Pirates' House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pirates' House |
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Pirates' House northern façade, which faces onto Trustees Garden
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| General information | |
| Location | Savannah, Georgia, United States |
| Address | 20 East Broad Street |
| Coordinates | 32°04′42″N 81°05′02″W / 32.07827°N 81.08393°W |
| Completed | 1734 |
| Owner | The Savannah Gas Company |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
The Pirates' House is a super old restaurant and tavern (a place like a pub) in downtown Savannah, Georgia, United States. It opened as a restaurant in 1753. But guess what? Part of the building is even older! It was built in 1734, making it the oldest building still standing in the whole state of Georgia. Today, it's one of Savannah's most popular places for tourists to visit.
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A Look Back at Pirates' House History
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The Pirates' House stands on land that was once part of James Oglethorpe's original plan for Savannah. This area was meant to be a special botanical garden. It was designed to be like the famous Chelsea Botanical Garden in London, England. This garden was dedicated to Oglethorpe's trustees.
The First Garden and Herb House
Oglethorpe brought in plant experts from all over the world. They wanted to grow important plants like cotton, spices, indigo, and medicinal herbs. The main goal was to grow mulberry trees, hoping to start successful wine and silk industries.
However, the soil and weather in Georgia were not right for mulberry trees. So, the wine and silk plans didn't work out. But the garden did help spread peach trees, which Georgia is now famous for! It was also very good at growing cotton, which later became a huge part of Georgia's economy.
A small building was built on this land in 1734. This building was for the gardener who worked there. It was called the Herb House. People say it is the oldest building in Georgia.
From Herb House to Seamen's Inn
By 1754, the people of Savannah decided they didn't need the botanical garden anymore. Savannah was quickly becoming a busy port town. Because of this, the Herb House was changed into an inn and tavern. It was a place for sailors visiting from other countries to stay and relax.
A Link to Treasure Island
The Pirates' House has a cool connection to the famous book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can see some rare early pages from the book hanging on the walls inside! They are displayed in the captain's room and the treasure room.
Pirates' House Today: A Popular Restaurant
In 1948, The Savannah Gas Company bought the Pirates' House and the land around it. The wife of the company's president, Mrs. Hansell Hilyer, became very interested in the old building. She decided to turn it into the restaurant we know today.
The Pirates' House now has fifteen different dining rooms. It can serve up to 120 guests at a time. They offer many delicious Southern dishes. It's a great place to imagine what life was like when pirates and sailors visited Savannah long ago!
