On February 12, 1733, British General James Edward Oglethorpe arrived on the bluffs above the Savannah River with 114 colonists aboard the ship Anne. He established the 13th and final American colony of Georgia, forging a critical peace treaty with Yamacraw Chief Tomochichi that would shape the city's early years.

Oglethorpe's revolutionary city plan — a repeating grid of streets, blocks, and open public squares — was unlike anything in the colonial world, and it remains remarkably intact today. He divided the city into wards, each centered on a public square surrounded by civic buildings and residential lots. Originally 24 squares were built; 22 survive today.

These squares are the soul of Savannah — shaded by ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, adorned with fountains and monuments, and beloved by residents and visitors alike. No two squares are quite the same.

Beauty and darkness have always coexisted in Savannah. The city was devastated by yellow fever epidemics throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, survived the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, and sits atop layers of forgotten burials — beneath squares, beneath streets, beneath your hotel.

It is widely believed that this troubled history — the wars, the epidemics, the tragedies — is precisely why Savannah is consistently ranked as one of the most haunted cities in America. When Savannah says it's haunted, it means it.

Understanding Savannah's layout will transform your visit. This isn't a city you can figure out from behind a car window — it rewards walkers, wanderers, and those willing to turn down an unfamiliar lane. The squares are your navigation points; learn a few key streets and you'll never feel lost.