Oglethorpe Square
Cuisines: American
About
Oglethorpe Square, one of Savannah's first six planned squares in the city plan by James Edward Oglethorpe, this square is on Abercorn Street between State Street (called "Prince Street" prior to the American Revolutionary War) and York Streets. Named "Upper New Square" when laid out in 1742, the square was later renamed in honor of Georgia founder James Edward Oglethorpe. On the East side of this square was the modest home of Georgia's first Royal Governor, John Reynolds. The spot was overlooking the square on the southeast Trust Lot -- now a parking lot of The Presidents' Quarters Inn [22]). Reynolds arrived in Savannah October 29, 1754. On the northeast Trust Lot, the site of today's Telfair's Owens-Thomas House {http://www.telfair.org], was the residences of the Royal Surveyors of Georgia and South Carolina. The Owens-Thomas House is widely considered the finest example of Regency architecture in the United States. Upon his visit to Savannah, General Marquis de Lafayette lodged in the mansion and spoke to the citizens of Savannah from the balcony overlooking President Street (formerly known as "King Street" prior to the American Revolutionary War). The square contains a pedestal honoring Moravian missionaries who arrived at the same time as John Wesley and settled in Savannah from 1735 to 1740, before resettling in Pennsylvania. Formerly the Unitarian Church (Jingle Bells Church), sat on the east side of the square; however, it was moved to Troup Square in 1997. On the Sourthwest corner is the Savannah College of Art and Design administration building. It was formerly Urban Health Center, originally built in 1907 as the Marine Hospital.
