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Noteworthy Savannah

Strobel Airship

The Strobel Airship was a highlight of the Great Savannah Races as seen in this 1909 postcard. Between 1908 and 1911, Savannah played an important role in the popularization of the automobile by hosting several high-profile automobile races. Drivers and spectators from around the world came to participate in and watch the races hosted by the Savannah Automobile Club. Large stretches of Skidaway, White Bluff, and Montgomery Cross roads were laid out as part of the race course. Automobiles weren’t the only source of entertainment during the races though. The races also brought President William Howard Taft to Savannah, who was greeted with much fanfare, including banquets and a parade. Two Strobel Airships, one of which is pictured here, participated in the parade. If the appearance of two large dirigibles wasn’t exciting enough, one of the pilots, Fred Owens, suffered engine trouble during the event, keeping him from being able to steer his vessel when the wind lifted him to almost 1,000 feet in the air and blew him out toward the ocean. Owens was finally able to bring the airship down safely on the east side of the city. His fellow pilot, Stanley Vaughn is pictured here making an appearance during the races at Daffin Park, near the grandstand. This popular attraction toured the country visiting fairs and carnivals, and was always greeted with great excitement. The airship was an early dirigible, or steerable air balloon, that was 53 feet long, 14.5 feet in diameter, and capable of lifting one man.
U.S. Revenue Cutter "Yamacraw"

In our first installment of Noteworthy Savannah History, we shared the story of the Strobel Airship in Savannah. While the airship and the automobile races were a grand spectacle, there was perhaps an even more noteworthy visitor to Savannah in November 1909 – President William Howard Taft. For our second post, we are inspired by this postcard of President Taft riding aboard the U.S. Revenue Cutter “Yamacraw” on the Savannah River. Arriving ahead of the auto races on November 4, 1909, Taft was treated to great fanfare during his visit, including an elaborate banquet at the DeSoto Hotel, a fast-paced run on the automobile race track, and an entire day of festivities on November 5th, dubbed “Taft Day,” including a parade past City Hall, acrobatic performances in Forsyth Park by the Six Flying Banyards, a musical concert by the Savannah City Band in Wright Square, flyovers by the Strobel Airships, and the ceremonial tour on the “Yamacraw.” Taft was hosted on the “Yamacraw” by a delegation of local men and the cutter’s official mascot, featured on another postcard from the era.
Yamacraw Mascot

In our first installment of Noteworthy Savannah History, we shared the story of the Strobel Airship in Savannah. While the airship and the automobile races were a grand spectacle, there was perhaps an even more noteworthy visitor to Savannah in November 1909 – President William Howard Taft. For our second post, we are inspired by this postcard of President Taft riding aboard the U.S. Revenue Cutter “Yamacraw” on the Savannah River. Arriving ahead of the auto races on November 4, 1909, Taft was treated to great fanfare during his visit, including an elaborate banquet at the DeSoto Hotel, a fast-paced run on the automobile race track, and an entire day of festivities on November 5th, dubbed “Taft Day,” including a parade past City Hall, acrobatic performances in Forsyth Park by the Six Flying Banyards, a musical concert by the Savannah City Band in Wright Square, flyovers by the Strobel Airships, and the ceremonial tour on the “Yamacraw.” Taft was hosted on the “Yamacraw” by a delegation of local men and the cutter’s official mascot, featured on another postcard from the era.
Savannah Streetcars

In our third installment of Noteworthy Savannah History, we bring you a postcard of streetcar tracks running right through Telfair Square! Streetcars first began operating in Savannah in 1869 after the Savannah, Skidaway, & Seaboard Railroad laid tracks to travel from downtown Savannah to suburban resort areas such as Thunderbolt, Isle of Hope, and White Bluff, followed shortly thereafter by local service to move citizens within the city. Streetcars appealed to residents who did not have or could not afford their own means of transportation, as well as business owners who could benefit from the increased visitor traffic the rail lines would bring. Often, business owners would try to boost the appeal of the streetcar lines through extra amenities or attractions along the routes. The Savannah Electrics baseball team was one such attraction, playing at Wheelmen’s Park at the intersection of Skidaway Road and what is now Victory Drive, along the eastern route of the Savannah Electric Streetcar Company. Original streetcars were horse or mule drawn, followed by steam powered engines. These were replaced by overhead electric powered streetcars in the 1890s. The electric streetcars in Savannah ran their last routes in 1946 when they were replaced by buses.
Broughton Electrified at Night

