Live oak-lined street in Savannah's Historic District, near the city's famous historic squares

Savannah Historic District

Savannah Squares

Twenty-two shaded green squares, draped in live oaks and lined with antebellum architecture — Savannah's historic squares are the backbone of one of America's most walkable cities.

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Written & reviewed by the Forsyth Park Guide editorial team · Updated June 2026 · Independent, on-the-ground Savannah coverage

In short

Savannah squares are 22 surviving public greens laid out from General James Oglethorpe's 1733 city plan, forming a walkable grid of shaded spaces with monuments and live oaks at the heart of Savannah's National Historic Landmark District.

Oglethorpe's 1733 plan: the grid that created a city

When General James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia in 1733, he laid out Savannah according to an unusually sophisticated urban plan. Rather than a simple street grid, Oglethorpe designed a system of wards — each ward centered on a public square surrounded by lots designated for civic buildings on the east and west sides, and residential lots on the north and south. The squares served as community gathering places, markets, militia mustering grounds, and green lungs within the urban fabric.The plan originally called for 24 squares. As Savannah grew through the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, the ward system was extended and new squares added. Two squares were eventually lost to development — Ellis Square to a parking garage (later restored) and another to encroachment — but 22 survive today. Together they constitute one of the best-preserved examples of a colonial-era planned city in the United States, and the squares remain the defining characteristic of Savannah's urban identity.

The most famous Savannah squares to visit

With 22 squares to explore, it helps to know which ones carry the most history, character, or pop-culture cachet. The table below covers the most notable, each worth a stop on a walking tour of the Historic District.

Square	Known for
Johnson Square	Oldest square in Savannah, laid out in 1733. Features a monument to Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene.
Chippewa Square	Filming location for the park bench scenes in Forrest Gump (1994). The bench is now in the Savannah History Museum, not the square itself.
Monterey Square	Adjacent to the Mercer-Williams House, famous from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. One of the most architecturally distinguished squares.
Madison Square	Features a statue of Sergeant William Jasper. Surrounded by impressive historic buildings including the Green-Meldrim House.
Lafayette Square	Named for the Marquis de Lafayette. Adjacent to the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and the Andrew Low House.
Wright Square	Site of the grave of Tomochichi, the Yamacraw chief who welcomed Oglethorpe. A granite boulder marks the approximate location.
Ellis Square	Adjacent to City Market. Was lost to a parking garage in the 1950s and later restored — a symbol of Savannah's preservation efforts.

Walking the squares: the Bull Street spine to Forsyth Park

The most rewarding way to experience the Savannah squares is on foot, and the classic route is the Bull Street spine — the broad boulevard that runs north to south through the Historic District, threading through a sequence of squares from City Market all the way to Forsyth Park.Starting from Ellis Square near City Market to the north, the route passes through Johnson Square, Wright Square, Chippewa Square, Madison Square, and Monterey Square before terminating at the north entrance of Forsyth Park — roughly one mile in total. The walk is flat, heavily shaded by live oaks draped in Spanish moss, and passes some of the finest antebellum architecture in the American South. Each square is small enough to cross in a minute or two, which keeps the walk moving while rewarding those who slow down to read the monuments and admire the surrounding buildings.If you are planning a full day in the city, the squares walk pairs naturally with a visit to Forsyth Park and its iconic fountain. For a structured itinerary that connects the squares to the rest of the Historic District, see the one day in Savannah guide.

Savannah squares vs. Forsyth Park: clearing up the confusion

A common question from visitors is whether Forsyth Park is one of Savannah's historic squares. The short answer is no — but the relationship between the park and the squares is worth understanding.The 22 historic squares are compact, block-sized greens embedded within the street grid, each surrounded on all four sides by streets and buildings. Forsyth Park, by contrast, is a large, approximately 30-acre public park that sits beyond the southern edge of the square grid — it is not embedded within a ward block but rather occupies a stand-alone swath of land at the city's southern boundary as it was defined in the 19th century. It was laid out separately in the 1840s, well after the original square system was established, as a grand civic green rather than a ward square.Think of it this way: the squares are the rooms, and Forsyth Park is the grand hall at the end of the corridor. Bull Street runs south through the squares and delivers you directly to the park's north entrance. The park and the squares together form the green spine of Savannah's Historic District — but they are architecturally and historically distinct. For everything about the park itself, see the complete Forsyth Park Savannah guide.

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FAQ

Frequently asked

How many squares does Savannah have?

Savannah has 22 surviving historic squares. General James Oglethorpe's original 1733 city plan laid out 24 squares in total, but two were eventually lost to development. The 22 that remain form one of the most intact examples of 18th-century urban planning in the United States and are collectively part of Savannah's National Historic Landmark District.

What is the most famous Savannah square?

Several squares compete for the title depending on context. Johnson Square is the oldest, dating to 1733. Chippewa Square is perhaps the most famous internationally as the filming location of the Forrest Gump park bench scene — though the bench itself now lives in the Savannah History Museum, not the square. Monterey Square, adjacent to the Mercer-Williams House from 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,' is another well-known landmark.

Is Forsyth Park a square?

No — Forsyth Park is not one of Savannah's historic squares. It is a large public park (about 30 acres) that sits at the southern end of Bull Street, beyond the southernmost row of squares. The park anchors the south terminus of the famous Bull Street spine and is much larger than any of the individual squares, but it was laid out separately as a grand public green rather than as one of Oglethorpe's original ward squares.

What is the best way to see the Savannah squares?

The most popular approach is to walk the Bull Street spine from Ellis Square near City Market southward through a sequence of squares — Johnson, Wright, Chippewa, Madison, Monterey — all the way to Forsyth Park at the south end. The walk covers roughly a mile and takes you through the heart of the Historic District. A guided walking or trolley tour is another good option if you want historical commentary along the way.

Location

Where is Forsyth Park?

Forsyth Park is a 30-acre public park at the south end of Savannah's Historic District in Georgia, bordered by Drayton Street, Whitaker Street, West Gaston Street and Park Avenue — about one mile south of River Street. It's free and open daily from sunrise to 10 PM.

Address: Forsyth Park, Drayton St & W Gaston St
Savannah, GA 31401
Hours: Daily · sunrise–10 PM
Entry: Free · no tickets
Coordinates: 32.0686° N, 81.0951° W
Good to know: South end of the Historic District · ~1 mile (20-min walk) from River Street · street parking on the surrounding squares.

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