InUSA Tour Guide
Georgia Historical Society
Savannah, Georgia
The Georgia Historical Society was formed in 1839 by a group
of public-spirited Georgians and incorporated by act of the state
legislature "to collect, preserve and diffuse information in relation
to the history of the State of Georgia in all its various departments,
and American history generally, and to create an historical library for
the use of its members and others." Today, the vision of these
distinguished Georgians has been realized as the Society plays a
leading role in the preservation of Georgia's history.
Hodgson Hall, the Society's headquarters, was
constructed in 1875 to
house the Society's historical collections and administrative offices.
Designed by Detlief Lienau, noted 19th century New York architect and a
founder of the American Institute of Architects, the building was
conceived as a memorial to William B Hodgson, distinguished scholar and
active member of the Society. Its high vaulted ceilings, decorative
ironwork, and well-filled shelves encourage the researcher to stay and
search for elusive historical information. The Society added the
Abrahams Annex to Hodgson Hall in 1970 to provide a secure,
climate-controlled storage facility for the Society's expanding
collections. Extensive renovations have enhanced the building's beauty,
utility, and accessibility.
COLLECTIONS. Since its founding, the Society has
been one of the state's leading cultural assets. Visitors and
researchers from around the world visit Hodgson Hall to use its
excellent collections. These include over 20,000 volumes ranging from
current historical publications and rare books with beautiful
illustrations to pamphlets on Georgia and Southern history. The library
and archives house periodicals and journals, city and county records
(the earliest of their kind in the state), family papers, colonial
account books, diaries, papers of local military units, plantation
records, papers of social and cultural organizations, and records of
businesses such as the Central of Georgia Railway. The newspaper
collection dates from Georgia's first newspaper, the Georgia
Gazette, in 1763 to the present. Maps from the 18th and 19th
centuries are complemented by items such as the Sanborn Insurance Maps,
an invaluable resource for historic preservation. These materials are
enhanced by related holdings of architectural drawings, photographs,
portraits, paintings, broadsides, and sheet music. The collection also
contains extensive geneological materials including early census
records for many Southern cities.
The Society also cares for a diverse collection of artifacts
which range from a Revolutionary War drum, plantation medicine chest,
and military weapons to jewelry, snuff boxes, medals and badges, coins,
seals, and various items of historical interest.
ACTIVITIES. The Society holds it annual
membership meeting each April in Savannah, and a fall meeting in
association with another historical organization in alternating
locations in the state. Invitations and the newsletter give members
advance notice of programs, meetings, and activities. In Savannah and
throughout the state, the Society sponsors symposia and lectures by
nationally acclaimed scholars on a variety of topics. Organized tours,
such as an island day trip, complement more formal programs.
The Georgia Historical Society is committed to its stewardship
role and invites you to participate in preserving and celebrating
Georgia's past. Please join us in ensuring History for the
Future.
LOCATION: 501 Whitaker St, Savannah 31400.
Phone 912-651-2128.
HOURS: Tuesday through Friday 10 AM to 5
PM, Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM.
ADMISSION: Free.
DIRECTIONS: Exit I-16 onto Gaston St. Turn
right onto Whitaker St. Hodgson Hall is immediately on the right across
from Forsyth Park.