Scott dives into the hidden history of Savannah, uncovering tales of pirates, treasure, and the lively spirit of this charming city. He takes us on a journey through time, sharing stories that are often overlooked but totally deserve a spotlight. From the smoky taverns where legends were born to the vibrant streets where history whispers in the air, we get a taste of Savannah’s rich past. We’ll explore the quirky and the significant, revealing the unexpected players that shaped this beautiful locale.

So, grab your imaginary map and let’s rediscover the stories that make Savannah a treasure trove of history!

Transcript

02 Savannah was Bananas

[00:00:00] Scott: History is a grand tapestry. We’re woven with iconic battles, legendary figures, and empires that rose and fell, but even the most familiar stories have hidden threads, unexpected twists, and forgotten voices. In this podcast, we’ll delve into the heart of iconic events and lesser known moments. We’ll meet the heroes, the unexpected players, and the voices that have been lost to time.

[00:00:32] Join me, your host, Scott, as we explore the forgotten corners and hidden details of history, rediscovering the stories that deserve to be remembered, both grand and small. This is the History Road Trip. Did

[00:00:50] you see the Savannah Bananas? I thought I’d heard the question wrong, so I paused before replying. Or perhaps my friend Eric was just messing with me. We are in the Navy, after all. That sailor humor still sneaks out every now and then, and maybe this was meant to be a bit more suggestive than I suspected.

[00:01:07] I’m sorry? It was 1883.

[00:01:16] In the Savannah air hung heavy with the scent of honeysuckle and brine as I, Robert Louis Stevenson, navigated the cobbled streets. Exhausted from my travels, I sought refuge in a weathered tavern nestled amongst the moss draped oaks. The sign above creaked in the breeze, simply proclaiming it the tavern.

[00:01:36] Inside a haze of pipes, smoke hung low, illuminated by flickering candlelight, a motley crew filled the room. Weathered sailors with eyes that held tales of storms and distant shores, merchants haggling over steaming mugs, and a lone figure hunched over a worn map in the corner. Intrigued, I sidled up to the bar, its surface slick with spilled ale.

[00:02:00] The barkeep, a man with a face similar to mine. Alright. I love you. Oh, God are you amazing. I really love you. Let’s celebrate together. Oh, let’s go over both hands, try both hands! A brawl erupted in the corner, fueled by cheap rum and simmering resentment, I’m sure. In the chaos, the map flew to the floor.

[00:02:29] I’d snatched it before a careless boot could crush it. It depicted a rugged island, marked with an X, that seemed to burn into my memory. Captain Flint’s loot, a gruff voice rasped beside me. A weathered sailor, his face a road map of wrinkles, leaned on the bar. His eyes fixed on the map. Died in this very tavern, they say.

[00:02:53] Took the secret of his treasure to his grave. A shiver ran down my spine. Here, in this smoky, boisterous tavern, was the seed of a story. The air thrummed with tales of buried treasure, salty winds, and men with hearts as black as the night. Tell me more, I said, my voice barely a whisper. The sailor launched into a yarn, his words thick with rum and regret.

[00:03:20] He spoke of a fearsome pirate named Captain Flint, his crew of cutthroats and a hidden treasure on a nameless island. As he spoke, the room around me faded. I saw not a tavern brawl, but a young Jim Hawkins, thrust into a world of pirates and buried gold. By the end, the last embers of the brawl had died down.

[00:03:39] I had scribbled the first lines of a story in my travel journal, Treasure Island. The words seemed to hold the promise of adventure, of hidden riches and perilous journeys. The smoky haze of the tavern had birthed the tale that would forever be etched in my mind. A testament to the power of a good story and the magic spun in a dimly lit corner.

[00:04:02] of a savannah tavern

[00:04:12] one thing you have to know about savannah georgia is that it’s built for visitors walkable like almost no other city we have visited before it exudes something different something almost otherworldly or maybe a step back in time A must see museum attraction is the American Prohibition Museum that gives you an almost Disney level experience covering the rise of Prohibition, how mobsters use Savannah as a springboard to run alcohol all throughout the United States.

[00:04:45] It was 1923. The humid Georgia air clung to me like a second shirt. A Spanish moss hanging from the live oaks, dripping a slow, steady sweat onto my fedora. Savannah was a sweaty, beautiful dame. All secrets and charm under a veil of stifling heat. Perfect for our business, of course. Al Capone may have been the face in Chicago, but down here, I, Frankie the Fixer Merino, kept it real.

