Walking through the squares in downtown Savannah is like opening a page of a Georgia history textbook. The squares form the foundation of Savannah and its colonial beginnings — without them, the city would not be what it is today.
Back in 1733, when Savannah was founded, there were four original squares, meant to serve the purpose of residential areas and trustee lots. By 1851, that number had grown to 24 squares. However, not all 24 squares still exist today.
In 1935, there was a push to bring highway development into downtown Savannah, with the hopes of increased business for shopowners. The price for this construction was the demolition of three of the squares, Elbert, Franklin, and Liberty. As a result of increased automotive traffic downtown, the City Market at Ellis Square was demolished in 1954 to make room for a parking garage…