United States Customhouse (Savannah, Georgia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Customhouse
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U.S. Customhouse (2020)
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1–3 E. Bay St., Savannah, Georgia |
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| Area | 0 acres (0 ha) |
| Built | 1848 |
| Architect | Norris, John S. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Part of | Savannah Historic District (Savannah, Georgia) (ID66000277) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000666 |
| Added to NRHP | May 29, 1974 |
The U.S. Customhouse is a very old and important building in Savannah, Georgia. It was built to be a custom house, which is a place where government officials collect taxes on goods coming into or leaving the country. This building helped control trade and business in Savannah for many years.
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History of the Building
This impressive building shows how important Savannah was for trade in the 1700s and 1800s. The land it sits on is also special. Long ago, James Oglethorpe, who started the Georgia Colony, had his home here. Later, a federal courthouse and a church where John Wesley preached were also on this spot.
Savannah's first custom house opened in 1789. A second one opened in 1819 but burned down in 1837. In 1845, the government bought the current spot for a new, third custom house. A New York architect named John S. Norris designed it. He also watched over its construction. This building was the first of many that Norris designed in Savannah. Work began on July 20, 1848.
The building was finished in 1852. It had the U.S. Post Office in the basement. The Customs Service was on the first floor. Federal courts were on the second floor. A famous legal case about the illegal bringing of people from Africa to be enslaved was heard here in 1860. In January 1861, the Confederate flag was raised over the building. This happened after Georgia decided to leave the Union. But in 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman took control of Savannah. He returned the building to the U.S. government. Later, in 1889, Colonel John H. Deveaux became the first African American U.S. Customs Collector to work in this building.
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The U.S. Customhouse is part of the Savannah Historic District. This district is a special area recognized for its history. The Customhouse itself was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it's a very important historical site.
Building Design and Look
The U.S. Customhouse is made completely of stone. This was important because Savannah had many big fires in its past. The architect, John Norris, wanted to build fireproof buildings. Using stone and brick helped change how buildings looked in Savannah.
The Customhouse opened in 1852. People were very happy with it. A local newspaper said it had "grown to be a perfect thing at last."
This huge building is in the Greek Revival architecture style. It looks like ancient Greek temples. It stands at the corner of Bull and East Bay Streets. A special cast-iron fence surrounds it. The fence has designs of tobacco leaves and fleur-de-lis. The building is wide and deep. It is made of large, gray granite blocks. These stones came all the way from Massachusetts.
The front of the building has a large porch, called a portico. It has six huge columns. Each column weighs about 15 to 20 tons! It took a long time to move them from the river to the building site. It also took a month to lift them into place. The columns have carvings of tobacco leaves at the top. A grand granite staircase leads to the main entrance. The words "United States Custom House" are carved above the columns.
Inside, the most amazing part is the granite staircase. It's built so that each step fits into the next without needing extra support. A large granite column in the basement holds it all up. The railing of the stairs is made of cast iron. It has the same tobacco leaf design as the outside fence. The staircase is inside a round area. The original wooden doors curve with the walls.
The U.S. Customhouse still serves its original purpose today. It shows how important Savannah has been as a port city for over 150 years.
Important Moments in History
- 1789: Savannah's first U.S. Custom House opens.
- 1819: The second U.S. Custom House is built. It burns down in 1837.
- 1845: The government buys the land for the current Customhouse.
- 1848–1852: The U.S. Customhouse is built.
- 1860: A famous legal case about the illegal bringing of people to be enslaved is heard here.
- 1861: The Confederate flag is raised over the building.
- 1864: General William T. Sherman takes control of Savannah. The building returns to the U.S.
- 1966: The U.S. Customhouse becomes part of the Savannah National Historic Landmark District.
- 1974: The U.S. Customhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Quick Facts About the Building
- Architect: John S. Norris
- Built: 1848–1852
- Special Status: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- Also part of the Savannah National Historic Landmark District
- Location: 1–3 East Bay Street
- Style: Greek Revival
- Main Material: Gray granite
- Cool Features: The large front porch (portico) and the granite staircase inside
