Chippewa Square

Named for a battle in the War of 1812, Chippewa Square has a large monument not to the battle, natch, but to James Oglethorpe [1], clad in full soldier’s regalia. Notice the general is still facing south, toward the Spanish!

Yes, the bench on the square’s north side is in the same location as the one Tom Hanks occupied in Forrest Gump, but it’s not the same bench that hosted the two-time Oscar winner’s backside—that one was donated by Paramount Pictures to be displayed in the Savannah History Museum [2] on MLK Jr. Boulevard.

From Chippewa Square look south for the huge rectangular steel-and-glass structure dominating the skyline along Liberty Street. That’s the infamous Drayton Tower, an outstanding, nearly pure example of the Internationalist architecture style nonetheless loathed by traditionalists since its construction in 1955.

Until recently it served as low-cost housing for students and seniors. They’ve since been kicked out, as now the building is subdivided into high-end condos with retail on the ground floor.