Pine Gardens Neighborhood National Register Project
This site is devoted to all the good people who ever lived in the Pine Gardens Neighborhood in eastern Savannah, GA, and in surrounding neighborhoods. It is further dedicated to the people who owned, managed and worked at the Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation's Southeastern Shipyard.
On November 5, 2014, following years of efforts by numerous current and former Pine Gardens residents, the Pine Gardens Neighborhood, on the basis of, among other things, its being the last remaining neighborhood constructed exclusively to house employees & families at the Southeastern Shipyard during the Liberty Ship campaign in World War II, was listed on the National Resister of Historic Places.
Participants will be forever grateful to Professor Daves Rossell of the Savannah College of Art and Design - and some of his students - for their excellent assistance during the campaign. We are likewise thankful to "Savannah Morning News" writers Polly Powers Stramm, Mary Carr Mayle, and Jane Fishman. Additionally, we appreciate capable, enthusiastic help from Ellen Harris and Sarah Ward, both of Chatham County MPC Historic Preservation Department. Also, we appreciate the assistance and resources provided by: The City of Savannah, the Historic Savannah Foundation, the Housing Authority of Savannah, the Georgia Historical Society, and the Bull Street location of the Live Oak Public Libraries.
Click the link below to read a November 13, 2014 article in the "Savannah Morning News" on this subject:
| As noted above, Pine Gardens was listed on the National Register on November 5, 2014. The certificate is shown to the right. (Click it to enlarge.) >>>>>>>>>> |  |
| Click to the right to read history of the Pine Gardens Neighborhood >>>> | Pine Gardens History |
| Click to read "Pine Gardens National Registry Project" by Elaine Jolly (April 26, 2010) >>>>>>>>>> | Elaine Jolly paper for Univ. of Alabama - Birmingham |
| Click to the right to read history of the Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation (SSC) >>>> | Southeastern Shipbuilding Corp. History |
| Click to the right to learn about public "War Housing" provided for SSC workers, by the Housing Authority of Savannah >>>> | Adjacent "war housing" projects |
| Recent >>> Item on "Liberty Ships" on the Skylighters web site | Click here to read this most interesting article! |
| Recent Addition! Article in the Winter 2006 in the Historic Savannah Foundation's Newsletter | Click here to read this exciting, informative article! |
| Recent Addition! Polly Powers Stramm column in the April 1, 2006 "Savannah Morning News" | Click here to read the Polly Powers Stramm column! |
| Recent Addition! Slide presentation on National Register by Sarah Ward of the Savannah MPC. (On 3/19/2012 to the PG Neighborhood Association) | Click here to view the subject slide presentation! |
Please read the narrative below. Most important, in order to fully understand this project, click and review the three related links, in the table just above!
(A work in progress, in that additional Pine Gardens history will be added as it becomes available.)
Savannah, GA's Pine Gardens Neighborhood is a subdivision of modest family homes on the east side, not far from the Savannah River. It consists of more than 500 free-standing homes, came into existence in the early 1940's, and was the brainchild of Savannah's Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation (SSC). At that time, SSC was seeking housing for the growing population of workers needed to support shipbuilding for the United States military. To provide additional housing for SSC, the Housing Authority of Savannah erected three nearby apartment complexes, Moses Rogers Grove, and Josiah Tattnall Homes, and Deptford Place, none of which exists today.
A few vintage PG neighborhood photos follow. (More are needed!)
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The "Penn Store" - intersection of Liberty St. & Penn. Ave. - 1948 | 2236 E. Liberty, 1949 | Eli Whitney Elementary, ca. 1954 - a classroom photo | Eli Whitney school, ca. 1954, with custodian Mr. Lavender in foreground |
A few recent PG neighborhood photos follow:
| The Savannah Fire Station No. 9, est'd 1943 for Pine
Gardens:
See image below, and: |
||
 |
Because of the tie-in between Pine Gardens and the Savannah Shipbuilding industry, and because it is the last surviving Savannah neighborhood created for that industry, an initiative is under way to have the neighborhood listed on the National Directory of Historic Districts.
Achievement of this listing would, of course, bring a certain honorary cachet to the neighborhood. More importantly, however, is the near certainty that increased property values and neighborhood stability/longevity would ensue. Although "listing" status would place no requirement or restriction on any homeowner, the potential for "Preservation Incentives" - such as grants or low-interest loans for certain restoration projects, can only benefit and strengthen the neighborhood.
To learn even more, try the links below:
Click the links below to continue your exploration of this project, please!
,,,,
...
| Last updated: 09/02/2015 10:47 PM | |
 
|
...
Please contact this web site's proprietor, below, with any corrections, thoughts, or questions.
....
|
To contact this site's Proprietor: Charles Varner - 663 William Hilton Parkway - Unit 1107 - Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 Phone: (843) 785-9680 E-mail: cevarner@fastmail.fm |