[00:05:11] The booze flowing smoother than a Charleston flapper’s moves. Tonight was a drop off. We were delivering a shipment hot off the freighter that had slipped past the Coast Guard’s watch like a phantom. My crew, a motley bunch of toughs I trusted more than my own reflection, unloaded the crates from the rumbling truck into a darkened alley behind a speakeasy with a reputation about as shady as its clientele.

[00:05:34] Suddenly, the alley entrance flooded with harsh light, rebelling The yellow stripes on their fedoras, a stark contrast with the, to the grimy brick wall. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. We weren’t supposed to be made tonight. We paid off the right palms, greased the right wheels. My hand instinctively went to the reassuring weight of the browning tucked under my arm.

[00:05:58] The fight was useless. A bloodbath in this narrow space, but maybe, just maybe, there was another way. Gentlemen, I drawled. Stepping forward, a smile plastered on my face that wouldn’t have fooled a blind dog. Just a routine inspection, right? The lead agent, a bulldog of a man with a jaw that could crack walnuts, didn’t crack a smile.

[00:06:20] Frankie Marino, he said, his voice flat. Been expecting you. My smile faltered. This wasn’t good. Not good at all. Look, fellas. I began, sweat trickling down my back. There must be some misunderstanding. We’re just delivering, uh, some cough syrup. High end stuff, see? One of the agents snorted. Cut the crap, Marino.

[00:06:43] We got a tip. An anonymous one, very specific, and it mentioned a hidden compartment in the second truck from the left. My blood ran cold. An anonymous tip? We had a leak? But who? My mind raced, searching for the weakness for traitors. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Alright, I finally said, raising my hands in surrender, you win.

[00:07:04] But tell me this, who snitched? The agent’s lips curled into a smirk. That, Frankie, he said, is classified information.

[00:07:23] Each of Savannah’s squares is typically surrounded by eight lots, or wards as they call them. Four residential and four public buildings. They’re known for their lush landscaping, featuring live oaks, fountains, statues, and some very famous benches.

[00:07:45] The Georgia sun beat down on my back as I wrestled with a wayward confederate flag. It was 1993 and I was a lowly grip on the set of Forrest Gump here in Savannah. The historic city was a character itself in this movie. All moss striped squares and pastel antebellum houses. Peaceful, almost sleepy. It’s hard to imagine the turmoil it had seen.

[00:08:08] Just this morning I’d been setting up a scene in Forsyth Park, a sprawling green space dotted with ancient live oaks. The scene called for a young forest, braces on its legs, running alongside a group of kids. It was a heartwarming image, but as I secured the flag to a lamppost, I couldn’t help but think about the very different scenes this park had witnessed back in the Civil War.

[00:08:30] Savannah, they said, was one of the few southern cities to be captured intact. But even without the fiery destruction, the scars ran deep. You could feel them in the hushed reverence of the locals when they spoke of the city’s history. Suddenly, a booming voice cut through my reverie. Hey Grip, need a hand with that flagpole?

[00:08:48] I looked up to see Tom Hanks himself, a goofy grin plastered on his face. Even in his khaki work clothes, he had that movie star aura. Sure thing, Mr. Hanks, I stammered a little starstruck. We wrestled the flagpole into submission and the red, white, and blue flapping in the breeze. You know, he said, wiping his brow with a bandana.

[00:09:07] This park must have seen some crazy things back in the day, I mean. Yeah, I agree. Hard to imagine all that fighting happened here, right next to where kids are going to be playing Catch in the Movie. That’s the beauty of movies, I guess. We get to rewrite history, or at least show a different side of it. He gazed out at the park, a thoughtful expression on his face.

[00:09:29] Maybe that’s what Forrest’s story is all about, too. Showing the good and the bad. The hope, even in the darkest times. His words hung in the air as we finished securing the flag. Maybe it was just the heat, but I felt a lump form in my throat. Here I was, a nobody on a movie set, and Tom Hanks was making me think about history.

[00:09:49] About the stories woven into the very fabric of this city. And suddenly, the scene we were creating felt a lot more important than just entertainment. There was a chance to see it. It’s a story about a fictional character with a box of chocolates. As Tom Hanks sauntered off to his trailer, I looked around the park, my eyes filled with a newfound respect.

[00:10:13] Savannah was more than just a pretty backdrop. It was a living testament to a nation’s past, a place where history whispered in the rustling Spanish moss of the live oaks. And who knows, maybe this movie, with its fictional character and his extraordinary journey, would inspire someone to learn more about the real stories this city held.

[00:10:38] You know, the baseball team. The Savannah Bananas. I broke into an immediate grin and laughed. No, I replied, between my laughs, we didn’t see the Savannah Bananas. Eric laughed along with me and told me all about the AAA baseball team that focuses on over the top entertainment acts during the games with other AAA teams, like wearing a kilt while at bat, doing flips running the bases, essentially the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball.

