Ellis Square in Savannah
When you think of a Savannah square, images of shady ancient oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, quiet benches, and leisurely strolls often come to mind. Ellis Square is quite different . The square you see today, named for Sir Henry Ellis, looks unlike any other square in the city, with a modern design, open feel and bustling with life and excitement.
Ellis Square is one of the original squares planned by James Edward Oglethorpe during the founding of Savannah, although its original name was Decker Square, in honor of Sir Matthew Decker, one of the Georgia Trustees charged with managing the Colony of Georgia. The square is located amid Barnard, Bryan and Congress Streets steps away from historic City Market. For over 200 years, the square served a market area and locals referred to it at Market Square throughout from the mid-1700s through the mid-1950s, when it ceased to exist.
In 1954, with much dismay, the significant square was demolished and turned into a multi-level parking garage that stood for more than five decades. This event helped ignited the restoration movement that has restored so much of the Savannah you can see today.
Luckily, the city regained control of the parking garage and began rebuilding the square as a public area in 2006. The parking garage was relocated underground, and Ellis Square was rebuilt on top, and the finished result was revealed to the public in an official ceremony in 2010. The endeavor was a huge success and received recognition as a sustainable urban renewal project.
The revitalized Ellis Square recalls nothing from its previous life. The modern square features open areas lined with cement seating areas, along with café style tables and chairs sprinkled under trees along its perimeter. A dancing fountain lies in the heart of the square, shooting up to 10-foot jets at various intervals. A glass-walled visitor’s center with restrooms and a bronze statue of beloved Savannahian and songwriter and lyricist Johnny Mercer are located on the west side of the square.
Ellis Square is one of the liveliest squares in Savannah today. As a popular public park, it is a favorite spot where both tourists and locals gather to spend quality time with their families and friends. On hot summer days, you can see children (and sometimes even adults) in their swim clothes and playing in the dancing fountains in the center of the square. Anytime of the year, you can join in on a strategic game of chess on the giant chessboard, enjoy a takeaway meal at one of the many sitting areas that line the square, while listening to live musicians perform at the neighboring City Market, or pose for a unique photo opportunity with the cheerful Johnny Mercer statue.
