The Georgia Historical Society ( GHS ) is a statewide historical society in Georgia , United States. Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia , GHS is one of the oldest historical organizations in the United States. Since 1839, the society has collected, examined, and taught Georgia history through a variety of educational outreach programs, publications, and research services.
115-732: Founded in 1839 in Savannah, Georgia , the Society is the oldest continuously operating state historical society in the Southern United States and one of the oldest historical organizations in the United States. Founders include John Macpherson Berrien , Richard D. Arnold, Eugenius A. Nisbet , Thomas Butler King , William Bacon Stevens , Israel Keech Tefft , James Hamilton Couper , Edward Padelford , Mordecai Myers , Alexander Smets and James Moore Wayne . In 1849,
230-683: A Descriptive Video Service track that is audible over the second audio program (SAP) channel of each station; GPB Radio feeds could previously be heard during times when DVS-transcribed programs were not airing, prior to the 2009 digital television transition . All stations within the GPB Television network act as rebroadcasters , simulcasting the network's programming at all times. GPB-produced programs include Gardening in Georgia , Georgia Backroads , Georgia's Business , Georgia Outdoors and Georgia Traveler , as well as annual coverage of
345-578: A Branch Repository of the Secretary of State's office and a private institution, GHS works in tandem with the Georgia State Archives , which collects and makes accessible official government records that are property of the state of Georgia. It is the responsibility of GHS to do the same with private manuscripts and private sector materials belonging to individuals, businesses, and organizations that are not generated by and do not belong to
460-504: A Dooley Distinguished Fellow recognizes and formalizes the relationship forged through this service. The Dooley Distinguished Research Fellows Program will also mentor the next generation of historians by giving younger scholars the opportunity to conduct research for a specific period of time in the vast collection of primary sources at the Georgia Historical Society Research Center. The research
575-562: A design known as the Oglethorpe Plan . During the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted by Atlanta , Savannah held sailing competitions in the nearby Wassaw Sound . On February 12, 1733, General James Oglethorpe and settlers from the ship Anne landed at Yamacraw Bluff and were greeted by Tomochichi , the Yamacraws , and Indian traders John and Mary Musgrove . Mary Musgrove often served as an interpreter. The city of Savannah and
690-465: A dramatic increase in the number of violent crimes, including at least 54 deaths due to gun violence, a number not seen since the early 1990s. The first quarter of 2018 saw crime trending downward, compared to 2017. Before British colonization of the Americas and the founding of colonial Georgia , the coastal region's indigenous inhabitants practiced Native American religions . Since colonization,
805-545: A particular day in Georgia history. They are written, researched, and hosted by Dr. Stan Deaton and the Georgia Historical Society, and produced and broadcast by, Don Smith, Keocia Howard, Bruce Burkhardt, and Georgia Public Broadcasting . The Georgia History Festival is a K–12 educational program put on by the society and consists of six months of events (coinciding with the traditional academic school year) to commemorate and study Georgia's history. It
920-579: A peaceful surrender to save Savannah from destruction, and Union troops marched into the city at dawn. Savannah was named after the Savannah River, which probably derives from variant names for the Shawnee , a Native American people who migrated to the river in the 1680s. The Shawnee destroyed another Native people, the Westo , and occupied their lands at the head of the Savannah River's navigation on
1035-475: A protest at GSU's commencement ceremony, a social media campaign with the tag #savewras, and a petition with more than 10,000 signatories on Change.org . Some of them have made accusations of secrecy and even illegality surrounding the transaction as they protested that the alternative rock format was unique to the Atlanta market (despite the presence of another college station in the area, WREK , licensed to
1150-491: A research center and an education center, reflecting the twin pillars of the Society's mission: education and research. The Society's Research Center is housed in W. B. Hodgson Hall at 501 Whitaker Street in Savannah. Built for the Society in 1876, and named for William B. Hodgson, American diplomat, Savannahian, and 25-year Curator of the Society, Hodgson Hall features high vaulted ceilings and decorative ironwork. The building
1265-625: A separate initiative, the Georgia Board of Education launched four educational television stations across the state, aimed at providing in-school instruction. This evolved into the Georgia Educational Television Network, which aired Board of Education-produced classes for schools and evening programming from WGTV. WGTV moved its transmitter to Stone Mountain in 1969, adding Atlanta to its coverage area. In November 1980, Governor George Busbee proposed
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#17327660240851380-589: A ton of silk per year was exported to England. Georgia's mild climate offered perfect conditions for growing cotton , which became the dominant commodity after the American Revolution . Its production under the plantation system and shipment through the Port of Savannah helped the city's European immigrants achieve wealth and prosperity. By the nineteenth century, the Port of Savannah had become one of
1495-508: A way to land the politician in a favorable position. Rogers was let go from GPB in 2014. GPB Television broadcasts PBS programming and statewide programs produced specifically for the GPB network 24 hours a day on a network of nine full-power stations as well as numerous low-power translator stations (especially in the state's mountainous northeastern counties). Certain programs broadcast by GPB Television (mainly those provided by PBS) feature
1610-509: Is Georgia's fifth most populous city, with a 2020 U.S. census population of 147,780. The Savannah metropolitan area , Georgia's third-largest , had a 2020 population of 404,798. Savannah attracts millions of visitors each year to its cobblestone streets, parks, and notable historic buildings. These include the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA ),
