, Georgia!

And by the way, it’s Labor Day Weekend! A huge weekend ahead full of family time and college football. If you’d like to get some exercise in while learning a little something, we have some great tours this weekend, including Savannah History Walks, Civil War Tours, and Dark History.

Thank you and have a great long weekend!

08/18/2024

Always happy to see my former colleagues at RNBP talking Savannah history!

Happy Birthday to Phoebe Yates Pember, born on August 18, 1823. As a "matron" at Chimborazo Hospital, she played a vital role in overseeing the care of thousands of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. At a time when few women held leadership positions, Pember, in her role as matron, attended to day to day soldier care in Division 2 (of 5) at Chimborazo. Her memoir, "A Southern Woman's Story," offers a glimpse into her remarkable life and provides valuable insight into the struggles of Southern women during the war. After the war, Pember traveled extensively across the United States before passing away from breast cancer on March 4, 1913. She is buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. Today, we honor her legacy as a trailblazing woman in history.

(Public Domain Photo, Courtesy of UNC Chapel Hill Libraries)

08/10/2024

Tondee’s plays a major role in Georgia’s Revolutionary story. It’s a stop on our Revolutionary War Tour!

08/09/2024

August 9, 2021: The day we got a new roommate. Three years with Max the dog! Many of y’all have met him and know just how lucky we are to have found this guy. He’s beloved by our entire family (and many patrons of The Original Pinkie Masters, The Wayward, Savannah, GA, and Clary's Cafe). Happy Gotcha Day to Max!

If you see him out today, he’ll gladly accept a pet, and of course, a Cheerio.

08/06/2024

This week’s weather caused us to do some digging: What was the wettest day in Savannah’s history? Answer: September 16, 1924 when Savannah received 9.02 inches of rain in 24 hours. Before hurricanes were named, they were numbered. Hurricane 5 formed in the Gulf of Mexico, marched its way across the Florida Panhandle, then tore through Georgia. This resulted in Savannah’s wettest day.

Once ol’ Debby finally moves out, we have a HUGE tour schedule this week, including our Savannah History Walk, Savannah History 101, Dark History, Civil War, Revolutionary War, and our brand new Savannah Orientation Tours. There’s something for everyone this week!

Stay safe and dry, y’all!

08/03/2024

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and donated on our tour today! Together, we raised $820 for Children Exceeding Expectations! We’re so appreciative to live in such a generous community. Thank you all!

08/02/2024

Sleep well tonight because tomorrow’s the day! Big shout out to everyone who RSVP’ed. We still have EIGHT spots available for tomorrow’s inaugural Savannah Orientation Tour benefiting Children Exceeding Expectations. If the tour doesn’t fill up via pre-tour email reservations, walk-ups will be welcome. Again, no fee for this tour. We merely ask for a donation to Children Exceeding Expectations.

If you need a history fix before then, we have both Dark History and Savannah History tours stepping off at 7:30 tonight.

See y’all soon!

07/30/2024

Saturday’s Orientation Tour benefiting Children Exceeding Expectations is now half-full. Walk-ups are welcome if the tour isn’t sold out, but we recommend locking in your slot via email: [email protected]

Savannah True History Tours will match in full the donation amount raised from this tour.

07/24/2024

Next Saturday, we’re rolling out a brand new tour. If you’ve followed us for a while, you know our first run at a tour is half-price. We’re going to do something a bit different this time - All proceeds will go to Brandon’s late father’s favorite charity: Children Exceeding Expectations. This is a free school for kids with cancer and life-threatening diseases. The last trip dad and I took was to a fundraiser he hosted for this group. He donated rare bourbons that were auctioned with every cent going to this group. We’ll do the same next week.

Now moving on from the sappy part, the new tour! What is it? Believe it or not, this one isn’t really a history tour at all. It’s our Savannah Orientation Tour.

