One of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States, laid out in 1851 south of Lafayette Square, west of Whitefield Square, and east of Monterey Square, the location long named Calhoun Square has been unnamed since 2022.[1] The oldest buildings on the square, the Adam Short Property and the Alexander Bennett House (both on East Taylor Street), date to 1853.[2] Sometimes called Massie Square, the former Massie Common School House was built in 1855.[3] The Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, founded in 1868, is located on the western side of the square.
Calhoun Square
A live oak in the southwestern corner of the square, looking east
The square had previously been used as a "negro burial ground"; in 1855, the bodies of enslaved residents Emily and Rinah were removed to Laurel Grove Cemetery.[4] In 2004, a skull was found by utility workers outside the Massie Heritage Interpretation Center on the square's southeastern side.[5] This legacy prompted a 2021 movement to rename the square after the Sankofa bird, a Ghanaian symbol expressing the "importance of knowing one's history."[6]Susie King Taylor was considered another candidate for renaming in August 2021.[7] City councilors voted unanimously on November 10, 2022 to remove Calhoun's name from the square; a new name is forthcoming.[1]
Each building below is in one of the eight blocks around the square composed of four residential "tything" blocks and four civic ("trust") blocks, now known as the Oglethorpe Plan. They are listed with construction years where known.
Northwestern residential/tything block
Mary Demere House, 128 East Taylor Street (1860)[2] – bay windows added 1894
Mary Demere (Estate of) House, 126 East Taylor Street (1872)[2]
Adam Short Property, 118–122 East Taylor Street (1853)[2] – joint-oldest building on the square
Edward Purse Duplex, 220–222 East Gordon Street (1856)[2]
Southeastern residential/tything block
Massie Common School House, 201–213 East Gordon Street (1855)[3]
John Guerrard Row House, 215–229 East Gordon Street (1872)[10]
Lengre Building, 233 East Gordon Street (1923)[10]
Flora Max House, 235 East Gordon Street (1894)[10]
Thomas Davis House, 237 East Gordon Street (1893)[10]
GalleryEdit
Calhoun Square
The square's unique clumps of grass, looking southwest towards the United Methodist Church
Looking east towards 432 Abercorn Street
Easton Yonge House, 426 Abercorn Street
430–432 Abercorn Street
William Rogers House, 202 East Taylor Street
George Ash Row House (1), 206–210 East Taylor Street
Andrew Hanley House, 214 East Taylor Street
George Ash & Francis Grimball Duplex, 216–218 East Taylor Street
George Ash Row House (2), 220–224 East Taylor Street
Charles Hutchins House, 113 East Gordon Street
Adolphus Gomm House, 115 East Gordon Street
John B. Berry House, 127 East Gordon Street
Sara Clark House, 421 Abercorn Street
Edward Purse Duplex, 220–222 East Gordon Street
John Guerrard Row House, 215–229 East Gordon Street
Massie Common School House, 201–213 East Gordon Street
Lengre Building, 233 East Gordon Street
Flora Max House, 235 East Gordon Street
Thomas Davis House, 237 East Gordon Street
Alexander Bennett House, 102 East Taylor Street
Another view of 102 East Taylor Street
John Kuck House, 106 East Taylor Street
Adam Short Property, 118–120 East Taylor Street
Mary Demere (Estate of) House, 126 East Taylor Street
Mary Demere House, 128 East Taylor Street
ReferencesEdit
^ abPeebles, Will. "Savannah City Council votes unanimously to remove the name of Calhoun Square". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
^ abcdefghijklmnoHistoric Building Map: Savannah Historic District – Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (November 17, 2011), p. 68
^"Push to erase names of slaveholders from Savannah squares would be first change in a century" – Savannah Morning News, February 1, 2021
^"Group seeking to change name of Calhoun Square proposes honoring Susie King Taylor" – Savannah Morning News, August 15, 2021
^Savannah Scene magazine, May–June 2007, pp 10–11, accessed June 16, 2007.
