Hostess Savannah

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Hostess Savannah

Uncovering the history, the haunts, and the hospitality of America's Hostess City, Savannah, GA.

Hostess: A Savannah Podcast streaming now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Patreon!

09/01/2026

Standing at the corner of Reynolds Square, the Olde Pink House offers a vivid window into 18th-century Savannah. Built in the 1780s as a grand Georgia colonial mansion for Habersham family lineage, it survived both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, multiple fires that consumed the city, and multiple hurricanes, too. Its famous rosy shade was actually an accident: red clay bricks bled through the white plaster wash over time, creating a color the owner in the 1930s (Alida Harper!) eventually embraced. Having served as a wartime headquarters, a bank, and a couple different restaurants, this historic landmark remains one of the city's finest enduring symbols of architectural preservation.

The Olde Pink House

08/31/2026

We have been getting lots of rain lately, but a silver lining of that means Savannah looks SOOO green!

That is all thanks to resurrection fern.
During dry weeks, the ferns shrivel up into a brown, crispy mess that looks completely dead on the branches. It doesn’t even need soil to grow—it gets everything it needs straight from the air and rain.

During dry spells, this plant can lose up to 97 percent of its moisture. In fact, (according to botanists) it can stay in that dormant state without a single drop of rain for years. The second a good coastal shower hits, it drinks up the rainwater and springs back to vibrant green life in just a few hours. Keep an eye overhead next time you stroll beneath the oaks after a rainstorm.

08/29/2026

Laid out in 1847 and named to commemorate the 1846 Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, Monterey Square is a beauty.

Yes, I know the square only has one "r" compared the the name of the battle... The single "r" in Savannah's Monterey Square comes down to American Anglicization and 19th-century spelling conventions.

When the Mexican city of Monterrey was founded, it was spelled with a double "r" (rr in Spanish represents the rolled sound).

However, during the Mexican-American War in the 1840s, American newspapers, military dispatches, and mapmakers frequently simplified the spelling to a single "r" (Monterey).

When Savannah laid out the square in 1847 to honor the battle fought just the year before, city aldermen adopted the common American spelling of the day.

A similar shift happened across the country during that era—most famously with Monterey, California, which also adopted the single "r" spelling. While the Mexican city has always retained its original Monterrey, Savannah’s historic square stands as a snapshot of how the news of the war was printed and spelled in America at the time!

Learn all about Monterey Square in her namesake episode of Hostess: A Savannah Podcast!

08/28/2026

Today's post wishes a happy birthday to my favorite guy!

(No not Black Hawk, eventhough he's dope too... but his bday is in October)

My husband is the most supportive and amazing partner I ever could have ever asked for, and I'm thankful for him every single day. If you know him, you know he's the perfect golden retriever energy to match my black cat vibes.

If you see Cole Mathis this weekend, be sure to give him a crisp high-five, maybe buy him a beer at Service Brewing, and if you have any felines he can say hi to, he'll be all about that!

❤️

08/27/2026

In May 2012, exactly one hundred years after Juliette Gordon Low organized Savannah's first Girl Scout (Guide) troop of eighteen girls, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation's highest civilian honor.

Today, that original medal is proudly displayed at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace on Oglethorpe Avenue.

Representing a movement that grew from a local Savannah carriage house to impact millions of young women worldwide (including me!), the physical medal honors Low’s vision of self-reliance, leadership, and public service.

Go see it in person by visiting the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Museum soon!

08/26/2026

Located at the corner of Drayton and Bay streets, the building that now houses The Drayton Hotel dates back to 1892, when it opened as the American Bank and Trust Company.

Over the decades, the building served different commercial roles while watching Savannah's historic core evolve around it! As the city expanded and architectural preservation efforts took root in the mid-twentieth century, the classic structure quietly retained its original exterior details and corner prominence.

Following an extensive historic restoration, the landmark was carefully repurposed into a boutique hotel in 2019. The transformation preserved the 19th-century facade and interior masonry, allowing the historic bank building to continue serving downtown visitors well into its second century.

Two buildings in nearby Johnson Square are taking a page put of The Drayton's when they open as the Recess Hotel and the Ritz Carlton soon!

08/25/2026

Designed by architect Frank Pierce Milburn and completed in 1902, Savannah Union Station stood as a gateway to the city over on West Broad Street. Its 80-foot octagonal rotunda, red tile roof, and yellow brick facade served as the primary arrival point for millions of travelers, service members, and visitors entering the city during the golden age of rail travel.

For over six decades, the station bustled with passengers connecting through the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, and Southern Railway systems.

As passenger rail service declined in the post WWII era, train traffic shifted away from downtown. This gorgeous station was demolished in 1963 to make way for Interstate 16, leaving only photographs and memories behind.

What I wouldn't give to have a train station (especially a pretty one like this) that close to downtown today!

08/24/2026

The Tybee Island Marine Science Center sits where Georgia's coastal history meets the ocean ecosystem. While many know Tybee for its beaches, this coast has been shaped by centuries of changing tides, maritime trade, and coastal preservation!

Originally established in 1990 near the historic pier, the center began as a small community effort to protect and provide education about the island's dynamic barrier habitats. Its growth reflects a long local commitment to protecting the barrier islands that shelter Savannah's coastline and the creatures that call it home.

Moving to its modern facility at North Beach placed it near the island's rich military and light station history, offering a quiet, hands-on look at the surrounding estuaries and salt marshes. And how can you beat this view!

The Tybee Island Marine Science Center and its staff are a straightforward, authentic resource for understanding how local sea life, sandy beaches, and even some human history have interacted along the Georgia coast for generations!

Tybee Island Marine Science Center

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Savannah, GA

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