Waterfront Historical Marker
Posted by Melanie at 3:57 pm
Symbolizing the importance of the Savannah River to the health and wellbeing of Savannah, GA as a city, the historical marker located on the heart of River Street behind City Hall reminds visitors and citizens alike of the waterway’s historical significance and financial contributions.
In 1733, the colony of Georgia began in Savannah, on what would become the riverfront. James Edward Oglethorpe and his contingency of 120 settlers sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and up the Savannah River to discover this amazing city.
Serving as a colonial port, exporter of cotton, and/or tourist destination, the waterfront has shown its malleability to sustain commerce.
The first dock for ocean-going ships and commercial house opened in 1744 and the area continued to support cotton exportation throughout the 19th century. Construction on Factor’s Walk, as it is known today, began in the early 1800s and once housed multi-storied warehouses with cotton brokers’ offices resided on the top level. Today the upper and lower levels of Factor’s Walk are inhabited by a plethora of business offices, restaurants, retailers, attorneys, etc.
Navigational issues began plaguing the incoming ships and the US Congress appropriated funds to remove wrecks, dredge sandbars, and construct jetties in 1920. Channels were to be expanded to widths of 150’ – 200’ from their previous depths of 8’-10’ and 13’-17’.
River Street, as we know it, was created with cobbled ballast stones in 1834. City of Savannah employees still turn those stones on a routine basis so the wear and tear on them does not become uneven.
In 1956, the last cotton office on the waterfront was closed and River Street revitalization began in 1977. The actual historic marker was erected by The Georgia Historical Society and the Savannah Waterfront Association in 2001.