1725-437: Is a research center and operates a research library for the benefit of the public. Within the Society's library and archives is the oldest collection of materials related to Georgia history in the nation, including 5 million manuscripts, 100,000 photographs, 25,000 architectural drawings, 20,000 rare books, and thousands of maps, portraits, and artifacts representing every section of the state and every era of its history. As both
1840-550: Is carried on most cable systems in Aiken and Edgefield, South Carolina . WABW is carried on Comcast 's system in Tallahassee, Florida . On satellite , WGTV, WVAN, WCES, WJSP, WNUM, WABW, WNGH, and WXGA are carried on the Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Albany, Chattanooga, and Jacksonville DirecTV and Dish Network feeds, respectively. GPB Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day on several FM radio stations across
1955-518: Is expected to lead to a major piece of scholarly work such as: a dissertation, a book, an article in a refereed scholarly journal, a chapter in an edited collection, or an academic paper presented at a scholarly conference. The Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program permanently associates Coach Dooley's name with outstanding historical research and scholarship through the ongoing recognition of Teaching and Research Fellows. The Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program has been established by
2070-493: Is held annually around the anniversary of the founding of the colony of Georgia on February 12, 1733. Festival events include a kickoff lecture, Colonial Faire & Muster, Super Museum Sunday, Georgia Day Parade, and the Trustees Gala. The Georgia Trustees is an award given by the Georgia Historical Society, in conjunction with the governor of Georgia , to individuals whose accomplishments and community service reflect
2185-556: Is responsible for providing news updates to both GPB Radio and GPB Television, and collaborates with the Atlanta Business Chronicle to produce the program Georgia Business News . The legislative discussion program Prime Time Lawmakers (formerly known as Lawmakers ) provided coverage and commentary on the Georgia General Assembly throughout each session; it aired from 1971 to 2014, when it
2300-479: Is the main location of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil . Opulent buildings that succumbed to fire include the mansions at Bonaventure Plantation and Greenwich Plantation . Colonial Park Cemetery was the city's principal burial ground for much of the eighteenth century when Georgia was a British colony. Laurel Grove Cemetery , with the graves of many Confederate soldiers and enslaved African Americans,
2415-680: Is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County . Established in 1733 on the Savannah River , the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. 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. It
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#17327660240852530-488: The Coastal State Prison in Savannah. Beyond its architectural significance as the nation's largest, historically restored urban area, Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene and offers cultural events throughout the year. Savannah's architecture, history, and reputation for Southern charm and hospitality are internationally known. The city's former promotional name was the "Hostess City of
2645-659: The Downtown Connector in the Home Park neighborhood. The facility and GPB are also a major part of Georgia's film and television industry , and in addition to commercial production occurring at the GPB facilities, some production companies also rent production offices from GPB. On May 23, 1960, the University of Georgia signed on WGTV , the second educational television station in Georgia (after Atlanta's WETV, later WPBA, now WABE-TV ). From 1960 to 1964, in
2760-575: The FM broadcast band . The high-band VHF channels also have these problems, but not to a major extent. GPB Television's various stations are carried on all cable providers in Georgia (the station that is available on a given provider varies on the jurisdiction). Additionally, Savannah's WVAN is carried on cable systems on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina ; Columbus' WJSP is carried on cable systems in Phenix City and Auburn, Alabama ; and Augusta's WCES
2875-618: The Florida Panhandle . Signs along interstate and other major highways in the region direct the evacuee to the nearest GPB Radio station carrying the emergency information. WGPB and WNGH were commercial radio stations purchased by a GPB foundation in the late 2000s, hence their location outside of the 88-92 MHz reserved band . GPB/GPTC also owns translator station W233CA in Athens, which repeats WUGA. GPB Education (formerly known as Peachstar ) serves state agencies and
2990-449: The Georgia General Assembly through limited funding for new marker projects. Erecting new historical markers is a competitive, application-based process in which the cost of each new marker is shared between the Society and the sponsor(s) of each successful marker application. The approval process involves an independent Marker Review Committee that meets once annually to review submitted historical marker applications. GHS also coordinates
3105-625: The Georgia General Assembly when it is in legislative session early in the year. Live coverage of the football and basketball championship games from the Georgia High School Association is broadcast at the end of their respective seasons. GPB Television also operates four digital subchannels that are carried on most of its stations: GPB Knowledge debuted in September 2008, but officially launched on October 1 of that year. GPB Knowledge carries programming from
3220-921: The Georgia Historical Society (the oldest continually operating historical society in the South ), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African-American Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in
3335-629: The Georgia Institute of Technology ) and that it was being displaced by programming that largely duplicated offerings on WABE. This has led to a public effort to boycott GPB and its underwriters. Despite these protests, the network announced plans to increase news and talk programming later in 2014 to cater to WRAS listeners. Most of the stations presently air a mix of classical music , and news and talk programming sourced from NPR; however, some stations carry select locally produced programming. WRAS airs NPR news and talk programming during
