Uniquely Savannah

By Sandra Scott

Savannah, Georgia, is unique. It was unique from the very beginning. When General James Oglethorpe founded Georgia in 1733, he created a city with small, interconnected squares. Each of Savannah's squares has its own special character. The streets are lined with live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.

Chris, our trolley tour guide explained, “Spanish moss is not Spanish nor is it a moss. And, it is not a true parasite.  It is an epiphyte that gets its nutrients from the air.” Regardless, it gives Savannah a picturesque, unique look.

When the trolley rumbled down River Street John, my husband, noticed the large sign in front of Wet Willies shouting “Supporting Global Cooling.”

“Let’s check out Wet Willies,” suggested John. We agreed it would be one of our nighttime stops.

There were more interesting and unique things to see first. The statue of the waving girl commemorates the dedication of Florence Martus, who met every ship traversing the Savannah River for 44 years. The most popular story is that she was waiting for a sweetheart who never returned from the sea.

Pirate’s House has a tunnel used to Shanghai sailors from the bar to the dock. Legend has it that sailors would awake after over imbibing to find themselves at sea on a strange ship not to return for more than a year.

John and I hopped off the trolley at the Colonial Park Cemetery and wandered around looking at the dates on the tombstones. General Sherman’s Union Soldiers camped in the cemetery during “The War of Northern Aggression,” and in their boredom they altered the dates on the tombstones.  One stone indicates that Josiah Muir’s son, Lewis, was born when Josiah, his father, was only 17 days old and before his mother was born. One departed soul lived for 1700 years.

No one should visit Savannah without first reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. The book, based on a real-life murder, is peopled with unique characters. One such individual was Luther Diggers who ties flies to his lapels by the means of strings and walks around with them buzzing his head. Each morning he ate at Clary’s Café. We decided to have lunch at Clary’s.  Business was booming. Luther wasn’t there nor were there any “unique” individuals. On the wall is a stained glass window recreating the book’s cover.  The book was good for Clary’s and for Savannah.

Oglethrope’s city plan is still essentially in tact but we can be thankful none of his original decrees are. In the beginning lawyers, Catholics, and hard liquor were banned.

After the tour, we headed for River Street and Wet Willies. We should have known better than to expect a “normal” bar. The wall behind the bar at Wet Willies looks more like an ice cream bar with a colorful array of already prepared frozen daiquiris in flavors that range from Kiwi to Chocolate along with their unique signature cocktails.

I opted for Call a Cab, one of Wet Willies’ signature cocktails. The reason for the name is obvious when I checked the ingredients. The main ingredient is 190 proof grain alcohol. The non-essential elements are cherry and strawberry flavoring with Bacardi rum. Call a Cab is more than a cocktail; it is recommendation for what to do after imbibing! John’s choice was Attitude Improvement, another Wet Willie original. It is made with 190 proof grain alcohol, Bacardi Rum, Bacardi Select with a tangy orange taste. It seemed so right that Wet Willies should have started in Savannah.  It is a place where all things unique are readily accepted.

For more information visit www.savannahvisit.com.

Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Creators Syndicate
and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.

Photos by J. J. Scott.

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