Women's Clothing Boutique in Historic Savannah, GA

City leaders are asking residents to weigh in as they explore future uses for several historic properties near the Savannah Visitor Center.

SAVANNAH, Ga. —

The City of Savannah is exploring possible redevelopment plans for a historic area near the Georgia Railroad Museum and Savannah Visitor Center, and is asking residents to share their input.

The area, located between the Canal District and the Civic Center, is referred to by the city as the "Railroad District." Officials say they are studying ways the space could be redeveloped while preserving its historic character.

The city has identified five city-owned properties near the Coastal Heritage Society museums and the Savannah Visitor Center that could be part of future development. Those include the north parking lot, the historic train shed and head house, the historic roundhouse, a paint shop, and a corner parcel.

In a recent presentation, officials outlined several possible uses for the space, including rental housing, retail, a museum, an event venue and food and beverage spaces.

The Coastal Heritage Society, which operates the Georgia Railroad Museum, is a partner in the development discussions. Leaders with the organization say their priorities include increasing visitation while continuing to protect the site's historic significance.

“Our hope is continuing to preserve this national historic landmark, generating ways in which we can support our ongoing preservation and maintenance, drive more visitation to these museums that are here for families,” said Nora Flemming Lee, chief executive officer of the Coastal Heritage Society.

Lee said the city is looking to the community for guidance as plans move forward.

“The city’s trying to find out what does the community want out of this?” Lee said. “Do they want it as an event space? Do they want it as more museum space? Do they want it as a food hall or retail shops? Through the survey that’s out there, that’s what the city’s really trying to understand.”

Lee said community feedback will play a major role as leaders continue evaluating the future of the area. The city has launched a public survey to gather residents' ideas and priorities for the space.

Southern Living recently released its 2026 list of the South's most legendary restaurants, highlighting longtime establishments across the region that continue to attract diners decades after they first opened.

"The South's most legendary restaurants have shaped their cities, hosted generations of celebrations, and perfected the dishes that keep guests coming back," Southern Living wrote. "From white-tablecloth dining rooms to beloved small-town cafés, these long-standing eateries with decades of history serve up more than just wonderful meals."

A handful of those iconic spots are located right here in Georgia. Here's what to know about the Georgia restaurants that made the list.

Most legendary restaurants in Georgia

Five restaurants in Georgia were recognized for their history, longevity and continued popularity with diners.

Located in a historic 1771 mansion in downtown Savannah, The Olde Pink House has become one of the city's most well-known dining spots. It also ranked No. 1 most legendary restaurant in the South.

The restaurant serves Southern favorites such as fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits and fried chicken, all within a historic setting filled with multiple dining rooms and live music in the downstairs tavern.

Mary Mac's Tea Room, Atlanta

Mary Mac's Tea Room has been serving Southern comfort food in Atlanta since 1945. At one point, the city had more than a dozen tearoom-style restaurants, but Mary Mac's is the only original one still operating.

Guests can expect classic dishes like peach cobbler, yeast rolls and cracklin' cornbread, along with a long-standing tradition of filling out order forms at the table.

Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, Savannah

This Savannah staple is known for its communal dining style. When the doors open at 11 a.m., guests take seats at large tables and share family-style Southern meals with strangers and friends alike.

The menu changes daily and is served in generous portions.

The Smith House, Dahlonega

The Smith House in Dahlonega is famous for its traditional country cooking served family-style.

The historic building dates back to the late 1800s, and during renovations in the 1970s workers rediscovered an old gold mine shaft beneath the property.

The Pirates' House, Savannah

The Pirates' House sits on land with roots stretching back to Georgia's colonial days. The restaurant opened in the 1950s but the property has been feeding travelers since the 1700s.

Today, visitors come for Southern dishes, history and even ghost tours.

Southern Living's Most Legendary Restaurants in the South

For the full report, visit southernliving.com/legendary-restaurants-2026-11916139.

Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at m.

Soon, the streets of Savannah will be flooded with waves of green as the Hostess City of the South celebrates the 202nd anniversary of its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Since 1824 when the parade was born as a small, but jovial affair, Savannahians and visitors have hit the streets to celebrate the holiday of the patron saint of Ireland. Savannah’s Irish history dates back to 1734, when they were on some of the first ships to transport new settlers to the new colony of Georgia, according to Visit Savannah.

The rush didn’t come until later in the 1830s and ‘40s, when Irishmen willing to work cheaply became a primary source of labor for building canals and railroads. In that time, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was born when the Hibernian Society of Savannah, the oldest Savannah Irish social organization established in 1812, invited all local Irishmen to attend mass and then march in a parade through the streets of Savannah in 1824.

Even more settlers came in the mid-1840’s during the potato famine, and from there the population and the St. Patrick’s Day tradition continued to grow. In the mid-19th century after the American Civil War and during the second Industrial Revolution, Savannah was one of the few port cities still open to the Irish, still in need of bodies for its shipping, agricultural and railroad industries, according to Visit Savannah.

“A lot of cities rejected the Irish,” said Savannah Irish Festival Treasurer Tara Reese. “Whereas Savannah didn’t.”

Some would eventually rise to middle and upper classes, according to a Georgia Southern University historical study.

In 1850, over 1,500 Irish-born people made up about 10% of Savannah’s total population. Ten years later, that number doubled, representing 15% of the city’s population.

While the biggest surge of Irish immigration has passed, its significance in Savannah’s history persists in splashy festivities.

