Short answer
Savannah was laid out in 1733 by James Oglethorpe as a grid of wards, each built around a public square. The city eventually had 24 squares, and 22 remain in about a square mile of downtown. The Savannah Historic District became a National Historic Landmark District in 1966.
Part of what Georgia is famous for: Savannah’s Squares. Last updated .
The Plan Oglethorpe Drew
The Cultural Landscape Foundation says Oglethorpe’s plan had four basic elements: wards, squares, tythings and trust lots. He laid out the first four squares himself: Ellis, Johnson, Telfair and Wright. Each ward had a square at its center, surrounded by public and private buildings, and each ward housed 40 families.
The American Planning Association adds that nine more squares were added in 1796 to make room for growth, and that the 24th original square was set aside in 1856.
What Was Lost and Rebuilt
Not every square survived. The American Planning Association says three squares were destroyed in 1935 for U.S. Highway 17 and that Franklin Square was rebuilt in 1985. The Cultural Landscape Foundation says landscape architect Clermont Lee renovated five squares between 1951 and 1972: Greene, Madison, Troup, Warren and Washington. Forsyth Park was laid out just south of the squares in the 1840s; it is a park beside the squares, not one of them.
Visiting The Squares
The squares sit within about a square mile of downtown, so they are walkable. We did not read a city or tourism-office source with details on each square, so we do not give a walking route or one-line facts for individual squares. See the Savannah Historic District guide for where to start. Not Confirmed
Before You Go: Check These
More on It’s Georgia
Questions People Ask
How Many Squares Does Savannah Have?
It grew to 24, and 22 remain, according to the Cultural Landscape Foundation.
Who Planned The Squares?
James Oglethorpe, who founded Savannah in 1733 and laid out the first four squares.
Is Forsyth Park One of The Squares?
No. It was laid out just south of the squares in the 1840s.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- The Cultural Landscape Foundation, “Savannah Squares” (read November 12, 2026).
- American Planning Association, “The Squares of Savannah” (read November 12, 2026).
Site administrator account for itsgeorgia.com. Guides are published by the It's Georgia Editorial Team.
More From Destinations
Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Savannah’s Squares”, itsgeorgia.com/destinations/coastal-georgia/savannah-squares/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.