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The 1840s
A gift of 10 acres in the 1840s began Forsyth Park
The park was created in the 1840s on 10 acres of land donated by William Brown Hodgson. In 1851 it was expanded and named for Georgia Governor John Forsyth. By 1853 all the original planned wards of Savannah were occupied. An 18.9 acre Parade Ground was added at the south end and sold to the Military Captains Association in 1859. Today the park covers 30 acres.
The fountain
The fountain of 1858 is reminiscent of Paris's Place de la Concorde
The fountain was installed in 1858. Its design by John Howard is derived from the work of the French sculptor Michel Lienard and is reminiscent of the fountains at Place de la Concorde in Paris. It was made by Janes, Beebe & Company in Bronx County, New York, an iron foundry that also made iron work for the U.S. Capitol dome and railings for the Brooklyn Bridge. Every St. Patrick's Day it is turned green.
The Hiker
Savannah put up The Hiker for its Spanish-American War soldiers
The Hiker, at the south end of the park, was made by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson. Officially called The Georgia Volunteer, it was put up in Savannah because the city contributed more Spanish-American War soldiers per capita than any other city in Georgia. A drunk driver damaged it on January 18, 2025. It was restored and returned to the park on July 17, 2025.
The monument
A monument to Confederate dead was unveiled in the park in 1874
A large monument to Confederate dead was unveiled in the park in 1874. It was one of the first and largest in the state. A bronze statue of a Confederate soldier was added several years later, in 1879.
Day 1, morning
Next is Monterey Square.
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The words are a retelling of the Wikipedia article Forsyth Park, and are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. They are checked against those articles, and a fact that is not in them is left out.