^History – Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church official website
^ abcdefghiHistoric Building Map: Savannah Historic District – Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (November 17, 2011), p. 69
October 21, 2023
calhoun, square, savannah, georgia, squares, savannah, georgia, united, states, laid, 1851, south, lafayette, square, west, whitefield, square, east, monterey, square, location, long, named, calhoun, square, been, unnamed, since, 2022, oldest, buildings, squar. One of the 22 squares of Savannah Georgia United States laid out in 1851 south of Lafayette Square west of Whitefield Square and east of Monterey Square the location long named Calhoun Square has been unnamed since 2022 1 The oldest buildings on the square the Adam Short Property and the Alexander Bennett House both on East Taylor Street date to 1853 2 Sometimes called Massie Square the former Massie Common School House was built in 1855 3 The Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church founded in 1868 is located on the western side of the square Calhoun SquareA live oak in the southwestern corner of the square looking eastNamesakeJohn C CalhounMaintained byCity of SavannahLocationSavannah Georgia U S Coordinates32 04 15 N 81 05 33 W 32 0707 N 81 0925 W 32 0707 81 0925NorthAbercorn StreetEastEast Wayne StreetSouthAbercorn StreetWestEast Wayne StreetConstructionCompletion1851 172 years ago 1851 The square had previously been used as a negro burial ground in 1855 the bodies of enslaved residents Emily and Rinah were removed to Laurel Grove Cemetery 4 In 2004 a skull was found by utility workers outside the Massie Heritage Interpretation Center on the square s southeastern side 5 This legacy prompted a 2021 movement to rename the square after the Sankofa bird a Ghanaian symbol expressing the importance of knowing one s history 6 Susie King Taylor was considered another candidate for renaming in August 2021 7 City councilors voted unanimously on November 10 2022 to remove Calhoun s name from the square a new name is forthcoming 1 Contents 1 Dedication 2 Constituent buildings 3 Gallery 4 ReferencesDedication EditNamesake Image NoteJohn C Calhoun nbsp The square was dedicated to South Carolina statesman John C Calhoun who served as Secretary of War Secretary of State and as Vice President in the administrations of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson 8 Constituent buildings EditSee also Buildings in Savannah Historic District Each building below is in one of the eight blocks around the square composed of four residential tything blocks and four civic trust blocks now known as the Oglethorpe Plan They are listed with construction years where known Northwestern residential tything blockMary Demere House 128 East Taylor Street 1860 2 bay windows added 1894 Mary Demere Estate of House 126 East Taylor Street 1872 2 Adam Short Property 118 122 East Taylor Street 1853 2 joint oldest building on the square 108 114 East Taylor Street 1873 2 John Kuck House 106 East Taylor Street 1906 2 Alexander Bennett House 102 East Taylor Street 1853 2 joint oldest building on the squareNorthwestern trust civic blockSara Clark House 421 Abercorn Street 1859 2 additional level added in 1894Southwestern trust civic blockWesley Monumental United Methodist Church 429 Abercorn Street 1875 9 Southwestern residential tything blockJohn B Berry House 127 East Gordon Street 1856 10 Adolphus Gomm House 115 East Gordon Street 1869 10 Charles Hutchins House 113 East Gordon Street 1868 1897 10 John Mingledorff Property 439 Abercorn Street 1856 10 Northeastern residential tything blockWilliam Rogers House 202 East Taylor Street 1859 2 George Ash Row House 1 206 210 East Taylor Street 1855 2 Andrew Hanley House 214 East Taylor Street 1883 2 George Ash amp Francis Grimball Duplex 216 218 East Taylor Street 1854 2 George Ash Row House 2 220 224 East Taylor Street 1869 2 Northeastern trust civic blockEaston Yonge House 426 Abercorn Street 1855 2 by George Ash side porch added 1909Southeastern trust civic block430 432 Abercorn Street 1868 10 Edward Purse Duplex 220 222 East Gordon Street 1856 2 Southeastern residential tything blockMassie Common School House 201 213 East Gordon Street 1855 3 John Guerrard Row House 215 229 East Gordon Street 1872 10 Lengre Building 233 East Gordon Street 1923 10 Flora Max House 235 East Gordon Street 1894 10 Thomas Davis House 237 East Gordon Street 1893 10 Gallery Edit nbsp Calhoun Square nbsp The square s unique clumps of grass looking southwest towards the United Methodist Church nbsp Looking east towards 432 Abercorn Street nbsp Easton Yonge House 426 Abercorn Street nbsp 430 432 Abercorn Street nbsp William Rogers House 202 East Taylor Street nbsp George Ash Row House 1 206 210 East Taylor Street nbsp Andrew Hanley House 214 East Taylor Street nbsp George Ash amp Francis Grimball Duplex 216 218 East Taylor Street nbsp George Ash Row House 2 220 224 East Taylor Street nbsp Charles Hutchins House 113 East Gordon Street nbsp Adolphus Gomm House 115 East Gordon Street nbsp John B Berry House 127 East Gordon Street nbsp Sara Clark House 421 Abercorn Street nbsp Edward Purse Duplex 220 222 East Gordon Street nbsp John Guerrard Row House 215 229 East Gordon Street nbsp Massie Common School House 201 213 East Gordon Street nbsp Lengre Building 233 East Gordon Street nbsp Flora Max House 235 East Gordon Street nbsp Thomas Davis House 237 East Gordon Street nbsp Alexander Bennett House 102 East Taylor Street nbsp Another view of 102 East Taylor Street nbsp John Kuck House 106 East Taylor Street nbsp Adam Short Property 118 120 East Taylor Street nbsp Mary Demere Estate of House 126 East Taylor Street nbsp Mary Demere House 128 East Taylor StreetReferences Edit a b Peebles Will Savannah City Council votes unanimously to remove the name of Calhoun Square Savannah Morning News Retrieved 2022 11 10 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Historic Building Map Savannah Historic District Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission November 17 2011 p 68 a b Massie Common School House Savannah s Cradle of Public Education Georgia Historical Society Negro Burials Grounds Located In Two Historic Squares Savannah Tribune October 14 2020 Workers dig up historic skull Savannah Now July 1 2004 Push to erase names of slaveholders from Savannah squares would be first change in a century Savannah Morning News February 1 2021 Group seeking to change name of Calhoun Square proposes honoring Susie King Taylor Savannah Morning News August 15 2021 Savannah Scene magazine May June 2007 pp 10 11 accessed June 16 2007 History Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church official website a b c d e f g h i Historic Building Map Savannah Historic District Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission November 17 2011 p 69 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Calhoun Square Savannah Georgia amp oldid 1140914149, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
