The Olympic Torch Monument, Savannah, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Olympic Torch Monument in Savannah, Georgia, recalls the city's part in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Although the Games were centered on Atlanta, Savannah hosted the yachting events, which put the city's sailing tradition in front of a worldwide audience.

The story behind it

Atlanta is inland, so the organizers needed a seaside host for the sailing competition. Savannah was chosen for its long maritime history and its access to open water. The races were held offshore in Wassaw Sound, near Wilmington Island, and spectators were ferried out by boat to watch. Back in town, the opening was celebrated with the lighting of an Olympic Cauldron on River Street.

Locals saw the Games as a chance to show the city off. City and county officials worked together, public and private partners joined in, businesses and colleges pitched in, and more than a thousand volunteers helped. The monument keeps that moment of civic pride visible.

The same waterfront carries an older story. Legend says Florence Martus, known as the Waving Girl, greeted passing ships for decades with a white cloth, hoping a lost sailor love would return. Sailors answered her with blasts of the ship's horn. A memorial to her by sculptor Felix de Weldon has stood on the riverfront since 1972, and a World War II Liberty ship was named after her in 1943.

What to look for

• Look at the torch form of the monument itself and read any plaque or inscription beside it, which ties the spot to the 1996 Games.
• Think about the water: the races were sailed far out in Wassaw Sound, not in view of the city, so this is a place to picture the Games rather than see them.
• Notice how close you are to the river, the setting for the cauldron lighting at the opening celebrations.
• Seek out the Waving Girl memorial on the riverfront and compare its quiet, patient figure with the celebratory spirit of the Olympic marker.

Tips for your visit

• A short stop of ten to fifteen minutes is enough for the monument itself. Allow more if you combine it with a riverfront stroll.
• Early morning or late afternoon is the most comfortable time to walk around Savannah, especially in the warm months, and the light is softer for photos.
• It is an outdoor monument, so there is no inside to visit. If you want to know about access or nearby events, check current information before you go.
• The historic district and River Street are close, so it pairs easily with a longer walk through the older parts of the city.

See it on a quest

You can reach the monument on foot as one stop of Captured by Pirates in Savannah, a self-guided pirate-themed route through the area. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look closely at the streets rather than just pass through them. There is no guide and no group to join, and you can start whenever you like. One ticket covers the whole group.