Why you should experience Nathanael Greene Monument in Savannah, Georgia.
Nathanael Greene Monument is a distinguished Revolutionary War memorial where Historic District's colonial heritage, patriotic remembrance, grand architecture, and civic identity commemorate one of America's greatest military leaders.
Set within Johnson Square near Bull Street and just steps from Christ Church Savannah, this elegant granite obelisk rises above Savannah's oldest public square, surrounded by graceful fountains, mature live oaks, historic churches, and beautifully preserved nineteenth-century commercial buildings. Classical proportions, refined stonework, and one of the city's most historically significant civic landscapes create an atmosphere worthy of the Revolutionary hero it honors. Every visit reveals another layer of Savannah's remarkable colonial legacy. The result is an experience defined by national history, architectural dignity, and one of Georgia's most important public monuments.
What you should know about Nathanael Greene Monument.
Nathanael Greene Monument is best known for marking the final resting place of Major General Nathanael Greene, George Washington's most trusted commander in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, beneath a grand 50-foot granite obelisk designed by renowned architect William Strickland. The monument's cornerstone was ceremonially laid on March 21, 1825 by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, during his celebrated farewell tour of the United States, making it among the most significant commemorative events in Savannah's history. Although completed in 1830, financial limitations initially required the obelisk to serve as a joint memorial to Nathanael Greene and Casimir Pulaski before Pulaski received his own monument in 1853, allowing the Johnson Square monument to become exclusively dedicated to Greene. Greene, who died at nearby Mulberry Grove Plantation in 1786 after receiving the estate from the State of Georgia in recognition of his wartime service, was originally buried in Colonial Park Cemetery. Following the Civil War, vandalism obscured the exact location of his grave until his remains were rediscovered in 1901 and reinterred beneath the monument in 1902, where both Greene and his son now rest. Rising from the center of Johnson Square, the first and largest of Savannah's original 1733 public squares, the monument has witnessed nearly two centuries of civic ceremonies, military commemorations, and public gatherings while becoming one of the city's defining landmarks. Together, exceptional neoclassical design, profound Revolutionary War significance, remarkable preservation, and enduring civic symbolism establish Nathanael Greene Monument as one of the American South's most important Revolutionary memorials.
The monument continues demonstrating how public memorials can preserve both national memory and local identity across generations. William Strickland's timeless design, Lafayette's historic cornerstone ceremony, Greene's reinterment beneath the obelisk, and Johnson Square's enduring civic role reinforce Nathanael Greene Monument's standing among America's most significant Revolutionary War monuments.
How to fold Nathanael Greene Monument into your trip.
Nathanael Greene Monument is best experienced as part of an exploration through Savannah's Historic District.
Begin at Johnson Square, where Savannah's first public square introduces the remarkable colonial history surrounding the monument before admiring the towering obelisk. Continue to Christ Church Savannah, where Georgia's oldest church deepens the story of the colony founded alongside the square in 1733. Conclude at Reynolds Square, where one of Savannah's most elegant historic squares provides a memorable finale celebrating the remarkable urban plan and architectural heritage that define the city's historic center. The progression moves naturally from Revolutionary history to colonial religious heritage before concluding within another of Savannah's celebrated public squares, revealing why Nathanael Greene Monument remains one of the city's defining historic landmarks.
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