(Three southbound and three northbound trains make daily stops at the Savannah terminal).

The Savannah Book Festival – an annual book fair held on Presidents' Day weekend in the vicinity of historic Telfair and Wright squares, includes free presentations by more than 35 contemporary authors. Savannah, Georgia is a charming Southern escape where art, period architecture, trendy boutiques and ghost stories are all set under a veil of Spanish moss. The Savannah Civic Center on Montgomery Street is host to more than nine hundred events each year. In addition, several pumping stations have been built to help reduce the effects of flash flooding. [39] The departments have a number of specialty units, including K-9, SWAT, Bomb Squad, Marine Patrol, Dive, Air Support and Mounted Patrol. [7] The Census Bureau's 2019 estimated population of the Savannah metropolitan area, defined by the Census Bureau as Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham counties, was 393,353. [90] In early 2018, however, the administration announced that the school would close at the end of the spring semester.[91]. It is also located near the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway. Franklin Square is the site of Savannah's Haitian Monument, which commemorates the heroic efforts of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue in the 1779 Siege of Savannah and for an independent America. Savannah is also home to most of the schools in the Chatham County school district, the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. [22][24], Savannah is at risk for hurricanes, particularly of the Cape Verde type of storms that take place during the peak of the season. Savannah is also the location of Ralston College, a liberal arts college founded in 2010.[89]. That reflects an increase of 668 incidents from 2007. The Coastal Buzz is the metro area's only media company dedicated to "positive news." ), Savannah was most recently affected by an active 2016 hurricane season, including Hurricane Matthew (which made a partial eyewall landfall),[26] and was brushed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The group will investigate disparities in our city and use data to identify, prioritize and tackle these issues. The expanded program opened in August 2008 with 30 first-year students. Recognizing the unique social value, expressive fulfillment and opportunity for personal growth that theater provides its participants, the Little Theatre of Savannah invites all members of the community to participate both on- and off-stage. Tybee Island, formerly known as "Savannah Beach", is the site of the Tybee Island Light Station, the first lighthouse on the southern Atlantic coast. The Georgia Historical Society, an independent educational and research institution, has a research center in Savannah. The per capita income for the city was $16,921. More than 100 distinct neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of the city: Downtown (Landmark Historic District and Victorian District), Midtown, Southside, Eastside, Westside, and Southwest/West Chatham (recently annexed suburban neighborhoods).

For years, Savannah was the home of Union Camp, which housed the world's largest paper mill. November and December are the driest months recorded at Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport. [54], Savannah's architecture, history, and reputation for Southern charm and hospitality are internationally known. In 2009–2017, Savannah was North America's fourth largest port for shipping container traffic. Oatland Island Wildlife Center – located east of Savannah, a facility owned and operated by the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education and featuring wildlife from surrounding coastal Georgia and South Carolina. Official records for Savannah were kept at downtown from January 1871 to April 1945. In 2008, residential burglary was up by almost 40 percent. About 17.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. Trustees Theater – once known as the Weis Theater, which opened February 14, 1946, this theater reopened as the Trustees Theater on May 9, 1998, and hosts a variety of performances and concerts sponsored by the Savannah College of Art and Design. The total number of violent crimes in the Savannah-Chatham County reporting area ran just above 1,000 per year from 2003 through 2006. Mayor Van R. Johnson, II, and the Savannah City Council announced the selection of Michael Brown as interim City Manager to replace Patrick Monahan who will retire on Nov. 1. In popular culture, the square holds the park bench seen in the 1994 film Forrest Gump where Gump dispenses wisdom to others waiting for a bus.[80]. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. Various centers for shopping exist about the city including Abercorn Common, Savannah Historic District, Oglethorpe Mall, Savannah Mall and Abercorn Walk. Savannah was seldom affected by hurricanes during the 20th century, with one exception of being hit by Hurricane David in 1979. The Savannah Orchestra – Savannah's professional orchestra, which presents an annual season of classical and popular concert performances. Veterans Parkway — Links Interstate 516 and southside/midtown Savannah with southside Savannah, and is intended to move traffic quicker from north–south by avoiding high-volume Abercorn Street. Savannah is a city of diverse neighborhoods. TitleMax is headquartered in Savannah. [96], An additional increase in burglaries occurred in 2008 with 2,429 residential burglaries reported to Savannah-Chatham police that year. Connect Savannah is an alternative free weekly newspaper focused on local news, culture and music.

