On Sunday, Savannah added another greenspace to its list of squares: Yamacraw Square.
For the last few years, Yamacraw Art Park, nestled outside of First Bryan Baptist Church on Bryan Street, had fallen into disrepair. The historical plaques were vandalized, the landscaping lost its form, and the statues had fallen to disrepair.
Now, after community outcry and a March vote by Savannah City Council, Yamacraw Art Park is no more, and in its place is Savannah's 23rd square: Yamacraw Square.
Credit: Will Peebles
Credit: Will Peebles
The three statues of children in the fountain have been rebronzed. The historical markers have been replaced, provided by the city’s municipal archives department. The square has been resurfaced and painted, with new benches placed within.
Local sculptor and designer Jerome B. Meadows was commissioned to design, create and install artwork in the park and has since restored the existing public art in the now publicly recognized historic square.
As City Manager Jay Melder put it at the unveiling ceremony on Sunday: “from an art park to one of the most beautiful squares we have.”
About 60 people came out to the unveiling, welcomed by First Bryan Baptist Church's Rev. Christopher J. Pittman. Mayor Van Johnson and a group of city council members attended the event as well.
Credit: Will Peebles
Credit: Will Peebles
‘The Ellis Island of the South’
Georgia Benton, the Yamacraw Square ward captain and Yamacraw historian for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, called Yamacraw "the Ellis Island of the South."
"Poor Germans, poor Irish, poor Blacks, where did they come to first?" Benton asked the crowd. "Yamacraw."
Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier, whose district includes the square, spoke of her own personal history of Yamacraw, noting it was once a bustling community, dense in population.
Credit: Will Peebles
Credit: Will Peebles
"One thing that really stands out about those times, the population was so dense. Every direction you looked, all you saw were people, people, people. People sitting on porches, walking, sitting on porches, children playing," Lanier said.
Lanier lamented the changes made in those 60 years, calling the modern Yamacraw population "sparse." She urged those in attendance to make sure those who live in the area are the ones who will decide its future. The Housing Authority of Savannah is considering demolishing Yamacraw Village, the 22-acre public housing complex that surrounds the square.
"We need to be deliberate and purposeful about the direction we want to go. We need to create policies that drive that direction, and we need to allow the people who live here to be the drivers of that vision, in partnership with their partners, the professional planners, the urban designers, the public administrators," Lanier said. "But the primary stakeholders are these people."
Will Peebles is the City Council and County Commission reporter for Savannah Morning News, covering local Savannah and Chatham County decisions. He can be reached at wpeebles@savannahnow.com or on Twitter @willpeeblesSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah now has 23 squares. What you need to know about Yamacraw Square.
MEET OUR PARTNER
Today’s story comes from our partner, Savannah Morning News. Savannah Morning News provides daily news coverage on Coastal Georgia. Visit them at savannahnow.com or on Twitter @SavannahNow.
If you have any feedback or questions about our partnerships, you can contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams via email at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
The Latest
Featured
