She's elegant, she's hospitable, she's lovely, and she's very well preserved. Meet Savannah, Georgia, a genuine Southern Belle and the latest title from the best-selling Then and Now series. * Savannah Then and Now takes readers on a journey through time to some of the most remarkable sites in the city. Side-by-side images of the past and present show how much Savannah has changed since it was first planned by Englishman James Oglethorpe in 1733. The oldest planned city in America, Savannah has a grid design centered around open squares. Originally, the city expanded around just four squares; today there are twenty-one squares, each with a personality of its own. Compare then-and-now photographs, and you'll get a sense of Savannah's timelessness. During the Civil War, many Southern cities, including Atlanta, were burned to the ground.
However, because Savannah surrendered to the Union, its Antebellum architectural legacy was preserved. Today, millions flock to Savannah to enjoy its historic buildings and famed Southern hospitality.