If you’re new to Savannah or just want to learn some locals’ tips, this is for you. It’s a crash course on all things Savannah. We’ll give you just enough history to understand why there are so many Squares here, then we’ll dive into the city. You’ll learn of hole-in-the-wall restaurants and seafood shacks, locals-only dives, and maybe even more importantly, which tourist traps to avoid. We’ll stroll one the country’s most beautiful streets and discuss culinary treats unique to Savannah. You’ll also become acquainted with how to best get around the city. In our brief time together, you’ll learn of over 50 uniquely Savannah spots. The best part - You’ll have the opportunity to ask your expert guide any questions you have about this beautiful place.

Give us one hour, and we guarantee we’ll enhance your Savannah stay!

This tour will take place at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 3 in Chippewa Square. As mentioned, the only cost is a donation (Recommended minimum of $15, please). It runs one hour and covers about 3/4 mile. Well even try to get ol’ Max the Mascot there. Walk-ups are welcome, but should we hit capacity, those who RSVP to [email protected] will have priority.

Hope to see y’all then!

07/20/2024

Some great Savannah/Richmond/Roosevelt history from our friends, Shockoe Hill Cemetery!

07/19/2024

If you haven’t seen a show here, you absolutely should. Seeing Ken Block and Drew Copeland of Sister Hazel in this environment was something special, even if they’re Florida fans.

07/17/2024

Two big tour announcements! This Saturday at 10:30 AM, we’ll be offering our Civil War Tour. This particular tour is extra special as we’ll be bringing our group inside The Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah!

September 14 will be our first ever Going Bananas Tour. It’s our Savannah History Walk, but there’s a catch: You’ll be tested at the end on what you’ve learned. The highest score on this quiz wins, you guessed it, two tickets to that evening’s game! As you can imagine, this tour will likely fill up fast.

Hope to see you on a tour soon!

07/05/2024

UPDATE - This tour is now full. We'll hold another in the near future. Thank you!

The Button Gwinnett Monument inside Colonial Park Cemetery. Is he under it? Was he really killed in a duel just outside the cemetery? Well guess what - We know the answers, and tomorrow you will, too!

Our famous Colonial Park Tour is back for one day only. Saturday, July 6. 10:30 AM. Tickets on our website.

And don’t forget, we still have some tickets available for tonight’s Dark History Tour!

06/27/2024

As our country’s birthday quickly approaches, we have quite a tour schedule lined up! Here are a few highlights:

-Civil War Tour: 6/29 at 10:30 AM
-Revolutionary Savannah Tour: 7/5 at 2:30 PM
-Colonial Park Cemetery Tour: 7/6 at 10:30 AM

Remember that we’re offering our Savannah History Walk each day this summer at 10:00 and 2:00, as well as our Dark History Tour Monday-Saturday. See a tour you’re interested in, but it’s not offered on your day of choice? Just call us!

Come find out why we’re consistently voted Savannah’s best.

06/26/2024

It’s time to correct more Savannah legends!

Today, we saw a social media ad for a local tour company. The post had three major inaccuracies: The Cathedral was completed in 1896, duels were fought behind Colonial Park Cemetery, and the Declaration of Independence was read from the Old Pink House (which they claim was built in 1771, also incorrect) in August of 1776. We’ve taken on the first two previously: The Cathedral on our St. Pat’s Tour and the dueling myth in both previous posts and our tours. Let’s now dismantle the Pink House myth.

Yes, James Habersham, Jr. bought the lot in 1771, but the house came later. Joseph Clay, Habersham, Jr’s first cousin, built the house around 1789, hence no reading of the Declaration there in 1776. Both the Library of Congress and the Digital Library of Georgia back this date.

As for the reading of the Declaration, that may have actually occurred up to four times on August 10, 1776. The first was likely at Tondee’s Tavern, and the GHS agrees. We also know it was read in Johnson Square. It was also likely read in or near the New Council House, which occupied the southeastern Trust Lot by Reynolds Square. Technically, Habersham’s lot may have heard the reading, but the Pink House did not.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that many tour operators in Savannah simply do not know how to research. Research is more than reading a book. Research is spending time in archives and libraries, poring through old newspapers, locating firsthand accounts, seeking out obscure dissertations, and then synthesizing and comparing all of that information to determine what actually happened. We spent 18 months writing our first tour. We wanted it to be Savannah’s most comprehensive. We took the same care in our other tours as well.