3450-805: The Gulfstream Aerospace company, maker of private jets, and various other significant industrial interests. TitleMax is headquartered in Savannah. Morris Multimedia , a newspaper and television company based in Savannah. In 2000, JCB , the third-largest producer of construction equipment in the world and the leading manufacturer of backhoes and telescopic handlers, built its North American headquarters near Savannah in Pooler on I-95 near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport . By 2023, Naturals2Go relocated to Savannah, and Amazon has operated throughout Savannah and its metropolitan area since 2021. The Georgia Department of Corrections operates
3565-579: The Isle of Hope . The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center is located on Hutchinson Island , across from downtown Savannah and surrounded by the Savannah River. The Savannah Belles Ferry connects the island with the mainland, as does the Talmadge Memorial Bridge . The Georgia Historical Society is an independent educational and research institution with a research center in Savannah. The center's library and archives hold
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3680-662: The January 1985 Arctic outbreak . Seasonally, Savannah tends to have hot and humid summers with frequent (but brief) thunderstorms that develop in the warm and tropical air masses, which are common. Although summers in Savannah are frequently sunny, half of Savannah's annual precipitation falls from June through September. Average dewpoints in summer range from 67.8 to 71.6 °F (20 to 22 °C). Winters in Savannah are mild and sunny with average daily high temperatures of 61.4 °F (16 °C) in January. November and December are
3795-546: The Methodist evangelists John Wesley and George Whitefield . Christ Church continues as an active congregation located on its original site on Johnson Square. The Independent Presbyterian Church , which was founded in 1755, has represented the community's Presbyterian constituency. Other historically prominent churches have included: the First Bryan Baptist Church , an African American church that
3910-502: The National Weather Service has kept records of most data continually since then; since 1948, Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport has served as Savannah's official meteorological station. Annual records (dating back to 1950) from the airport's weather station are available on the web. Savannah is a city of diverse neighborhoods. More than 100 distinct neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of
4025-556: The Statesboro and Jesup micropolitan statistical areas. The official 2020 population of this area was 608,239, up from 525,844 at the 2010 census. In 2010, there were 51,375 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. Among them, 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who
4140-858: The U.S. state of Georgia . It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission, an agency of the Georgia state government which holds the licenses for most of the PBS and NPR member stations licensed in the state. The broadcast signals of the nine television stations and 19 radio stations cover almost all of the state, as well as parts of Alabama , Florida , North Carolina , South Carolina and Tennessee . The network's headquarters and primary radio and television production facilities are located on 14th Street in Midtown Atlanta , just west of
4255-614: The United States Census Bureau (2011), the city has a total area of 108.7 square miles (281.5 km ), of which 103.1 square miles (267.0 km ) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km ) is water (5.15%). Savannah is the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in Georgia. It is also near the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway . Georgia's Ogeechee River flows toward the Atlantic Ocean some 16 miles (26 km) south of downtown Savannah and forms
4370-673: The World network during prime time hours, and GPB documentary and news programming (including BBC World News ) at other times. It replaced GPB Education, which is still available to schools statewide on demand over the Internet . GPB Kids, launched in January 2009 as the second digital subchannel of the GPBTV stations, replacing the standard-definition feed (which mirrored each station's analog feed) of GPB's main channel. GPB Kids aired 24/7 with content from PBS Kids . During December 2008,
4485-468: The fall line , near present-day Augusta . These Shawnee, whose Native name was Ša·wano·ki (literally, "southerners"), were known by several local variants, including Shawano, Savano, Savana and Savannah. Another theory is that the name Savannah refers to the extensive marshlands surrounding the river for miles inland, and is derived from the English term " savanna ", a kind of tropical grassland, which
4600-474: The poverty line , including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. By the 2022 American Community Survey , the median household income was $ 53,258 with a per capita income of $ 31,006. In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 55.04% Black , 38.03% White , 2.00% Asian , 0.03% Native American , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.93% from other races , and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.07% of
4715-681: The 1779 Siege of Savannah and for an independent America. One of the few black regiments to fight for the American side in the Revolutionary War, the soldiers were recruited from present-day Haiti , which was the French colony of Saint-Domingue until its independence in 1804. Chippewa Square honors the Battle of Chippawa during the War of 1812 . It features a large statue of James Oglethorpe ,
Georgia Historical Society - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-450: The Atlanta market on an adjacent channel . Despite having almost no presence in metropolitan Atlanta prior to 2014, the network reaches nearly all the rest of Georgia, plus parts of Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. Atlanta-area listeners heard NPR programming on locally licensed stations WABE and WCLK instead. On May 6, 2014, Georgia State University announced an arrangement allowing Georgia Public Broadcasting to program
4945-792: The Baptist , the Episcopal St. John's Church , and Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.). According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the largest Christian group overall were Protestants within the Baptist tradition, served by the Southern Baptist Convention , National Baptist Convention , National Missionary Baptist Convention , and Progressive National Baptist Convention . Non-denominational Protestants represented
