Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...
, United States. It runs for about from Main Street in the west to General McIntosh Boulevard in the east. The section passing through Savannah's downtown, between the Bay Street Viaduct in the west and General McIntosh Boulevard in the east, is around long.
Formerly known as "Bay Street" singular (and originally North Broad Street), it is now denoted as "West Bay Street" and "East Bay Street", the split occurring at
Savannah City Hall
Savannah City Hall is the seat of government for the city of Savannah, Georgia, United States. Designed by architect Hyman Witcover, the building was built between 1904 and 1905 and opened the following year. It is a contributing property to th ...
at the head of
Bull Street
Bull Street is a major street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Named for Colonel William Bull (1683–1755), it runs from Bay Street in the north to Derenne Avenue (part of State Route 21) in the south. It is around 3.40 miles in length, ...
.
West Bay Street begins in the industrial western side of the city, where it is part of
Georgia State Route 25
State Route 25 (SR 25) is a state highway in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels south-to-north near the Atlantic Ocean, serving the Brunswick and Savannah metropolitan areas on its path from the Florida state l ...
(before turning south onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), then continues along the northern end of Savannah's downtown, where it is lined with historic buildings on its southern side and hotels and a park on its northern side, which is at the edge of the bluff.
East of City Hall, the northern side of the street is known as The Strand, punctuated by
Emmet Park
Emmet Park, also known as The Strand, is an urban park in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Its most prominent section is located in the northeastern corner of the city's historic downtown area, in what was known as the Old Fort neighborhood, ...
a few yards west of where East River Street merges with East Bay Street.
Downtown Savannah
The street runs parallel to the
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the norther ...
, and around above River Street a few yards to the north, for most of its downtown section.
Intersections
Bay Street has intersections with the below streets in its downtown section (from west to east):
;West Bay Street
*Fahm Street (cross street)
*Ann Street
* Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (cross street)
*
Montgomery Street
Montgomery Street is a north-south thoroughfare in San Francisco, California, in the United States.
It runs about 16 blocks from the Telegraph Hill neighborhood south through downtown, terminating at Market Street Market Street may refer to:
* ...
Barnard Street
Barnard Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Jefferson Street to the west and Whitaker Street to the east, it runs for about from West Bay Street in the north to West 52nd Street in the south. ...
Factors Walk
Factors Walk, also commonly spelled Factor's Walk or Factors' Walk, is a historic street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It runs for about along the upper levels of the southern frontages of the buildings of Factors Row, which is located ...
Abercorn Street
Abercorn Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Drayton Street to the west and Lincoln Street to the east, it runs for about from East Bay Street in the north to Harry S. Truman Parkway (State Rout ...
(including a ramp to River Street)
* Lincoln Street (including a ramp to River Street)
*
Habersham Street
Habersham Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Lincoln Street to the west and Price Street to the east, it runs for about from East Bay Street in the north to Stephenson Avenue in the south. The ...
Houston Street
Houston Street ( ) is a major east–west thoroughfare in Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs the full width of the island of Manhattan, from FDR Drive along the East River in the east to the West Side Highway along the Hudson River in t ...
*Rossiter Place
*
East Broad Street
East Broad Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located to the east of Price Street, at the eastern edge of Savannah's downtown, it runs for about from East Bay Street in the north to East Victory Drive (U.S. R ...
(including a ramp to River Street)
*East River Street
St. Patrick's Day
In March 2001, the crowds attending the annual
St. Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
celebrations in Savannah spilled over onto Bay Street after police closed River Street's festival entrances. This led to the closure of Bay Street to traffic around 11:15 PM out of concern for public safety. The following year, the city made the section of Bay Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Price Street pedestrian-only.
Notable buildings and structures
Below is a selection of notable buildings and structures on Bay Street, all in Savannah's
Historic District
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
. From west to east:Historic Building Map: Savannah Historic District – Historic Preservation Department of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (November 17, 2011)
;Northern side:
*
John Williamson Range
John Williamson Range is a historic building in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in Savannah's Historic District, the addresses of some of the properties are West Bay Street, above Factors Walk, while others solely utilize the former Ki ...
, 302–310 West Bay Street (1850)
*
220–224 West Bay Street
220–224 West Bay Street is a historic building in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in Savannah's Historic District, the addresses of some of the properties are West Bay Street, above Factors Walk, while others solely utilize the forme ...
(1821)
*
Lowden Building
Lowden Building is a historic building in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in Savannah's Historic District, the addresses of some of the properties are West Bay Street, above Factors Walk, while others solely utilize the former King Co ...
Savannah City Hall
Savannah City Hall is the seat of government for the city of Savannah, Georgia, United States. Designed by architect Hyman Witcover, the building was built between 1904 and 1905 and opened the following year. It is a contributing property to th ...
, 2 East Bay Street (1904–1905)
*
Thomas Gamble Building
The Thomas Gamble Building, formerly known as the Eugene Kelly Stores, Kelly's Block and Kelly's Building,Upper Stoddard Range
Upper Stoddard Range is a historic range of buildings in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located in Savannah's Historic District, the addresses of some of the properties are East Bay Street, above Factors Walk, while others solely utilize the ...
, 12–42 East Bay Street (1859)
*
Savannah Cotton Exchange
The Savannah Cotton Exchange was established in 1876 in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Its function was to provide King Cotton factors, brokers serving planters' interest in the market, a place to congregate and set the market value of cotton e ...
Emmet Park
Emmet Park, also known as The Strand, is an urban park in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Its most prominent section is located in the northeastern corner of the city's historic downtown area, in what was known as the Old Fort neighborhood, ...
* Old Harbor Light (1858)
;Southern side:
*Simon Guckenheimer Building, 225 West Bay Street (1893)
*George W. Jones Building, 121–123 West Bay Street (1852)
*James Johnston Building, 103 West Bay Street (1819)
* 21 West Bay Street (former City Hotel) (1821)
* Solomon Cohen Building, 17 West Bay Street (1869)
* United States Customhouse, 1–3 East Bay Street (1842–1852)
*Central Railroad Bank, 7 East Bay Street (1853)
* George Owens House, 15–17 East Bay Street (1822–1823)
*25–27 East Bay Street (1860/1895/1915)
*Hibernia Bank Building, 101 East Bay Street (1914)
*105–107 East Bay Street (1922)
*Oglethorpe Lodge Building, 113–119 East Bay Street (1853)
* Edward Padelford Building (west), 229–233 East Bay Street (1853–1854)
*Edward Padelford Building (east), 301 East Bay Street (1851)
*Hugh Cullen Property, 3–5 Habersham Street (at Bay Street) (1854)
*417 East Bay Street (circa 1875)
*John Eppinger Property, 425 East Bay Street (1809)
*