Savannah's Historic Suburbs An Architectural and Urban Tour

In this tour, Dr. Robin B. Williams takes viewers on a detailed analysis of Savannah's historic suburbs, from the Victorian District to post-war subdivisions, and the factors that motivated people to move away from the city center.

[@RickBeall]

This tour is amazing. I am going to watch it again in a couple days, ... and I never watch videos twice.

[@christypriest30]

I moved to Virginia almost 20 years ago but in the early 90s my family moved from Valdosta to Savannah and I graduated from high school in Savannah. I love that city and I still miss it! I recently took my fiancé for a visit for a few days and he could see why I loved it there. We moved into Windsor Forest and since we aren’t fans of the mid century modern style we had a little bit of a hard time finding the house we wanted but we eventually did. I’m so glad i discovered your channel because I still love seeing all the familiar places. You actually showed many of my favorite houses in downtown and just outside downtown. I pointed out most of them to my fiancé while we were there. This is off topic but I remember being told by some of the Old Savannah socialite types that in their circles they didn’t consider anything south of Derenne as Savannah. I always had to chuckle at that because my family was a solid middle class military family

[@urbantraces9640]

Thank you for sharing your personal connections to Savannah. Ironically, most of those old Savannah socialites now live well south of the city at the Landings or other gated communities.

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

The downtown looks amazing but i think if i ever visited Savannah i could spend days walking threw the neigboorhoods like this looking at the amazing houses. So many amazing house styles and beautiful neighboorhoods.

[@smpeljas]

Professor Williams, so happy for your bring up… I will listen to refresh my memory! Congrats SCAG Chair! Bravo! I’m graduate of AACC Applied Science Architectire , 2010… Build us something, Nurse Jane… well yes! I have… Hurricane Proofing is my theme now! So nice to re-hear Queen Ann Style… and why… Design ingenuity for one’s self is so personal… just yesterday DJT put into media… he’s planning to retire to Lone Star State… well that opens possibilities upon possibilities, doesn’t it? Thank you Professor! Stay safe! NJ

[@heatherknopp3723]

Love how I can hear someone playing Scotland the Brave on the Bagpipes at 26:00! LOL

[@paulwelser104]

Thanks for making your videos available to everyone. My wife and I love to stop in Savannah and explore. I'm a retired carpenter/ builder and lover of architecture so really appreciate all that you share. And I used to live in Northern Michigan, so I can hear your Canadian roots :)

[@urbantraces9640]

I'm glad you are enjoying them -- and it's nice to know after 26 years in Savannah I still have some of my Canadian accent in tact.

[@barrett7893]

I’m really glad this guy went into detail with the houses. They’re all beautiful houses but it’s very nice to know more about them and what style they are. I just wish we could see some of the inside of the houses.. 💯

[@urbantraces9640]

I agree but it is very difficult with private property and respecting people's desire for privacy

[@boudreaux1]

For a few years, we traveled to Savannah for the Historic Savannah Foundation Tours of Homes and Gardens. In their early years these were facinating. With the burgeoning popularity of the Music Festival, Savannah suffered from it's popularity. Crowds. Huge crowds. Rowdy, loud drunken visitors and no peace and quiet. We haven't been back in years. Thank you for this video series. I've learned more from these videos than I ever did standing in interminable lines waiting for a glimpse of history.

[@Octoberstorm333]

This was so fun to watch I think I discovered a passion for architecture here.

[@georgelewis2775]

He was one of the best professors I had while at SCAD , he made architectural history fun and easy to learn .

[@urbantraces9640]

Thank you George. Remind me when you were at SCAD.

[@georgelewis2775]

@@urbantraces9640 It was back in 2008 . I was in your 20th century class . My final paper was the design evolution of airports throughout the last century

[@urbantraces9640]

@@georgelewis2775 Oh yes, I remember that paper. Thank you for the reminder. Where are you now?

[@georgelewis2775]

@@urbantraces9640 I’m in Atlanta, I need to make a trip back to Savannah though in the near future , I miss that city . Are you still teaching classes ?

[@urbantraces9640]

@@georgelewis2775 Yes, via Zoom, taught live (synchronously). Next quarter we transition to some hybrid classes (combination of some in-person and some virtual students).

