Ellis Square, Savannah, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Ellis Square is one of the four original squares laid out in Savannah, Georgia, in 1733, and for more than two centuries it was the town's marketplace. Its history includes both everyday trade and the sale of enslaved people, and its demolished market house became a rallying point for the city's preservation movement.

The story behind it

The square was first called Decker Square and was later renamed for Henry Ellis, the colony's second royal governor. Over the years a succession of market buildings stood here, where townspeople bought produce, meat, fish and other goods. Enslaved people were also bought and sold at and around the market, a part of the square's past that today's open plaza invites you to remember.

In 1954 the market house was torn down and a parking garage took its place. The loss caused real anger in Savannah and is widely seen as helping to spark the historic preservation movement, including the Historic Savannah Foundation. The garage was removed in the 2000s, the square was rebuilt above an underground car park, and it reopened in 2010.

What to look for

• The fountain at the centre of the plaza, which makes the square a lively gathering spot on warm days.
• The bronze statue of songwriter Johnny Mercer, a Savannah native, unveiled in 2009.
• The layout of the square itself, one of the original four of 1733, set within the city's grid of streets and squares.
• The contrast between the open, landscaped plaza and the busy City Market blocks beside it, which carry on the area's long commercial tradition.

Tips for your visit

• Ellis Square is an open public space, so you can walk through it at any time of day without a ticket.
• Allow 15 to 30 minutes to look around and read the surroundings, longer if you plan to sit by the fountain or browse nearby shops.
• Morning is quieter, while late afternoon and evening bring more people and a livelier atmosphere. Check current opening hours for nearby shops and restaurants.
• City Market, River Street and the other historic squares are all an easy walk away, so it fits naturally into a longer stroll.

See it on a quest

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Savannah is a mystery-themed route that passes through this part of the city. You reach Ellis Square on foot as one stop on a longer walk, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Savannah Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. is a detective-style walk that includes this square among its stops. The app gives you the background to each place as you get there and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Haunting File: Savannah - Under the Squares takes a haunting theme through Savannah's squares. You walk to each stop, hear about it in the app and solve a puzzle there, so Ellis Square becomes one part of a longer route rather than a quick photo stop. One ticket covers the whole group.