5060-645: The British at the Siege of Savannah . The British did not leave the city until July 1782. In December 1804 the state legislature declared Milledgeville the new capital of Georgia. Savannah, a prosperous seaport throughout the nineteenth century, was the Confederacy's sixth most populous city and the prime objective of General William T. Sherman 's March to the Sea . On December 21, 1864, local authorities negotiated
5175-601: The Deep South, this is characterized by long and almost tropical summers and short, mild winters. Savannah records only a few days of freezing temperatures each year, and snowfall is rare. Due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast, Savannah rarely experiences temperatures as extreme as those in Georgia's interior. Nevertheless, the extreme temperatures have officially ranged from 105 °F (41 °C), on July 20, 1986, and July 12, 1879, down to 3 °F (−16 °C) during
5290-639: The FCC to convert WNEG's station license to non-commercial status. The partnership between UGA and GPB was due to a reduction of advertising dollars, resulting from an economic downturn and the loss of WNEG's CBS affiliation (the station had been with CBS since August 1995, receiving affiliation as a by-product of the CBS programming moving in the adjacent Atlanta market from WAGA-TV [channel 5] to WGCL-TV [channel 46] in December 1994). At 5:30 am on May 1, 2011,
5405-457: The FCC, apparently at GPB's request, possibly due to the expense of running and upgrading them. On December 23, 2010, the University of Georgia announced that it would enter into a programming partnership with GPB, which would provide all programming for the university-owned WNEG-TV (channel 32) in Toccoa , with most of the content coming from its GPB Knowledge subchannel. The station filed with
5520-559: The Fall, and as a romantic escape. Savannah was also named as America's second-best city for "Cool Buildings and Architecture", behind only Chicago . The mile-long Jones Street has been described as one of the most charming streets in America. Savannah is noted for its 22 squares and small parks along five historic streets running north to south. Each street has between three and five squares. The squares vary in size and character, from
5635-496: The GHS Board of Curators and is supported by an endowment funded by friends and admirers of Vince Dooley. Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows are national leaders in the field of history as both writers and educators whose research has enhanced or changed the way the public understands the past. In addition to their outstanding scholarship, Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows have served
5750-535: The GHS Research Center collections. Research Fellowships will support scholars from outside the Savannah area engaged in graduate-level, post-doctoral, and independent research. These Research Fellowships will be awarded through an application process. Applications are for on-site research in the collections of the Georgia Historical Society and are intended to support expenses while Research Fellows conduct research at GHS. Research Fellows have access to
5865-613: The GHS Research Collections, including manuscripts, photographs, architectural drawings, rare and non-rare books, and thousands of maps, portraits, and artifacts. The Georgia Historical Society's Affiliate Chapter Program is a statewide network designed to help local historical organizations, through workshops on the care of historical records and artifacts, consultation visits by society staff, technical assistance, subscriptions to GHS publications, publicity, and awards in recognition of outstanding achievements. The program
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#17327660240855980-516: The GPB facilities under the same arrangement; in 2017, it was joined by Couples Court with the Cutlers . GPB is an agency under the oversight of the governor, which has led to concerns of political connections in the broadcasting operation. In 2012, the director of the agency hired state senator Chip Rogers to host a program on a direct recommendation from Nathan Deal ; the arrangement was panned by former NPR president Vivian Schiller and seen as
6095-578: The GPTC began using "Georgia Public Broadcasting" as its corporate name. This would eventually become the umbrella title for all GPB operations in early 2004, when GPTV and Georgia Public Radio simultaneously rebranded under the Georgia Public Broadcasting name. The late 1990s were a time of political scandal for GPB. In 1997, the agency used Georgia Lottery funds earmarked for technology to build its present facility in Midtown, later cited as one of several unnecessary projects using lottery monies. Financial mismanagement led Governor Roy Barnes in 1999 to oust
6210-403: The Georgia Historical Society as faculty in teacher training seminars, as lecturers, as consultants, or in a similar capacity, advancing the mission of the institution. Being designated as a Dooley Distinguished Fellow recognizes and formalizes the relationship forged through this service. David W. Blight of Yale University, author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom (Simon & Schuster)
6325-408: The Georgia Historical Society has administered the Georgia Historical Marker Program. From that time GHS has erected nearly 300 new historical markers (black with silver lettering and the Society's seal on top) across the state on a wide variety of subjects. The program operates through partnerships with local community, government, civic, and religious groups throughout Georgia and with the support of
6440-502: The Georgia Historical Society's board of curators, Coach Dooley had demonstrated his strong belief in and support of the society's mission as a nationally recognized research and educational institution. The Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program is designed to accomplish two goals consistent with Coach Dooley's life and legacy: recognizing senior scholars in the field of history and mentoring and developing emerging historians. Individuals designated as Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows of
6555-429: The Georgia learning community through the use of telecommunications technology . GPB delivers educational programming that reflects state standards to Georgia classrooms using the GPB satellite network, open-air television, and the GPB video streaming portal. GPB provides professional development to Georgia educators through face-to-face trainings, satellite-delivered programs, and interactive webcasts. GPB also meets
6670-463: The Savannah River, one mile east of Savannah's Historic District. 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 . 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 Union Army bombarded Fort Pulaski in April 1862 with
