Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30305
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Notes
Founded in 1733, Savannah is the oldest city in the state of Georgia. The city's founder was James Edward Oglethorpe, who sailed from England with 114 other colonists in November of 1732, and established a settlement several miles inland on what is now the Savannah River. Oglethorpe and William Bull of South Carolina designed the city, which was originally planned as a refuge for English debtors. Savannah was the first capitol of Georgia, ceding that role to the city of Augusta in 1786. In the 1800s, the city developed as a major port and center of trade, exporting rice, cotton, and pine timber. In the 20th-century, Savannah diversified its economy through ship-building and tourism, while establishing itself as a center for historic preservation and education.
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