Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a prominent street in

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. Located to the west of

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: * ...

, at the western edge of Savannah's downtown, it runs for about from West River Street in the north to Exchange Street in the south. Originally called West Broad Street, it was renamed for

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

in 1991. A memorial bust of King Jr., designed by Italian sculptor Franco Castelluccio and approved by his family, was officially unveiled at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Savannah's Plant Riverside District on January 15, 2022. The memorial is located at the northern terminus of the boulevard, overlooking 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 ...

. The section between West Bay Street and West Oglethorpe Avenue is part of State Route 25. The street's northern section passes through the

Savannah Historic District Savannah Historic District may refer to: *Savannah Historic District (Savannah, Georgia), a National Historic Landmark district in Georgia * Central of Georgia Railroad: Savannah Shops and Terminal Facilities, Savannah, Georgia, a historic district ...

, a

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

.James Dillon (1977) , National Park Service and ''

The Savannah Tribune The ''Savannah Tribune'' is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Savannah, Georgia. History The ''Savannah Tribune'' was founded in 1875 and went through two hiatuses (from 1878 to 1886 and from 1960 to 1973). Originally named the ''Co ...

'' formerly had its offices on West Broad Street.

Frogtown

After the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, freed slaves began to settle in the area, which had become known as Frogtown, due to the proliferation of frogs that appeared in the neighborhood after rains. It became a thriving black business district, with movie theaters, markets, grocery stores, funeral homes, shoe repair, tailors, insurance companies and financial institutions; in the 1960s, however, an overpass was built, connecting the eastern terminus of

Interstate 16 Interstate 16 (I-16), also known as Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway, is an east–west Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Georgia. It carries the hidden designation of State Route 404 (SR 404) for its ...

to Montgomery Street. This negatively affected trade. Savannah's

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

, which once stood on what was then West Broad Street, was demolished in 1963 as part of the development. The area is now known as an Enterprise Zone, with the City of Savannah offering financial incentives to businesses that opt to invest in the area via land improvement and/or the creation of jobs. It is believed Savannah singer/songwriter

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallich ...

used to visit West Broad Street to listen to "race" music.

Notable buildings and structures

Below is a selection of notable buildings and structures on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, all in Savannah's Historic District. From north to south: *

William Scarbrough House William Scarbrough House is a historic house in Savannah, Georgia. Built in 1819, and subjected to a number later alterations, it is nationally significant as an early example of Greek Revival architecture, and is one of the few surviving Americ ...

, 41 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1819) *Crites Hall, 217 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1906; now part of the

Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a private nonprofit art school with locations in Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Lacoste, France. Founded in 1978 to provide degrees in programs not yet offered in the southeast of the Unit ...

(SCAD)) *

Kiah Hall Kiah Hall is a building in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Regarded as "one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in Georgia",''The Savannah College of Art and Design: Restoration of an Architectural Heritage'', Connie Capozzola ...

, 227 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1856; now part of SCAD) *

Central of Georgia Railway The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was cons ...

"Up Freight" sheds remnants, 227 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1853) *Central of Georgia Railway "Red Building" 233 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1888) *Central of Georgia Railway "Down Freight" sheds, 233 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1859) *Central of Georgia Railway Train Terminal, 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1860 to 1876) *Adoniram Thorpe House, 2205–2207 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (1901)

References

{{Streets of Savannah Roads in Savannah, Georgia Streets in Georgia (U.S. state)