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ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, RESEARCH & REFERENCE
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CITY OF SAVANNAH ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS (click on collection links or scroll down to browse all):
Savannah Area Local Government Documents Collection.
The Research Library & Municipal Archives maintains an archival, reference (non-circulating) collection of the local government documents published by and for units of City government and those of other non-City local governmental entities. The collection also includes publications of state and federal governmental departments and agencies, when those documents have content which deals completely, or in major part, with the Savannah area. The bulk of the collection dates from the 1970's through the present, though it includes documents dating back to 1905. A complete classified bibliography, and supporting indexes, for the collection are available in hard copy from the Library & Archives. A portion of the bibliography with supporting indexes, as well as a guide for using the collection, is available on-line for all City of Savannah documents issued prior to 2000 and catalogued in the collection (approximately 1,900 documents). Click here for finding aids and collection guide.
Since Volume 1, 1972-1973, City of Savannah publications have been included in the national urban documents bibliographic control program of the Greenwood Publishing Group, which publishes the annual, cumulated hard copy volumes of the Index to Current Urban Documents. The Library & Archives holds a complete run of these volumes. Beginning with Volume 29, 2000-2001, the Index is also available as a fully searchable online index with full-text pdf documents. The online index is a proprietary database with several subscription options. For more information, contact the Greenwood Publishing Group, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881, Telephone 203-226-3571 <www.urbdocs.com>
Savannah Area Local Reference Files.
The Research Library & Municipal Archives maintains reference files on various topics, including City bureaus and departments, City projects, community and municipal issues, City aldermen and mayors, neighborhoods, parks and squares, etc. The Local Reference Files include newspaper clippings, flyers, brochures, leaflets, secondary resources, etc. The Local Reference Files collection is constantly growing as new items are added and new file subjects created. The current alphabetical index is available here.
Archival City Records in the City Records Center*.
The City of Savannah government was chartered in December of 1789. Nearly 1,000 cubic feet of the City's oldest extant archival records, most of mid-19th to mid-20th century vintage, are held in the City Records Center and are administered by the Research Library & Municipal Archives. These include records of the Bacon Park Commission, City Attorney, City Court, Clerk of Council, City Marshal, Committee on River and Harbor Improvements, City Treasurer, Drainage Commission, Engineering Department, Fire Department, Board of Health, Health Department, Inspections Department, Mayor's Office, Municipal Auditorium, Park and Tree Commission/Department, Police Department, Recorder's Court, and Water Operations Department. Click here for finding aids.
RESEARCHERS: When microfilm access copies are available, all researchers are requested to use the available microfilm to help reduce handling of the original volumes thereby contributing to their long-term preservation. See the section titled "Archival City Records at the Bull Street Public Library" below for those records available on microfilm.
Archival City Records at the Bull Street Public Library.
Microfilm access copies of several archival City records are on deposit in the collections of the Bull Street Public Library, the Main Branch of the Live Oak Public Libraries system, through the Kaye Kole Genealogy & Local History Room (commonly known as the Georgia Room). The Bull Street Public Library is located at 2002 Bull Street in Savannah, Telephone 912-652-3697. The microfilm includes records of the Clerk of Council (Council Minutes and Registers of Free Persons of Color) and the City Treasurer (Tax Digests and Tax Assessment Records). Click here for finding aids.
Archival City Records in the Office of the Clerk of City Council.*
The Minutes of City Council Meetings, from 1790 through the present, as well as the Indexes to those Minutes, along with several cemetery record groups, are available in the Office of the Clerk of City Council, in the City Hall building. For office appointments, call 912-651-6441. Click here for finding aids.
Historical City Council Meeting Papers.*
Since 1996, with the assistance of grants awarded by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board (GHRAB) <www.sos.state.ga.us/archives/who_are_we/ghrab/default.htm> the Research Library & Municipal Archives has begun curating the City Council Meeting Papers, 1859 - 1954, which are held in the City Records Center. The City adopted the Council-Manager form of government in 1954, and prior to that year had a Mayor-Council form of government. Included among this major collection are record groups related to assessments and licenses, building permits, zoning, public health, the City Court, public works, engineering, finance and accounts, fire concerns, harbor and wharves, jitney bonds, the City Market, the City Marshal, deeds, contracts, near beer licenses, pensions and charities, the police, the powder magazine, drainage, street railways, and water resources. The collection reflects the historically varied ethnic, political, religious, and racial constituencies of Savannah's community. Archival library cataloging records for these record groups are included in the OCLC WORLDCAT database. Click here for finding aids.
Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Bureau Records and Collection.
In 2006, the archival/historical records of the Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Bureau (SFES) (formerly the Savannah Fire Department) were transferred to the City Records Center, and arranged and described for public use. These records represent all facets of Bureau activities, including training, personnel, stations and equipment, accomplishments, publications, etc. In addition, donations from former fire fighters' personal collections were gathered to supplement the Bureau's historical records. An on-line photographic exhibit of several images found during this project can be viewed at Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Historical Photographs. This project is supported by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board (GHRAB), Georgia Archives, Office of Secretary of State, and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Click here for finding aids.
RESEARCHERS: All records requests from Record Group 5100 Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Records must be made through the Bureau. Please contact the Archivist for assistance identifying records and making requests.
Industrial and Domestic Water Treatment Plant Records.
In 2006, archival/historical records of the Industrial and Domestic Water Treatment Plant, dating back to its establishment in 1946, were transferred to the City Records Center, and arranged and described for public use. These records include maps, plans and drawings related to the water supply system and treatment plant, as well as minutes of the Industrial and Domestic Water Supply Commission. This project is supported by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board (GHRAB), Georgia Archives, Office of Secretary of State, and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Click here for finding aid.
RESEARCHERS: All records requests from Record Group 2581 Industrial and Water Treatment Plant Records must be made through the Department. Please contact the Archivist for assistance identifying records and making requests.
Public Information Office Photographs.
The Public Information Office (PIO) was established in 1987 to improve communication between the City of Savannah and its citizens through a variety of media including news releases and news conferences, televised programming on Government Access Channel 8, publication of the "Quarterly Report to Citizens," and special programs and tours. In producing these products, the Department has collected photographic materials documenting the activities of the City government. Click here for finding aid.
RESEARCHERS: All records requests from Record Group 0123 Public Information Office Records must be made through the Department. Please contact the Archivist for assistance identifying records and making requests.
Cultural Affairs Department Neighborhood Documentation Projects.
In recent years, the Cultural Affairs Department has undertaken major documentaton projects to collect and record the history of several Savannah neighborhoods involved in major City revitalization efforts. The historical research gathered for these projects, from neighborhood residents and institutions, and Savannah repositories, is preserved in the Library & Archives. Currently, this collection includes the Benjamin Van Clark Neighborhood Documentation Project and the Westside Documentation Project.
Annual Municipal Reports Available On-Line.
The full-text annual municipal reports of the Mayor of Savannah, 1855 - 1917 (Bulk 1881 - 1917), have been scanned from microfilm held by the University of Georgia Libraries and made available in the Digital Library of Georgia (DLG), a component of GALILEO, Georgia's statewide information content utility. These annual reports contain information on city activities and finances, commercial statistics, health, deaths, illness statistics, trade, public schools, weather, and charitable institutions. They also include city ordinances and annual city departmental reports including, among others, reports of the Police Department (including crime statistics), the Fire Department (including statistics on fire and property losses), the City Engineer (including public works information), and the Board of Trade. Some volumes also contain lists of city elected and appointed officials. Reports for years currently missing from the DLG website may be available in the future. Click here to link to the Savannah Mayor's Annual Reports in the Digital Library of Georgia.
Savannah City Hall Architectural Drawings Available On-Line.
Black and white photographs of the original plans and drawings prepared by Architect Hyman W. Witcover c. 1904 (originals housed in the Research Library & Municipal Archives) are available on-line through the Library of Congress' collections. As part of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), City Hall was documented through photography and research around 1981. The entire HABS collection is housed in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and made available to the public through their library and website. Click here for instructions on accessing and using the City Hall HABS documentation.
Biographies of Former City of Savannah Mayors Available On-Line.
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* The curation and preservation housing of these archival records, and the preparation of finding aids for them, were assisted with grants awarded by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board (GHRAB), in cooperation with the Georgia Division of Archives and History, Office of the Secretary of State, with funds appropriated by the Georgia General Assembly. |
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