Are you looking for a Savannah Historic District map? You’ll find plenty online, but this watercolor version is by far the prettiest option!
If you’re trying to decide where to stay, there’s a handy section below where I’ve explained the differences between the northern and southern sections of Savannah’s Historic District, and I’ve also included a list of the most popular places to stay in each area.
Savannah Historic District Map
According to the National Park Service (NPS), these are the boundaries of Savannah’s Landmark Historic District:
- Northern Boundary: The Savannah River
- Eastern Boundary: E. Broad Street
- Southern Boundary: Gwinnett Street
- Western Boundary: Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Savannah’s local Metropolitan Planning Commission (“the MPC”) recognizes a slightly larger zone as the downtown Savannah Historic District.
The larger historic zone includes the Landmark Historic District as well as surrounding areas such as the Plant Riverside District, Yamacraw Village, the old West Broad Neighborhood (Frogtown), and the Kayton/Frazier Homes area.
The map above shows a good overview of the larger Historic District section of Savannah, which is also commonly referred to as downtown Savannah.
How Savannah’s Historic District is Laid Out
James Edward Oglethorpe founded Savannah in 1733. He was a fan of sensible urban design, so he laid out the city in a simple grid-like pattern.
The grid includes residential and commercial zones, as well as green spaces known as “squares.”
He created six wards, and each ward was centered around a square.
The six original wards in Savannah were based around Johnson Square, Wright Square, Ellis Square, Telfair Square, Reynolds Square, and Oglethorpe Square.
Each of the six wards contained four tything blocks for residential use and four trust lots for civic use.
Residents lived in small homes on the tything blocks, and it was common to have churches or similar public-use buildings on the trust lots.
Today, it’s still quite common to find homes on the tything blocks which are north and south of the squares, and churches, museums, theaters, and banks on the trust blocks to the east and west of the squares.
Because Oglethorpe’s plan was so sensible, the Historic District expanded and grew to a total of 24 squares that were all based around his original design.
This map shows 22 of the 24 squares.
Note: This guide contains affiliate links to my trusted travel partners.
Savannah Historic District North vs. South
To describe the Landmark Historic District in its simplest form, it’s easiest to break it up into two sections: the Historic District North and the Historic District South.
Historic District North
The northern section of the Historic District is the section from Oglethorpe Avenue north to River Street (or the Savannah River). Basically, it includes the areas north of Colonial Park Cemetery.
This northern section of the Historic District is a commercial area with a high concentration of bars, restaurants, and hotels. It’s a very busy and touristy area.
A few of the top hotels in the northern section of the Historic District include The Marshall House, Municipal Grand, JW Marriott Plant Riverside, East Bay Inn and the Holiday Inn Express Historic District.
Historic District South
The southern section of the Historic District is much more residential.
It has fewer bars and hotels and includes more homes. It feels like a neighborhood and is much quieter than the northern section.
A few of the most popular places to stay in this section include the Inn on West Liberty, Perry Lane Hotel, Eliza Thompson House, The DeSoto, Thomas Weihs Haus, Hamilton Turner Inn, and Bellwether House.
No matter which section you choose, Savannah’s Historic District is very walkable. The entire area only covers 2.031 square miles and it’s very flat, so it’s easy to get around without a car.
In fact–as long as you don’t have any mobility issues–it’s best to leave your car at home to avoid annoying parking issues!
Where to Stay in Savannah
If you’re trying to decide the best place to stay and want more information, I’ve written a very detailed post that tells exactly what to expect from each area. It includes the pros and cons and discusses issues like homelessness and crime.
You can find that post right here: Where to Stay in Savannah (According to a Local).
Visiting Savannah Georgia
If you’re new around here, I hope you’ve found this post helpful!
My name is Erin, and I live in Savannah’s popular and artsy Starland District.
I authored the Savannah First-Timer’s Guide, which is an ebook that combines my most helpful Savannah travel tips from this website into one handy downloadable resource.
When you purchase the guide, you’ll also gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions about your trip and get advice from others who have recently visited.
Do you have any questions about this Savannah Historic District Map? If so, please let me know in the comments below.
Erin authored the Savannah First-Timer's Guide and loves helping first-time visitors plan their trips. She lives in the artsy Starland District and enjoys exploring Savannah's hidden gems, as well as the nearby SC Lowcountry.
Very helpful article. we would prefer the southhistoric district, can you recommend any well rated inns or hotels in this area that are within walking distance to shops, particularly interested in visiting city market. Thank you.
The Inn on West Liberty is in the southern section of the Historic District but within easy walking distance to City Market, and it has good ratings. The DeSoto is also fairly close. It’s not one of my favorite hotels in the city, but many people love it for the location.