Why you should experience Taylor Square in Savannah, Georgia.
Taylor Square is a distinguished garden square where Savannah's Historic District's architectural elegance, civic history, tranquil landscapes, and enduring urban design create one of the city's most graceful public spaces.
Positioned between Abercorn Street and Drayton Street near Calhoun Square and just steps from the Green-Meldrim House, this peaceful square welcomes visitors beneath sweeping live oaks, shaded walkways, historic monuments, and beautifully preserved nineteenth-century residences that embody Savannah's celebrated city plan. Filtered sunlight, lush gardens, and stately architecture create an atmosphere where the city's rich heritage unfolds at an unhurried pace. Every visit reveals another reason Savannah's interconnected squares remain admired around the world. The result is an experience defined by historic character, thoughtful landscape design, and one of Georgia's finest civic spaces.
What you should know about Taylor Square.
Taylor Square is best known for its 2022 restoration of its historic name, reversing more than a century of dedication as Calhoun Square and honoring Susie King Taylor, the pioneering educator, Civil War nurse, author, and the first Black Army nurse to publish a memoir of her wartime service. Originally laid out in 1851 as one of the final public squares created under General James Oglethorpe's visionary city plan, the square had been named for John C. Calhoun in 1851 before the City of Savannah unanimously voted to rename it in recognition of Taylor's extraordinary contributions to American history. Born into slavery in 1848, Taylor secretly learned to read and write, escaped to Union lines during the Civil War, taught formerly enslaved children, served alongside the 33rd United States Colored Infantry Regiment, and later published Reminiscences of My Life in Camp in 1902, among the earliest memoirs written by an African American woman. Surrounded by beautifully preserved Greek Revival and Victorian residences, the square also occupies the site of Savannah's largest documented nineteenth-century freshwater spring, an important natural resource that shaped early settlement in the surrounding neighborhood. Today, Taylor Square reflects both Savannah's internationally recognized urban planning legacy and its evolving commitment to interpreting the city's full historical narrative through its public spaces.
Beyond its historical importance, Taylor Square demonstrates how Savannah's celebrated square system continues adapting while preserving its original human-scaled design. The mature tree canopy, landscaped gardens, and surrounding historic architecture provide a peaceful setting for reflection while connecting visitors with the city's layered cultural heritage. Historic preservation, civic remembrance, landscape architecture, educational legacy, and urban planning combine to create one of Savannah's most meaningful public spaces.
How to fold Taylor Square into your trip.
Taylor Square is best experienced as part of an exploration through Savannah's Historic District.
Begin at the Green-Meldrim House, where Civil War history introduces the extraordinary heritage surrounding Taylor Square. Continue to Forsyth Park, whose expansive greenspace complements the square's tranquil atmosphere. Conclude at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, where soaring Gothic Revival architecture provides a memorable finale celebrating the relationship between history, architecture, and civic identity that defines historic Savannah. The progression moves naturally from preserved history to peaceful gardens before concluding through one of the city's defining architectural treasures, revealing why Taylor Square remains one of Savannah's essential historic experiences.
Where your story begins.
Start the planning journey with Foresyte Travel.
Experience immersive stories crafted for luxury travelers.