[00:11:06] I was actually bummed I missed out on this modern Savannah staple, but I did not regret one moment walking through this amazing and historic city. Savannah whispers tales of pirates, historical figures, and architectural marvels beyond the iconic bench from Forrest Gump. This city offers a treasure trove of intriguing stories waiting to be discovered, so lace up your walking shoes and get ready to be charmed when you pay your own visit to Savannah, Georgia.

[00:11:36] Alright,

[00:11:41] here’s the portion of the The travel section, I’m going to give you some travel advice if you’re interested in going down and staying in Savannah. When Jen and I went down there, we didn’t, weren’t looking for a particular hotel. I think all the hotels in the downtown Savannah area are pretty good. But I would look for something on Savannah’s waterfront.

[00:11:59] Something in that area. Because from there, it’s very central. The waterfront there is amazing. It’s beautiful. Go down there, walk around, do dinner, all that kind of stuff. Um, from there, you can kind of walk throughout the city, as I’ve mentioned throughout the podcast. So from there, you know, if you want to kind of hit some of the highlights that we just talked about, there’s Chippewa Square.

[00:12:21] That is actually, it’s a beautiful square. It’s kind of one of the central ones. Um, there’s a statue of General James Oglethorpe, who kind of helped build it. found the city. And that’s actually where the bench scene was from Forrest Gump. Now, the bench isn’t there anymore. If you look at the if you go to the link in the show notes of this podcast, we’ll provide the our video from Savannah, Georgia, and we’ll kind of show you where it is in Chippewa Square, you can find From Chippewa Square, you can see lots of really historic things that are right around there.

[00:12:54] There’s one of the oldest theaters, um, continuously operating theaters since I think 1818 is there. You’ll see the Savannah Theater. Um, you’ll see one of the, um, Kind of a restaurant that you can go to it’s unique because it’s called the old pink house and I guess when this Restaurant was created it was red and it was just faded over time And now it’s pink and so they kind of leaned into that and that’s kind of like a place to eat one of the things That you you definitely want to go try and go do is the American Prohibition Museum.

[00:13:28] We talked a little bit about kind of, you know, that vignette about the mobster running rum and getting caught. Well, Savannah was a really big and central part of the whole Prohibition era because rum runners would bring rum into Savannah because it has all of these inlets. And from there, The mobsters would kind of basically get it out to the rest of the country.

[00:13:52] So Savannah was very, very central during that era. They have a whole museum there. It’s an amazing museum. I think it’s Disney level quality that you can get at this museum. And if the adults If you guys want to buy drink tickets in advance, you can. So you can get a, uh, like an alcoholic drink to drink in an actual kind of old school speakeasy.

[00:14:13] It’s a secret speakeasy at the end of the tour. It’s very fun, very kid friendly place. Some other things that you want to do there. If anybody is a Girl Scout, the. founder of the American Girl Scouts in America who was born and raised in Savannah. And that’s at 10 East Oglethorpe Avenue. And you can find that relatively easily.

[00:14:35] Again, go to the one link in our show notes, and we’ll have all the resources for you to kind of find these places pretty easily. Google Maps links and all that stuff. But that’s kind of neat if you’re Anybody in the family is a Girl Scout and then of course there’s the Pirate House. So Robert Louis Stevenson actually did travel to Savannah in 1883 and got the inspiration for the beginning of Treasure Island by visiting this tavern.

[00:15:01] And so that’s why they call it the Pirate’s House now. It really did used to just be called the tavern and from this this tavern believe, the story goes, that there’s an underground tunnel and they would take the drunkards from there and they would go put them on ships to kind of, you know, get them to, to work on the ships.

[00:15:19] So Robert Louis Stevenson, when he was a writer in the 1880s, he visited this place and he was inspired to kind of write that opening scene of Treasure Island where the captain, um, Captain Flint dies, right? And he gives the map. And so there’s Long John Silver and, you know, And all those characters there.

[00:15:38] So, they lean into that pretty hard. I think one of the things there is like the, something like the peanut soup. But you can always ask, you can go there, you can do lunch there pretty easily. It’s a very, very fun spot. So, all of these squares in this greater Downtown Savannah area. It’s very walkable, very pleasant.

[00:15:56] It’s beautiful. I highly recommend if you’re going there again Stay down at the somewhere near the savannah waterfront And visit a couple of these key places like these different squares And go to the link in our show notes and we’ll provide you all the google maps links to these various spots that we talked About a couple that I didn’t have a chance to hit Let us know if you go down to savannah and if you enjoy it and safe travels