Savannah, GA

General James Edward Oglethorpe and the 120 travelers of the good ship “Anne” landed on a bluff high along the Savannah River in February 1733; Oglethorpe named the thirteenth and final American colony, Georgia, after England’s King George II. Savannah became its first city.

The colony of Georgia was also chartered to be a buffer zone for South Carolina protecting it from the advance of the Spanish in Florida. Under the original charter, individuals were free to worship as they pleased and rum, lawyers and slavery were forbidden – for a time.

Upon settling, Oglethorpe was aided by the native Yamacraw Indian chief Tomo-chi-chi. Oglethorpe and Tomo-chi-chi pledged their friendship and good-will, and the Yamacraw chief granted the new arrivals permission to settle Savannah on the bluff. The town flourished without warfare and hardship that stifled the beginnings of so many of America’s early colonies.

Oglethorpe and 19 associates received a charter from the King of England making them “Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America.” The plan was to aid the working poor in England, and to strengthen the colonies by increasing trade. The colony of Georgia was also chartered to be a buffer zone for South Carolina protecting it from the advance of the Spanish in Florida. Under the original charter, individuals were free to worship as they pleased and rum, lawyers and slavery were forbidden – for a time.

Upon settling, Oglethorpe was aided by the native Yamacraw Indian chief Tomo-chi-chi. Oglethorpe and Tomo-chi-chi pledged their friendship and good-will, and the Yamacraw chief granted the new arrivals permission to settle Savannah on the bluff. The town flourished without warfare and hardship that stifled the beginnings of so many of America’s early colonies.

Savannah is credited as being America’s first planned city. Oglethorpe laid the city out in a series of grids that allowed for wide open streets intertwined with shady public squares and parks that served as town meeting places and centers of business. Savannah had 24 original squares with 21 still in existence.