Thursday on Telfair Square

The Telfair Academy in Savannah, Georgia (shown above in a vintage 1940s/50s image), is one of my favorite museums, even though it may not boast the largest or most prestigious collection. What I love about it is the building that houses these art treasures. Walking in, you feel like you are stepping back in time, and halfway expect a few of the masters to be popping out from one of the galleries. From the Telfair website:

Telfair Museums is the oldest public art museum in the South. The legacy of one visionary Savannahian, it was founded in 1883 through the bequest of prominent local philanthropist Mary Telfair, who left her home and its furnishings to the Georgia Historical Society to be opened as a museum. Designed by British architectural prodigy William Jay in the neoclassical Regency style, the Telfair Academy is a former mansion built from 1818-1819 for Alexander Telfair, son of Revolutionary War patriot and Georgia governor Edward Telfair. In 1875, Alexander’s sister Mary – heir to the family fortune and last to bear the Telfair name – bequeathed the house and its furnishings to the Georgia Historical Society to be opened as a museum. After significant renovation by German-born architect Detlef Lienau, whose adaptations included the addition of the Sculpture Gallery and the Rotunda, the building opened to the public in 1886 as the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The shot below is from February 24, 1955, when admission was free from 10am-5pm:



Flash forward to April 1979:



Any interest in seeing the Victorian Dress exhibit?



My first shot of the Academy is from March 2005:



…and my most recent, which just happened to hit the Golden Hour, circa November 2016:



Not sure why, but this is one of my favorite paintings at the Academy:



It is called “Calme Blanc,” by Raoul du Gardier, circa 1900-1909. Below is an interior shot of the Academy:



Nearby, also in Telfair Square, is the Trinity Methodist Church, built in 1848. This image is from April 1979:



How it looked during my June 2013 visit:



…and an interior shot from November 2016:



It’s been over five years since I last visited Savannah. I think I’m about due for a return trip.

See more Savannah, Georgia, photos at my main website.

The Pink House: Ladies Who Lunch

You’ve all heard of the term “The Ladies Who Lunch”; the stereotypical definition for this reads as follows:

Well-off, well-dressed women who meet for social luncheons, usually during the working week. Typically, the women involved are married and non-working.

No judgment here; if you can snag a situation like that, go for it! Here’s what one of those groups of ladies might have looked like back in 1952, outside The Old Pink House Restaurant on Reynolds Square in Savannah, Georgia. Purses, hats, and gloves. These ladies have it all covered.



The Olde (the “e” was added at some point) Pink House is a Daveland favorite.



My menu choices rarely deviate when I go (why mess with success?). The BLT salad to start, which includes a fried green tomato:



…and the Fried Pork Chop. Words cannot even begin to describe it.



Know any ladies who lunch?

See more Pink House restaurant photos at my main website.

Sapphire Room at The De Soto

This March 1955 image shows the Hotel De Soto in Savannah, Georgia. Opening in 1890, it was a stunner! From the Historic Hotels of America website:

Called “The DeSoto,” it opened with 300 magnificently equipped guestrooms, as well as a swimming pool, a solarium, a barber, and a soda shop. The hotel even had a lighted miniature golf course! Architect William G. Preston oversaw its design, which featured a wonderful blend of Richardson Romanesque and Queen Anne-style architecture. Regarded as the pinnacle of his work, Preston’s unique design for The DeSoto made it one of the area’s most recognizable landmarks. Soon enough, many throughout the city began to refer to the building as the “Dowager Empress of the South” and became the center of all social life in Savannah.…Many illustrious guests began to arrive at The DeSoto, too, including Hollywood superstars, renowned musical entertainers, and powerful political leaders. Names like Katherine Hepburn, Gregory Peck, B.B. King, and Elvis Presley soon became synonymous with The DeSoto for the people of Savannah. Even U.S. Presidents—such as William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson—stayed at the hotel at one point or another.



This detailed view shows a neon sign (if only the shot had been taken at night!!) for the Sapphire Room. Below is a vintage postcard showing the interior:



“A Southern Paradise.” Where do I get a ticket?



The type treatment on this vintage matchbook matches the neon sign:



I love how the matches are sapphire colored! Great coordination and attention to detail.



I also found this matchbook; a different logo for the nightclub, but not sure if it was earlier or later than the one previously shown. My guess would be earlier, as it looks a bit more Art Deco to me.



The hotel closed in 1965 and was completely remodeled. Here’s what they placed the original structure with.



Yuck. Apparently they salvaged pieces of terra cotta, some wrought iron details, a crystal chandelier, and a fountain featuring the head of a lion with water flowing out its mouth.



The lion looks sad. I don’t blame him. They should have the water flowing from his eyes.

See more Savannah, Georgia photos at my main website.

Vintage Savannah: Wright Square

For this vintage 1950’s image of Savannah, Georgia, the photographer was facing Wright Square, standing on Bull Street. In the background is the steeple of the Lutheran Church of the Ascension (as seen below in 2007):



…and 2013 (below). Built in 1843, the building was occupied by Union soldiers during the Civil War.



The building that was on the right of the photographer is U.S. Post Office and Court House, as seen in this 2009 shot below. It is now referred to as the Tomochichi Federal Building and U.S. Court House. Built between 1894 and 1899, it was enlarged in 1932.



I believe all of the businesses have changed since then. Let’s take a look at what was there:



Charles Hairdressers, Dr. M. Butler (Dentist), Ray Mixson Jewelers, Sports C_____ (billiards, sports results, and lunches!), and Photocraft.

See more Wright Square in Savannah photos at my main website.