6785-410: The Society are national leaders in the field of history as both writers and educators whose research has enhanced or changed the way the public understands the past. In addition to their outstanding scholarship, Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows have served the Georgia Historical Society as faculty in teacher training seminars, as lecturers, as consultants, or in a similar capacity. Being designated as
6900-403: The Society moved into a new construction, a Gothic Revival building on East Bryan Street . The building was demolished in the early 20th century. The Georgia Historical Society is an independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history. Georgia Historical Society's main campus is located in Savannah, Georgia 's oldest city, and is divided into
7015-452: The South", which the city government still uses. An earlier nickname was "the Forest City", in reference to the large population of live oak trees that flourish in the Savannah area. These trees were especially valuable in shipbuilding during the 19th century. In 2019, Savannah attracted 14.8 million tourists from across the country and around the world. Savannah's downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark districts in
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#17327660240857130-418: The U.S. and now a museum and visitor center). Savannah's downtown area, which includes the Savannah Historic District , its 22 parklike squares , and the Savannah Victorian Historic District , is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated by the federal government in 1966). Downtown Savannah largely retains the founder James Oglethorpe 's original town plan,
7245-515: The United States. The city's location offers tourists access to the coastal islands and the Savannah Riverfront, both popular tourist destinations. Tybee Island , formerly known as "Savannah Beach", is the site of the Tybee Island Light Station , the first lighthouse on the southern Atlantic coast. Other picturesque towns adjacent to Savannah include the shrimping village of Thunderbolt and three residential areas that began as summer resort communities for Savannahians: Beaulieu , Vernonburg, and
7360-475: The aid of a new rifled cannon . Confederate troops soon surrendered, and the cannon rendered all brick fortifications obsolete. Georgia Public Broadcasting 33°47′10″N 84°23′44″W / 33.7861°N 84.3956°W / 33.7861; -84.3956 ( Georgia Public Broadcasting headquarters ) Georgia Public Broadcasting ( GPB ) is a state network of PBS member television stations and NPR member radio stations serving
7475-469: The audiovisual industry has grown in Georgia, GPB studios have been used for the production of commercial television programming. The studio facilities were used for the production of the first season of the CBS Television Distribution - syndicated program Swift Justice With Nancy Grace ; production of that series was moved to Los Angeles for its second and final season. In 2014, another syndicated court show, Lauren Lake's Paternity Court , began using
7590-436: The city of Savannah and the surrounding area have remained predominantly Christian . However, a Jewish community has lived in Savannah since the colony's first year. Later, Gullah-Geechee culture and Hoodoo practices were also observed, often alongside Christianity. Founded in 1733, with the establishment of the Georgia colony, Christ Church is the longest continuous Christian congregation in Georgia. Early rectors include
7705-435: The city's founder. In popular culture, the square is the location of the park bench seen in the 1994 film Forrest Gump from which the title character dispenses wisdom to others waiting for a bus. Because both Calhoun Square (the official name until 2022) and Whitefield Square were named for prominent slaveholders, a movement was begun in 2021 to rename them Sankofa Square and Jubilee Square, respectively. Calhoun Square
7820-412: The city: Downtown (Landmark Historic District and Victorian District), Midtown, Southside, Eastside, Westside, and Southwest/West Chatham (recently annexed suburban neighborhoods). Besides the Savannah Historic District , one of the nation's largest, five other historic districts have been formally demarcated: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Savannah's official 2020 population was 147,780, up from
7935-431: The colony of Georgia were founded on that date. In 1751, Savannah and the rest of Georgia became a Royal Colony , with Savannah as its capital. By the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , Savannah had become the southernmost commercial port in the Thirteen Colonies . British troops took the city in 1778, and the following year, a combined force of American and French soldiers, including Haitians, failed to rout
8050-452: The consolidation of WGTV with the state's network of transmitters into a new Georgia Public Telecommunications Council and also called for said body to negotiate to buy WETV from the Atlanta Board of Education. The Georgia state senate approved the bill, but it stalled in the House of Representatives due to the objections of Athens-area members and those involved with the UGA station. After the legislative session ended, Governor Busbee revived
8165-488: The driest months recorded at Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport. Each year, Savannah reports 21 days on average with low temperatures below freezing, though in some years, fewer than 10 nights will fall below freezing, and the city has even gone an entire winter season (1879–80) without recording a freeze. Although decades might pass between snowfall events, Savannah has experienced snow on rare occasions, most notably in December 1989 , when up to 3.9 inches (9.9 cm)
8280-493: The executive and administrative offices of the society and serves as its headquarters. The Georgia Historical Society completed a large-scale renovation and expansion project of its Research Center in 2021. The project included a new archival wing as well as renovated and reconfigured spaces for archival processing, digitization, and specialized storage. The society also has an office in Atlanta . The Georgia Historical Society
8395-560: The executive director, Vernon Rogers, and board of directors, appointing longtime state auditor Claude Vickers to turn around a three-year deficit nearing $ 7 million. The ouster of Rogers came after an audit revealed that the agency had a stack of accounts receivable, the oldest of them 12 years old; a bank loan that the Georgia legislature never approved; and had misplaced $ 1 million in equipment. Under Vickers, GPB cut expenses by $ 5.2 million without cutting radio or television program production and had its first positive audit in six years. As