There’s a reason you hear no urban legends, myths, or falsehoods on our tours - We’ve done the research.

Speaking of, both former National Park Service Ranger Brandon and college history professor Rod are giving tours this week - Come join!

06/22/2024

Two tours with Dr. Rod today: 2:00 Savannah History Walk and 7:30 Dark History!

06/17/2024

With yesterday’s sad Moon River news, it got us thinking: Which other food & beverage places from our past do we sorely miss? In no particular order and not including the given (Moon River), we threw together a top-10 list of the places we will forever miss:

1. Closed for Business, Charleston
2. The Distillery, Savannah
3. City Dogs (OG Cary Street location), Richmond
4. Richbrau Brewing (also Cary Street), Richmond
5. Jen’s & Friend’s, Savannah
6. Motz’s, Colonial Heights, TN
7. MacLeod’s, Knoxville
8. Studio Brew, Bristol, VA
9. Buxton Hall, Asheville
10. The Craftsman, Charleston

Very close honorable mentions:

-Yukon Steakhouse, Virginia Beach ($5 lunches and $1 Sam Adams - the reason I had no Friday afternoon classes my last year of law school)
-Portsmouth Brewing, Portsmouth, NH
-Kevin Barry’s, Savannah
-Ghost Coast Distilling, Savannah
-Regal Beagle, Virginia Beach
-Pour House, Boston
-The Big Hunt, DC
-Craft Conundrum, Charleston
-The Bucket Trade, Chester, VA
-Lynnhaven Fish House, Virginia Beach
-Pizza Hut, Colonial Heights, TN (Home to post-game middle school football celebrations and quite a few visits with my dad for its $5 lunch buffet)

I’m sure I’ll wake up in a sweat this week when I remember some place I left off.

Which places make your list?

06/17/2024

Some places just mean more.

Moon River Brewing Company opened in 1999. My first visit was in 2008 or 2009. Like many patrons, I was a tourist. In the Summer of 2019, something crazy happened: My law firm folded, and I accepted a job in Savannah. One of our first stops, not surprisingly, was Moon River. The rest, as they say, is history.

We had our rehearsal dinner here. The first place our kids ever saw after the hospital and home was Moon River. I was put on TV here. And the radio. My kid has been behind the bar here (on New Year’s Eve no less). We’ve both dominated trivia and been embarrassed here. One of the first articles of clothing our oldest had was a Moon River onesie (Which our youngest wore tonight). I’ve given many a tour here, proudly protecting this building’s true history from those who took it for granted. Max has scavenged a lot of people food off the beer garden floor. We’ve visited weekly. Where else can you get great beer while comfortably hanging out with the kids and dog? Couldn’t decide on where to have dinner on a Saturday night? Welp, I know a place. We were here a lot. A LOT. And we’re going to miss it. A lot.

We wish all the best to the Pinkerton’s and the Moon River family. We’ve made some amazing friends at this place. It will not soon be forgotten.

“Sorry, we’re closed.” - Sam Malone

06/15/2024

As I wait for this morning’s tour to begin, I heard the latest edition of “Lies Told by Savannah Tour Guides.”

“The Live Oaks in Johnson Square have been there since Oglethorpe’s time. They’re at least 290 years old.”

Those trees date to about 1900 FYI. If a tour’s main selling point is that it’s free, you’re getting what you pay for.

06/14/2024

At last, the final day of the 35-Day Civil War Battlefields Cruise. We began the morning with a walk around Seminary Ridge. We discussed the fighting that took place there on July 1, and some guests visited the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center. From there, it was an excellent lunch at , then back to the battlefield. I led a group from the Virginia Monument to the Angle, directly in the path of those Confederates who were part of Pickett’s Charge. Nothing quite brings Gettysburg home like that walk. After the Charge, we returned to Culp’s Hill to take in the view from its tower. We concluded the day by exploring the town and dinner at Mansion House 1757. Our guests will still be talking about that dinner weeks from now.

With the exception of an absolutely horrendous experience provided by Delta Air Lines on the return trip, I loved my experience with this cruise. Can’t wait for next year!