The city has already been celebrating the lead-up to its biggest event of the year. Water dyed green gushes from the Forsyth Park fountain. For 10 days, Savannah City Hall glows a bright emerald. A walking slithering snake parade in February imitated the legend of St. Patrick chasing snakes out of Ireland.

The event itself is among the oldest and is touted as second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States, behind New York City. It’s certainly the South’s paramount parade of the Irish holiday, drawing a crowd of roughly 300,000, according to Visit Savannah.

“I think it’s important to honor places where we came from, and [the parade] is just a way for those with Irish DNA or who came over from Ireland to have a little bit of home,” said Reese. “And everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.”

Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for the Savannah Morning News, covering the municipalities, and community and cultural programs. You can reach her at DAmbus@gannett.com Jillian Magtoto covers climate change and the environment in coastal Georgia. You can reach her at jmagtoto@usatodayco.com. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia Power said state law and reliability concerns led to the removal of a historic tree in Chatham County as part of its upcoming transmission line project.

In a statement, the utility outlined four reasons for cutting down the tree. One of the main concerns, the company said, was the risk of blackouts in parts of Savannah during peak summer heat if the project were delayed.

The tree was recognized by a Chatham County arborist as an “exceptional tree,” a designation for trees considered significant due to size, age or history.

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Despite that recognition, Georgia Power said it had the authority under state law to remove the tree and manage the right of way to ensure reliable electric service for customers. The company cited a law, which allows utilities to cut or remove trees that interfere with power lines within legally approved easements, even when local protections exist.

Georgia Power also said it negotiated in good faith with the property owners more than a year ago and provided compensation for an additional easement. According to the company, the property owners agreed at that time to allow the utility to trim or remove the tree.

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Emily Eisenhart, one of several residents who advocated for a county ordinance to protect the tree, said watching it come down was emotional.

“We thought we saved one tree,” Eisenhart said. “Turns out we couldn’t even save one beautiful tree.”

Georgia Power also said the selected route for the transmission line avoids wetlands, a nearby cemetery and the need to remove hundreds more trees across more than 17 acres.

For Lydia Snyder, who advocated for preserving the tree, the removal highlights what she believes is a need for stronger environmental protections.

“We need trees to breathe, and they’re just cutting them down,” Snyder said. “At what point do you stop cutting them down for money? At what point is the money enough?”

A Georgia Power spokesperson was on site during the tree’s removal but did not answer specific questions about the decision. WTOC has reached out to the company for additional details.

SAVANNAH, Ga. —

Above file video: Archaeologists probe Savannah square for possible enslaved burial site

A new ground-penetrating radar survey at Whitefield Square has found more than 80 subsurface anomalies consistent with possible graves, adding weight to long-held community belief that not all remains from a historic burial ground for Black Savannahians were removed before the square was developed in the 1850s.

The City of Savannah said it received the final report from The LAMAR Institute following a noninvasive survey conducted in December 2025. The work was commissioned as the city prepares to install a historical marker recognizing the square as part of a burial ground historically known as the “Negro Burial Ground,” used roughly from 1763 to 1844.

Mayor Van Johnson called the site “sacred ground.”

“This square is more than green space. It is sacred ground,” Johnson said. “For generations, Savannah’s enslaved and free people of color were laid to rest here. Their lives mattered. Their stories matter. And acknowledging that history is not optional — it is necessary.”

City records and historic maps indicate the burial ground served as Savannah’s public cemetery for enslaved and free people of color from about 1763 until 1844, with part of it overlapping what is now Whitefield Square.

In 1844, the burial ground was closed because of overcrowding, and a new burial site was established south of Gaston Street near Abercorn Street, according to the city. That second site was used until 1852, when 15 acres within Laurel Grove Cemetery were dedicated “for the interment of the remains of deceased persons of color.”

In 1855, Savannah City Council authorized the city marshal to remove remains from the “Negro Burial Ground” to Laurel Grove. But the city noted that surviving records do not specify whether removals occurred from the area overlapping Whitefield Square, the later site near Abercorn Street, or both.

Ground-penetrating radar uses radar pulses to detect underground disturbances without digging. In its final report, submitted in January 2026, The LAMAR Institute concluded it is unlikely all remains were relocated before Whitefield Square’s development.

Among the findings, the report identified:

The report also cautioned that only extensive archaeological excavation could definitively determine whether the anomalies are intact burials or previously relocated graves.

City staff is recommending Whitefield Square be treated similarly to Colonial Park Cemetery — as an inactive historic burial ground that also functions as passive greenspace.

The city also plans to move forward through its Historical Marker Program to erect a marker or memorial and to convene an advisory group, facilitated by the city’s Archives & History officer, to develop a recommendation for City Council. The recommendations are expected to be considered at an upcoming council meeting.

City Manager Jay Melder said the findings underscore the city’s responsibility to face its history directly.

“To make the most of our future as a City, we must always work to better understand our past,” Melder said. “We must also—whenever possible—commit ourselves to making right today what we did not or could not make right back then.”

Separately, Savannah’s Park & Tree Department plans a similar radar survey at Taylor Square to confirm that the historic “Strangers Burial Ground,” also known as Potter’s Field and active from 1819 to 1844, did not extend into the area later developed as the square.

Because historic maps and records have limits, the city said it is taking the step to ensure future work is “informed and respectful” of cultural resources. Funding has been identified through the Square & Monument Preservation fund (SQ0801).

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