In 1882, the City of Savannah entered into a contract with Brush Electric Company of Savannah to supply electric lighting to the city. Brush started with lighting towers and then expanded to arc lighting, before bringing electric service to the first private residence in 1893. In 1902, Brush merged with Parsons Railway to form Savannah Electric and was then responsible for lighting Savannah’s streets and homes, as well as powering Savannah streetcars. By 1912, Savannah Electric served more than 3,400 customers, including stores along the vibrant commercial corridor of Broughton Street, bustling both during the daytime and the nighttime. Do you have historic images of Broughton Street or early electricity uses in Savannah that should be preserved in the City’s Archives, email them to us at Archives@savannahga.gov.
Broughton Electrified at Day

In 1882, the City of Savannah entered into a contract with Brush Electric Company of Savannah to supply electric lighting to the city. Brush started with lighting towers and then expanded to arc lighting, before bringing electric service to the first private residence in 1893. In 1902, Brush merged with Parsons Railway to form Savannah Electric and was then responsible for lighting Savannah’s streets and homes, as well as powering Savannah streetcars. By 1912, Savannah Electric served more than 3,400 customers, including stores along the vibrant commercial corridor of Broughton Street, bustling both during the daytime and the nighttime. Do you have historic images of Broughton Street or early electricity uses in Savannah that should be preserved in the City’s Archives, email them to us at Archives@savannahga.gov.
1909 Cyclone - Before

Postcards are often amazing tools for depicting unbelievable historic events and helping us understand them in a visceral way. In this pair of images, the Henderson-Hull Buggy Company building (southwest corner of Montgomery and 50th streets) is shown before and after a massive tornado ripped through Savannah in 1909. Meteorology reports for May 1909 mark the cyclone that struck on May 1st as the most notable weather event of the month and point out that the destruction caused to this building as some of the most severe in the city. According to a weather report, the tornado started over Savannah Lumber Company, which was located at the corner of Montgomery and 57th streets, ravaged the Montgomery Street corridor, and finally dissipated over the Kehoe Iron Works off of East Broad Street. At its widest, the tornado was 200 yards across and made contact with the ground for 1,500 feet consecutively while also touching down in several other spots. It caused damage that was akin to an explosion on various buildings and resulting in the loss of one life. Frank, the author of these postcards, remarks how he was “lucky – for once in [his] life – to get out alive” because he was “on the elevator when the fourth floor went off.” The red circle on the postcard indicates the mark Frank made to show where he was standing when the tornado hit the building.
1909 Cyclone - After

Postcards are often amazing tools for depicting unbelievable historic events and helping us understand them in a visceral way. In this pair of images, the Henderson-Hull Buggy Company building (southwest corner of Montgomery and 50th streets) is shown before and after a massive tornado ripped through Savannah in 1909. Meteorology reports for May 1909 mark the cyclone that struck on May 1st as the most notable weather event of the month and point out that the destruction caused to this building as some of the most severe in the city. According to a weather report, the tornado started over Savannah Lumber Company, which was located at the corner of Montgomery and 57th streets, ravaged the Montgomery Street corridor, and finally dissipated over the Kehoe Iron Works off of East Broad Street. At its widest, the tornado was 200 yards across and made contact with the ground for 1,500 feet consecutively while also touching down in several other spots. It caused damage that was akin to an explosion on various buildings and resulting in the loss of one life. Frank, the author of these postcards, remarks how he was “lucky – for once in [his] life – to get out alive” because he was “on the elevator when the fourth floor went off.” The red circle on the postcard indicates the mark Frank made to show where he was standing when the tornado hit the building.
Take a Second Look

Do you notice anything a little bit off about this image of Madison Square and the historic DeSoto Hotel? Before you start thinking that carriages off-roaded through Savannah’s squares, it is important to note that long before the modern invention of Photoshop, postcard creators often altered their images by hand. They would hand paint figures including people and carriages, and erase unsightly details like powerlines from photographs to make the cards appear more lively and idyllic. Usually, these postcards were not produced in Savannah, so their creators may not have been familiar with some of the more nuanced points of traffic flow in Savannah, such as the fact that carriages did not travel through the squares, but around them. While many people appreciate postcards for the documentary evidence that they can provide, images such as this one remind us to always take them with a grain of salt.