Savannah Shines 25 Years Since ‘The Book’

Posted - October 7, 2019
“The Book,” as it is referred to by some locals, is “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” a true-crime novel by John Berendt that tells the story of a 1981 killing in which the city’s characters are as intriguing as the crime itself.

And the book led to an increase of visitors to Georgia's oldest city and its first capital. The city had 5 million visitors in 1993 before the book came out and that grew to 14 million in 2018. 

It was the cover of the book that gave people their first glimpse of Savannah, with the statue of Bird Girl in Bonaventure Cemetery. Because of the influx of visitors, the Savannah version of Bird Girl, named Little Wendy, has been moved to the Telfair Museums where it is on display for museum visitors. The museums also include American and European art from the 19th and 20th centuries, including paintings, works on paper, sculptures and decorative arts.

Telfair Museums is near Telfair Square, one of 22 squares in the city, each named for someone or highlighting a different aspect of the town. One of the more notable squares is Chippewa Square, where Forrest Gump sat on a bench and told his story in the film, “Forrest Gump.”

The aforementioned Bonaventure Cemetery opened in 1846 and has grown to 160 acres, making it the largest in Savannah. Besides the elaborate headstones and historic gravestones, the landscaping also stands out with azaleas, Spanish moss and tall live oak trees.

Savannah is a walkable city, especially along the Savannah River and River Street. There is even a free ferry to take you across to the convention center if you are in town for a conference or want to see Savannah from the other side. Hutchinson Island also features one of the more challenging golf courses in Savannah, The Club at Savannah Harbor.
If you want even more water fun, head down to Tybee Island, just 20 minutes from Savannah, on the Atlantic seashore. Besides your typical beach activities, Tybee Island also features the Tybee Island Marine Science Center and Tybee Island Light Station and Museum, Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse.

There is so much to do in Savannah, even if you just want to see “The Book’s” cover.
 
  • John T. Garcia