8510-554: The first GPB stations to begin operating their own digital television signals. The other six stations signed on their digital signals in July 2008. The ERP/HAAT figures listed within the table for those stations are based on those listed in the stations' individual Misplaced Pages articles, though some of the stations were operating at low power, and only upgraded to full-power when the digital transition occurred. The digital signals of GPB's TV stations are multiplexed : All nine stations carry
8625-411: The first year. These formed the nuclei of Peach State Public Radio, which provided the first public radio services to much of Georgia; previously, only Atlanta and Savannah had public stations. During the 1980s and 1990s, stations that had been operated by other educational institutions and community groups became affiliated with the network. The service was renamed Georgia Public Radio in 2001. In 1995,
8740-522: The formal fountain and monuments of the largest, Johnson , to the playgrounds of the smallest, Crawford . Elbert, Ellis , and Liberty Squares are classified as the three "lost squares" destroyed in the course of urban development during the 1950s. Elbert and Liberty Squares were paved over to make way for a realignment of U.S. Route 17, while Ellis Square was demolished to build the City Market parking garage. The city restored Ellis Square after razing
8855-513: The hours that GPB programs it. Previously, GPB Radio was transmitter over the second audio program feed of GPB's television stations at most times prior to the 2009 digital television transition. GPB Radio is still audible through this function on DirecTV , but not GPB's digital television stations or on cable for unknown reasons. GPB Radio stations in southern and southeastern Georgia also relay hurricane evacuation information for listeners approaching or leaving Georgia's Atlantic Coast or
8970-637: The ideals of the founding body of Trustees , which governed the Georgia colony from 1732 to 1752. Trustees are inducted each February at the Trustees Gala in Savannah. Recipients include Bernard Marcus , Marguerite Williams, Hank Aaron , Ted Turner , Vince Dooley , Sam Nunn , Tom Cousins , Andrew Young , Truett Cathy , Herman J. Russell , Arthur Blank , Billy Payne , Alana Shepherd, Paula Wallace , James Blanchard, Muhtar Kent , F. Duane Ackerman , A.D. "Pete" Correll , Ed Bastian , W. Paul Bowers, Dan Cathy , Shirley Franklin , Dan Amos , Donna Hyland, Carol Tomé , and Dr. Louis W. Sullivan . Since 1998,
9085-514: The locations for the stations' transmitters as the second city. This rule only applies to the television stations, not to those on radio, which, except for two, bear only the city of license. The GPB television stations are: GPB Television operates several low-power translator stations located in the hilly terrain of the north Georgia mountains . These include: The following translators were abandoned by GPB, which had their licenses (and in some cases, digital applications and permits) cancelled by
9200-529: The lower effective radiated power requirements (20 or 32 kW instead of 1000 kW), which in turn reduces the cost of purchasing the transmitter and using the electrical power for it. For WABW and WCES, this makes them one of the few television stations in the country to operate on low-band VHF channels (2 to 6), which require larger receiving antennas, are prone to tropospheric ducting ( weather ) and impulse noise , make mobile TV ( ATSC-M/H ) difficult, and for 5 and 6 are also an obstacle to expanding
9315-481: The maintenance for more than 2,100 markers installed by the State of Georgia prior to 1998. These older markers date back as early as the 1950s and are typically green and gold with the seal of the State of Georgia on the top of the marker plaque. The Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows program honors Vince Dooley for his lifelong commitment to history and higher education. As a longtime member and former chairman of
9430-489: The most active in the United States. In the United States' early years, goods produced in the New World had to pass through Atlantic ports such as Savannah's before they could be shipped to England. The Port of Savannah grew to become North America's fourth-largest port for shipping container traffic. In 2023, the port handled 4.9 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU). Savannah's first hotel, City Hotel ,
9545-542: The official 2010 count of 136,286 residents. The U.S. Census Bureau's official 2020 population of the Savannah metropolitan area —defined as Bryan , Chatham, and Effingham counties—was 404,798, up 16.45% from the 2010 census population of 347,611. Savannah is also the largest principal city of the Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area. This larger trading area includes the Savannah and Hinesville metropolitan statistical areas as well as
9660-421: The oldest materials related to Georgia's history. The Savannah Civic Center on Montgomery Street hosts more than nine hundred events annually. Savannah has consistently been named one of "America's Favorite Cities" by Travel + Leisure . In 2012, the magazine rated Savannah highest in "Quality of Life and Visitor Experience". Savannah was also ranked first for "Public Parks and Outdoor Access", visiting in
9775-673: The parking garage. The garage was rebuilt as an underground facility, the Whitaker Street Parking Garage, and opened in January 2009. The restored Ellis Square opened in March 2010. Separate efforts are now underway to revive Elbert and Liberty Squares. Franklin Square is the site of Savannah's Haitian Monument, which commemorates the heroic efforts of the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue in
9890-566: The population. Non-Hispanic whites were 32.6% of the population in 2010, compared to 46.2% in 1990. In 2020, its makeup was 48.62% Black or African American, 36.60% non-Hispanic white , 0.21% Native American, 3.80 Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.47% some other race, 3.53% multiracial, and 6.62% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The total number of violent crimes in the Savannah-Chatham County reporting area ran just above 1,000 per year from 2003 through 2006. In 2007, however,
10005-503: The proposal by executive order. On January 1, 1982, the new council took operational control of WGTV, and the combined service rebranded as Georgia Public Television; by June 1982, after the expiration of remaining program contracts, WGTV was fully incorporated into the network, and UGA's role was reduced to program supplier. In February 1985, the GPTC entered into public radio , launching stations serving Macon , Columbus and Valdosta in
