Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia, was founded on February 12, 1733, along with the colony of Georgia when General James Oglethorpe and his settlers landed at Yamacraw Bluff. Georgia became a Royal Colony in 1751, and Savannah was made the colonial capital of Georgia. Cotton was the predominant industry in Savannah due to the mild climate and the ease of shipping cargo through the Port of Savannah. During the 1800s, the Port of Savannah became one of the most active in the United States.

Savannah's port, the primary port on the Savannah River and the largest port in the state of Georgia, has always been a major driver in the economy. Today, the Port of Savannah is joined by manufacturing industries, the military, and the tourism industry as the mainstays of Savannah's economy. The Georgia Ports Authority operates the Port of Savannah, which includes the Garden City Terminal and the Ocean Terminal. The Garden City terminal was acquired in 1948 through the purchase of the former U.S. Quartermaster Depot. It is now a major container-operations facility that also handles bulk and general cargoes. Ocean Terminal was purchased from the Central of Georgia Railway in 1958. It is primarily a roll-on, roll-off terminal for automobiles and other wheeled equipment.

The City of Savannah owns and operates the John P. Rousakis Riverfront Plaza docking facilities. The three piers are located on a commercial shipping channel, and all vessels using the Riverfront Plaza Dock are governed by the Savannah Port Authority's regulations for the Port District of Savannah.

Just east of Savannah at the mouth of the Savannah River is Tybee Island. Tybee Island is the site of the Tybee Island Light Station, the first lighthouse on the southern Atlantic coast. Commissioned in 1732, the Tybee Island Light Station continues to guide mariners into the beautiful, historic Savannah River.

Hutchinson Island is a picturesque seven-mile long river island in the Savannah River, just north of downtown Savannah. The island is home to the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center and the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort. A ferry connects the island with the mainland, as does the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge. The Talmadge Memorial Bridge spans the Savannah River between downtown Savannah, Georgia and South Carolina. The bridge opened in 1991, as the original bridge could not accommodate increasingly larger vessels accessing the Port of Savannah.

The county seat of Chatham County, Savannah is the largest city in the county. Savannah is situated at the mouth of the Savannah River, which forms the border between Georgia and South Carolina. Nicknamed "The Hostess City of the South," Savannah, GA is known for its gracious Southern hospitality. Savannah has pleasant, welcoming weather with milder winters and cooler summers than the Georgia interior -- perfect for enjoying the 420 miles of navigable waters turning through the nearly 87,000 acres of tidal marshlands in and around Savannah.

Traveling to Savannah, Georgia (population 127,526 in 2007, U.S. Census) is easy and convenient. The Savannah / Hilton Head International Airport provides air travelers with a wide variety of options.  Interstate 95 and Interstate 16 serve the city. Savannah is also a major stop on Amtrak's Palmetto and Silver Service between New York and Miami.

Rich with history, Savannah has welcomed visitors with gracious Southern hospitality since 1733. Each year Savannah attracts millions of visitors with a perfect year-round climate, exciting nightlife, seafood restaurants with seafood straight from the Atlantic Ocean, maritime events such as the sailing competitions during the 1996 Summer Olympics, and a 2.5-mile historic district. The Girl Scouts of the USA organization was founded in Savannah in 1912 by Savannah native Juliette Gordon Low. Her childhood home, located in the heart of the Savannah Historic, now serves as a Girl Scouts’ National Center. The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace was Savannah's first National Historic Landmark.