Why you should experience Wright Square in Savannah, Georgia.
Wright Square is a historic civic plaza where the Historic District's colonial origins, civic memory, centuries-old oak canopy, and architectural heritage create one of Savannah's most meaningful public spaces.
Set at the intersection of Bull Street and State Street near City Market and just steps from the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, this beautifully landscaped square welcomes visitors into one of James Oglethorpe's original public squares through shaded walkways, historic monuments, mature live oaks, and elegant eighteenth- and nineteenth-century architecture. Moss-draped trees, granite memorials, and quiet garden paths create an atmosphere where Savannah's earliest history remains deeply present. Every visit reveals another layer of the city's remarkable colonial story. The result is an experience defined by historical significance, civic beauty, and one of America's most important urban squares.
What you should know about Wright Square.
Wright Square is best known for being among the four original public squares established in 1733 under General James Edward Oglethorpe's pioneering town plan, making it among the oldest surviving planned civic spaces in the United States. Originally known as Percival Square, it was renamed in 1763 to honor James Wright, the last Royal Governor of the Province of Georgia. The square also occupies one of the most historically significant locations in Georgia, marking the approximate burial site of Chief Tomochichi, the influential leader of the Yamacraw, whose alliance and friendship with Oglethorpe proved essential to the peaceful founding of Savannah. Although Tomochichi was originally buried within the square in 1739, his memorial marker was removed during nineteenth-century street improvements before a new granite monument was erected in 1899 by the Georgia Society of Colonial Dames of America to commemorate his extraordinary contributions to the colony's survival. Dominating the center of the square is the William Washington Gordon Monument, unveiled in 1883 and sculpted by Alexander Doyle, honoring the founder of the Central of Georgia Railway, whose leadership helped transform Savannah into one of the South's principal commercial centers. Surrounded by impeccably preserved Federal, Greek Revival, and Victorian architecture beneath a canopy of mature live oaks, Wright Square remains one of the finest expressions of Oglethorpe's internationally influential urban plan, designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1966.
Beyond its remarkable historical associations, Wright Square continues functioning as one of Savannah's most contemplative civic landscapes, where layers of Indigenous history, colonial planning, railroad expansion, and historic preservation intersect within a remarkably intact eighteenth-century public space. The square's carefully maintained gardens, pedestrian pathways, and surrounding historic buildings demonstrate the enduring brilliance of Oglethorpe's ward system, whose balanced integration of public squares and urban blocks influenced city planning for generations. Indigenous heritage, colonial history, landscape architecture, and architectural preservation combine to create one of Georgia's most historically significant public spaces.
How to fold Wright Square into your trip.
Wright Square is best experienced as the historic centerpiece of an exploration through Savannah's Historic District.
Begin at the American Prohibition Museum, where immersive history introduces the remarkable cultural landscape surrounding Wright Square. Continue to the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, whose grand Gothic Revival architecture complements the square's historic setting. Conclude at Johnson Square, where Savannah's largest original square provides a memorable finale celebrating the remarkable relationship between colonial planning, architecture, and civic life that defines the Historic District. The progression moves naturally from immersive history to Savannah's earliest public spaces before concluding through two defining civic landmarks, revealing why Wright Square remains one of Georgia's essential historic destinations.
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