10120-455: The same programming from each of the four channels, but channel labels differ somewhat between the stations. The GPB Television stations shut down their analog signals on February 17, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television (which Congress had moved the previous month to June 12). Each stations' post-transition digital allocations are as follows: GPB has placed most of its stations on VHF due to
10235-672: The second-largest Christian group, including the Christian churches and Churches of Christ . Methodists were the third-largest, spread among the United Methodist Church and African Methodist Episcopal Church . The single second-largest Christian denomination was the Roman Catholic Church , served by the Diocese of Savannah . Among Savannah's non-Christian population, which forms a minority, Hinduism
10350-491: The smaller community where the station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (almost always the station's transmitter location) and the larger city that it serves. The exceptions are WVAN-TV and WJSP-TV, which are actually licensed in major Georgia cities: WVAN-TV is licensed to Savannah, while WJSP-TV is licensed to Columbus. However, in order to conform to the pattern, GPB lists
10465-494: The society since 1917 and contains scholarly articles and book reviews on Georgia and Southern history. The journal received a Governor's Award in the Humanities in 1999. The society also publishes a newsmagazine, Georgia History Today , for its members that focuses on popular subjects in promoting history around the state. Headlines is the biweekly newsletter of the Georgia Historical Society and can be subscribed to through
10580-426: The southern city limit. Savannah is prone to flooding due to abundant rainfall, an elevation just above sea level, and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater surge risk during hurricanes. The city currently uses five canals. In addition, several pumping stations have been built to help reduce the effects of flash flooding. Savannah's climate is classified as humid subtropical ( Köppen Cfa ). Throughout
10695-878: The state of Georgia. Each year thousands of scholars, teachers, students, genealogists, historic preservationists, journalists, lawyers, judges, film and documentary makers, government and private sector leaders from around the world access this material, either on site or online, in order to discover the past and better understand the present. The library and archival collections are used for a wide variety of public research purposes, including writing history books and articles, tracing ancestry, preserving historic buildings, student projects, classroom teaching, crafting legislation and preparing legal decisions, creating documentaries and television programs, and investigative journalism. Today in Georgia History are daily 90-second video segments focusing on an event or person associated with
10810-469: The state, except in the Atlanta metropolitan area . The network had previously operated a translator station in Atlanta, W264AE (100.7 FM), which broadcast from a transmission tower located in the city's downtown district. However, it (and WGHR ) was forced to go silent when full-power station WWWQ (100.5 FM, now WNNX ) moved from Anniston, Alabama (where it operated under the WHMA-FM call letters) into
10925-524: The station began carrying GPB Knowledge programming; the following day, its call letters were changed to WUGA-TV. UGA sold WUGA-TV to Marquee Broadcasting in 2015; at 12:01 am on July 1, 2015, the new owners dropped all GPB Knowledge programming, changed the station's call letters to WGTA , and returned the station to commercial operation with programming from the MeTV , Heroes & Icons , Decades , and Movies! networks. WGTV, WXGA-TV, and WVAN-TV were
11040-598: The subchannel carried only a static station identification for all nine stations (including the GPB/ PBS Kids logo), and the electronic program guide for the channel continued to show main channel information for the GPBTV stations. In March 2015, GPB Kids was replaced with Create . In January 2017, PBS Kids 24/7 was launched, being the fourth digital subchannel of the GPB TV stations. Each of GPB's television stations identify themselves with two locations—usually,
11155-805: The total number of violent crimes jumped to 1,163. Savannah-Chatham has recorded between 20 and 25 homicides each year since 2005. In 2007, Savannah-Chatham recorded a sharp increase in home burglaries but a sharp decrease in thefts from parked automobiles. During the same year, statistics show a 29 percent increase in arrests for Part 1 crimes. An additional increase in burglaries occurred in 2008 with 2,429 residential burglaries reported to Savannah-Chatham police that year. That reflects an increase of 668 incidents from 2007. In 2007, there were 1,761 burglaries, according to metro police data. Savannah-Chatham police report that crimes reported in 2009 came in down 6 percent from 2008. In 2009, 11,782 crimes were reported to metro police — 753 fewer than in 2008. Within 2009, there
11270-422: The training needs of state agencies through its video production , satellite broadcast, and interactive webcasting services, as well as through its extensive digital library. GPB is currently transitioning its GPB Education programming from direct broadcast satellite to digital terrestrial television , through its GPB Knowledge subchannel. GPB News is the news department of Georgia Public Broadcasting. It
11385-551: The university's station WRAS ("Album 88") from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, leaving 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. as the only remaining student airtime. This took effect on June 29. In exchange, GPB promised to provide internships at GPB for GSU students and other media collaborations between the two institutions, with WRAS broadcasting a separate feed from the main statewide network. The announcement immediately prompted intense opposition and denunciations from WRAS listeners, staffers, and GSU alumni, going so far as evoking
11500-564: The website at www.georgiahistory.com "Off the Deaton Path" is a blog by Senior Historian Dr. Stan Deaton. Albert S. Britt Jr., Overture to the Future at the Georgia Historical Society (Savannah: Georgia Historical Society, 1974). W. Todd Groce, "Hodgson Hall at One Hundred and Twenty-five," Georgia Historical Quarterly 87 (spring 2003): 88–119. Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( / s ə ˈ v æ n ə / sə- VAN -ə )