[@Swampzoid]

I love Atlantic mall. I always tell visitors to go there. Too many people think Savannah's beauty is only the historic district downtown. Thank you for the wonderful tour. I learned a lot.

[@kileysecrest5803]

At 14:30, the c. 1893 Jette House is a fabulous example of George Barber’s Design No. 33 pattern book plan. Published in The Cottage Souvenir No. 2 in 1891.

[@urbantraces9640]

Thank you, Kiley, for pointing out that source!

[@mwpeacock]

Absolutely love your videos. Thank you for sharing your passion and expertise!

[@karenfeaster4655]

That was great, so interesting. Thank you

[@curtandoscar]

As I keep saying, I'm SO enjoying your videos! Architecture is free art for the soul - for anyone who passes by. I live in New England and it enriches and awes me every day. Thank you.

[@urbantraces9640]

I'm glad you're enjoying them. I hope to make new ones at some point this year.

[@darleneharris3956]

Wwe were in Savanna Ga a couple of years ago. Really loved it. would like to visit again.

[@iamsebastianmitchell]

Thank you for a wonderful lesson and tour!

[@RoxyBotha]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise. It's a true gift. So grateful to learn more about the rich history of this beautiful city!

[@urbantraces9640]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you've enjoyed them and it's always exciting to me to hear of people interested in learning about the history of where they live.

[@clsachdeva]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge as I have always been fascinated with architecture. We live nearby on Hilton Head and youngest son went to SCAD so very familiar with the streets and buildings of Savannah but thrilled to learn more.

[@elinderfler9358]

So much information, here... Can't wait to go back and see these suburban areas myself!! Thank you!

[@Watermark61]

Thank you! Great content

[@curtandoscar]

Btw it is striking me that Savannah's architecture is very similar to that found in New England. Some of what you have shown in your various videos reminds me of places like Portsmouth New Hampshire and Newburyport, Massachusetts. What a delight.

[@urbantraces9640]

There is a long history of connection between Savannah and New England, with many builders architects from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and other places up north designing things in Savannah.

[@curtandoscar]

@@urbantraces9640 This is fascinating. Do you know why this is? Were there not a lot of architects in the south at the time? Thank you.

[@urbantraces9640]

@@curtandoscar Certainly during the 19th century that would have been the case and for others in the early 20th century the New South offered expanded opportunities.

[@curtandoscar]

@@urbantraces9640 Thank you again. Your videos are an absolute delight.

[@JB-lm5xt]

Love your blue suede shoes! Love Savannah too.

[@116ru8]

Thank you so much for this beauty.

[@kathleenwalsh4843]

Fantastic. Thank you.

[@srsuttoninc]

Great content. Thank you!

[@urbantraces9640]

Glad you liked it!

[@heatherknopp3723]

Without physically eyeballing it in person, I'm pretty sure the siding on the pretty blue Colonial Revival house at 13:00 is considered "Weatherboard" (not clapboard). Clapboard is short, 4' lengths of hardwood. Weatherboard is long, could be 10-20' in length, and softwood. The South has mainly softwood (like pine), but very tall trees allowing for very long boards. These boards look very long on that side of the house.

[@urbantraces9640]

The terms "clapboard" and "weatherboard" are interchangeable in most regions. It may be where you're from "weatherboard" is the more common term for long planks of wood siding.

[@dianewilson5251]

Fascinating!

[@Liz-sc3np]

These suburbs are fucking beautiful. I just can’t! Which we still made streetcars and street car suburbs like this

[@ronaldfarmer7205]

I've been in the Richard lane house it is beyond words gorgeous

[@danielpierce6327]

I don't you know if you know about the sanborn fire maps but if you want a unique fact i discovered the original sanborn mansions site at 1305 7th port huron mi there used to stand three mansions now just one left and in a sad state of 70s apartment graze that had destroyed so many large homes across america.

[@urbantraces9640]

I use Sanborn maps regularly in my architectural history research. Do you mean the founder of the Sanborn Map company's personal mansion?

[@alancook2752]

Lived at 909 Howard street as a baby.not a rich area but historic

[@urbantraces9640]

It's a rich area now!

[@Alexander-rq9he]

It’s too bad they didn’t continue with their tradition of creating their neighborhoods around beautiful squares..

[@dixierosaasen4431]

More houses and a little less talking ,please