[36] The population density was 1,759.5 people per square mile (679.4/km2).
In the city, the age distribution was as follows: 25.6% were under the age of 18, 13.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. Property crimes saw a 5.3 percent decline, which included a 5.2 percent reduction in residential burglary. The city restored Ellis Square after razing the City Market parking garage. The First Bryan Baptist Church is an African-American church that was organized by Andrew Bryan in 1788.

The DOT (Downtown Transportation) system provides fare free transportation in the Historic District. The Belles Ferry connects the island with the mainland, as does the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is located off Interstate 95 west of Savannah. Its production under the plantation system and shipment through the Port of Savannah helped the city's European immigrants to achieve wealth and prosperity. Savannah is a place where cuisine comes straight from the coast and cocktails are served at every meal.

Founded in 1733, with the establishment of the Georgia colony, Christ Church is the longest continuous Christian congregation in Georgia. Fort Jackson (named for the Georgia politician James Jackson, not Andrew Jackson) lies on the Savannah River, one mile east of Savannah's Historic District. During the same year, statistics show a 29 percent increase in arrests for Part 1 crimes. Each year, Savannah reports 24 days on average with low temperatures below freezing, though in some years fewer than 10 nights will fall below freezing. The Savannah Morning News is Savannah's only daily newspaper. [25] However, the historical record shows that the city was frequently affected during the second half of the 19th century. Experience Savannah's Rich Gullah Geechee Heritage. Today, 22 are still in existence. In 2009, 30 homicides were reported, four more than the year before.

Fort Pulaski National Monument, located on Cockspur Island, 17 miles (27 km) east of Savannah, preserves the largest fort protecting the city during the war. The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department was established on January 1, 2005, after the Savannah Police Department and Chatham County Police Department merged. [94] Services include express shuttle buses and a ferry between City Hall, the Waving Girl statue and the Trade & Convention Center on Hutchinson Island.[95].

The city currently uses five canals. Election Day is Nov. 3, and Savannahians need to start planning how they will vote. [92][93] Along the trail, visitors can observe native animals, such as Florida panthers, Eastern timber wolves, and alligators in their natural habitat. Savannah lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) upriver from the Atlantic Ocean.

Performances are generally held in the Lucas Theatre For The Arts. Mercer University began a four-year doctor of medicine program in August 2008 at Memorial University Medical Center. In 2007, Savannah-Chatham recorded a sharp increase in home burglaries but a sharp decrease in larcenies from parked automobiles. The plant is now owned by International Paper, and it remains one of Savannah's largest employers. Discover all this city has to offer when you book your Savannah getaway.

Also, 46 rapes were reported, nine more than the year before. Savannah's historic district has 22 squares (Ellis Square, demolished in 1954, was fully restored in early 2010). Savannah is the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in the state of Georgia. The Savannah Winds – amateur concert band hosted by the music department of Armstrong State University. [21], Savannah's climate is classified as humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa).
Muse Arts Warehouse – founded in 2010, Muse Arts Warehouse is a nonprofit organization committed to community-building through the arts by providing a venue that is available, affordable, and accessible to Savannah's individual artists, arts organizations and the public. Savannah Children's Choir – non-profit, auditioned choir for children in 2nd through 8th grades that performs throughout the community and in annual holiday and spring concerts. The new system makes city service requests more convenient, efficient and customer-focused than they have ever been in Savannah’s history. Built between 1808 and 1812 to protect the city from attack by sea, it was one of several Confederate forts defending Savannah from Union forces during the Civil War. Non-Hispanic Whites were 32.6% of the population in 2010,[36] compared to 46.2% in 1990.[37]. American Prohibition Museum – Located in Savannah's City Market, this unique museum displays the history of.

Portions of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile-long system of trails from Maine to Florida, run through Savannah. [81] The current sanctuary of First Bryan Baptist Church was constructed in 1873. Lodging, dining, entertainment, and visitor-related transportation account for over $2 billion in visitors' spending per year and employ over 17,000. Winters in Savannah are mild and sunny with average daily high temperatures close to 60 °F (16 °C). The official 2020 Insider's Guide is your go-to reference for all things Savannah! This information can be found here. The Union Army bombarded Fort Pulaski in April 1862 with the aid of a new rifled cannon. A strategic port city in the American Revolution and during the American Civil War, Savannah is today an industrial center and an important Atlantic seaport. Come and discover the enchanting soul of Savannah. Savannah is prone to flooding, due to abundant rainfall, an elevation at just above sea level, and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater surge risk during hurricanes. By 2011, the Bureau reported that the number of visitors the city attracted increased to 12.1 million. Islands Expressway — An extension of President Street to facilitate traffic moving between downtown Savannah, the barrier islands and the beaches of Tybee Island.