11615-481: The year before. In the meantime, street robbery decreased by 23 percent. In 2008, metro police achieved a 90 percent clearance rate for homicide cases, described as exceptional by violent crime unit supervisors. In 2009, the department had a clearance rate of 53 percent, which police attributed to outstanding warrants and grand jury presentations. The SCMPD provides the public with up-to-date crime report information through an online mapping service. The year of 2015 saw
11730-400: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. As of 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $ 29,038, and the median income for a family was $ 36,410. Males had a median income of $ 28,545 versus $ 22,309 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,921. About 17.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below
11845-611: Was Savannah's chief municipal cemetery during the nineteenth century. Bonaventure Cemetery is a former plantation and the final resting place for some illustrious Savannahians. Also located in Savannah are the Mordecai Sheftall Cemetery and the Levi Sheftall Family Cemetery , which both date back to the second half of the eighteenth century. Fort Jackson (named for the Georgia politician James Jackson , not Andrew Jackson ) lies on
11960-442: Was a 12.2 percent decrease in violent crimes compared with 2008. Property crimes saw a 5.3 percent decline, which included a 5.2 percent reduction in residential burglary. In 2008, residential burglary was up by almost 40 percent. While some violent crimes increased in 2009, crimes like street robbery went down significantly. In 2009, 30 homicides were reported, four more than the year before. Also, 46 rapes were reported, nine more than
12075-531: Was borrowed by the English from Spanish sabana and used in the Southern Colonies . (The Spanish word comes from the Taino word zabana .) Still other theories suggest that the name Savannah originates from Algonquian terms meaning not only "southerners" but perhaps also "salt". Savannah lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. According to
12190-476: Was completed in 1821. It also housed the city's first United States Post Office branch. Between 1912 and 1968, the Savannah Machine & Foundry Company was a shipbuilder in Savannah. For years, Savannah was the home of Union Camp , which housed the world's largest paper mill. The plant is now owned by International Paper and remains one of Savannah's largest employers. Savannah is also home to
12305-559: Was designed by American Institute of Architects founder Detlef Lienau and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The Abrahams Archival Annex, named for Savannah lawyer Edmund H. Abrahams, was added in 1970 to hold the Society's archival collections. In 2011, the Society purchased a neighboring historic property to house its expanding staff. The Jepson House Education Center, built in 1856 and named for Savannah philanthropists Robert S. and Alice Jepson , houses
12420-455: Was inducted as the inaugural Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellow in 2018. Rick Atkinson , Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist, was inducted in 2019. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Annette Gordon-Reed was inducted in 2022. Dooley Distinguished Research Fellows The Dooley Distinguished Research Fellowships are intended to assist scholars in gaining access to and conducting extensive and intensive research specifically in
12535-478: Was most recently affected by an active 2016 hurricane season , including Hurricane Matthew (which made a partial eyewall landfall), and was brushed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The 2024 season saw impacts from Hurricane Debby and Hurricane Helene . The first meteorological observations in Savannah probably occurred at Oglethorpe Barracks circa 1827, continuing intermittently until 1850 and resuming in 1866. The Signal Service began observations in 1874, and
12650-608: Was organized by Andrew Bryan in 1788; First African Baptist Church ; and St. Benedict the Moor Church, which was the first African American Catholic church in Georgia, and one of the oldest in the Southeast . The oldest standing house of worship is First Baptist Church (1833), located on Chippewa Square . Other historic houses of worship in Savannah include: the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John
12765-600: Was recorded in one day in parts of the city. Savannah is at risk for hurricanes , particularly of the Cape Verde type of storms that take place during the peak of the season. Because of its location in the Georgia Bight (the arc of the Atlantic coastline in Georgia and northern Florida) as well as the tendency for hurricanes to re-curve up the coast, Savannah has a lower risk of hurricanes than some other coastal cities such as Charleston, South Carolina . Savannah
12880-934: Was renamed Taylor Square in 2024. Among the historic homes that have been preserved are: the Olde Pink House , the Sorrel–Weed House , Juliette Gordon Low 's birthplace, the Davenport House Museum , the Green–Meldrim House , the Owens–Thomas House , the William Scarbrough House , and the Wormsloe plantation of Noble Jones. Mercer Williams House , the former home of Jim Williams in Monterey Square ,
12995-566: Was seldom affected by hurricanes during the 20th century. Hurricane David , in August 1979, is a notable exception. However, the historical record shows that the city was frequently affected during the second half of the 19th century. The most prominent of these storms was the 1893 Sea Islands hurricane , which killed at least 2,000 people. (This estimate may be low, as deaths among the many impoverished rural African Americans living on Georgia's barrier islands may not have been reported.) Savannah
13110-605: Was started in 1996 as part of the "Initiative 2000," which sought to redirect the society toward broader statewide service. The network includes nearly two hundred local historical organizations throughout the state of Georgia and beyond. Affiliate membership is open to all not-for-profit organizations whose mission is consistent with that of the Georgia Historical Society. Members include historical and genealogical societies, commissions, museums, foundations, archives, preservation organizations, churches, and patriotic organizations. The Georgia Historical Quarterly has been published by
13225-600: Was the city's second-largest religion. Judaism was Savannah's third-largest, with a history dating back to 1733. Orthodox Judaism , Reform Judaism , and Conservative Judaism were the predominant Jewish traditions adhered to. Islam was the area's fourth-largest religion, followed by the Baha'i . Agriculture was essential to Savannah's economy during its first two centuries. Silk and indigo production, both in demand in England, were early export commodities. By 1767, almost
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