The Showy Town of Savannah

Download or read book The Showy Town of Savannah written by John D. Duncan and published by Mercer University Press. This book was released on 2019-03 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In December 1817, the English architect William Jay arrived at the busy port of Savannah, Georgia. In the coming four and a half years, he designed several public buildings and private residences in Savannah and a few structures in Charleston, South Carolina. All of his work was remarkable; yet, soon after his departure in 1822, only vague recollections of Jay survived in Savannah, and in Charleston he was forgotten altogether. Early in the twentieth century, Jays work was observed by a few prominent architectural historians, and accounts of his life and labors began to appear. This new biography of Jay describes his place in a vibrant but volatile world. Jays father, the most popular preacher of the day, was a leader in evangelical campaigns to bring relief to the poor, to foster universal literacy, and to abolish slavery. William Jay suffered many disappointments, but he gained remarkable achievements, not least of which was his lasting imprint on showy Savannah.