#46: City Market in Savannah

“There may have been a time when preservation was about saving an old building here or there, but those days are gone. Preservation is in the business of saving communities and the values they embody.” —Richard Moe (National Trust for Historic Preservation)

The City Market in Savannah

The original expansive City Market building in downtown Savannah was demolished in 1954 to make way for an ugly multi-storied parking garage. Its depredation helped motivate seven formidable ladies to organize a movement to end such destruction in this city; and together, they forever placed the words ‘historic preservation’ into the vernacular of Savannahian leaders.

The seven ladies first powerfully pushed their shoulders into saving the historic Davenport House from the wrecking ball in 1955 (see Postcards from Savannah #30); they ultimately inspired the continuing efforts that led to the preservation of so much of Savannah’s distinct heritage and historic cityscape.

In this series of Postcards from Savannah, I am offering my artistic skills and playing a small part in furthering that worthwhile inspiring vision represented by those consequential Savannahian ladies.

Lately, I’ve been reading the works of Jacqueline Jones, author of Saving Savannah: The City and the Civil War. Jones also wrote A Dreadful Deceit: The Myth of Race from the Colonial Era to Obama’s America, a 2014 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. I highly recommend both books to history lovers.

Jones employs a wonderful technique by placing the reader in moments of time to help us understand what life was like in the distant past. For example, Saving Savannah begins with the story of an enslaved bricklayer named Thomas Simms, a stowaway on a ship deporting Savannah for Boston in early 1851.

At this point in time, The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 had become law as part of the Compromise of 1850 between the Northern free-soilers and Southern slave-holders. It required all States to cooperate in the return of an escaped slave. The Act included penalties for officials who disregarded this requirement.

The events take place only three blocks from Savannah City Market and came to mind as I was painting this scene. Thomas Simms was hoping to sail to Boston — for good reasons. Go read how his story ends.

In this scene, I am looking down West Congress Street. If you’re hungry or thirsty, you can’t go wrong visiting this area. Plus, my art studio and gallery overlook the street. So, stop by between meals!

On the left-hand side is the corner of Belford’s Savannah Restaurant. I often enjoy an afternoon soup and salad here, while sitting outside doing my usual people-watching. Dinner here is divine, too. On the right side of the street, you’re offered an assortment of fabulous choices. There is Garibaldi’s Café. Here, I have spent many meals with friends and family without ever hearing a complaint.

Next door, Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub, and Grill is an essential stop for the Lowry Family that I married into Proud Scotts, one and all! The Lowry’s arrived on these shores in 1776, and have ‘always’ kept the ‘Old Country’ close to their hearts…or so I am told continuously. (Cue eye-rolling emojis!)

The newest cool kid on this block is The Grove Restaurant and Rooftop Bar. I’ve found it soothing gathering atop its roof — gabbing with my best girl-friends, cocktails always in our hands, while we overlook Savannah’s City Market and lazily enjoy our lives together, living as we do in this beautiful city.