Weekend Walking in Savannah, Georgia

 

A Weekend in Savannah, Georgia

June 27 and 28 

Savannah is just a 2 hour drive from Jacksonville so it makes an easy weekend trip. We drove up on Saturday afternoon and arrived in time to take a nap and get ready for dinner. 

Dinner at Johnnie Harris 

1651 E Victory Dr
Savannah, Ga

Johnnie Harris Restaurant was established in 1924 and although the place has been updated over the years it retains an old fashioned atmosphere. It felt almost like being in 1930 with dark paneling and high ceilings. There was a large area in the center of the restaurant that looked like it could be used as a circular dance floor. It was surrounded by intimate booths around the perimeter. 

The food was good. I had the barbecue pork plate with fries and coleslaw. The pork had a really good smoky flavor and the coleslaw was perfect but I think John made the better choice health wise. He had salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli. He said it was delicious. 

I love this! It's Earth rising! Located at 14 E 73rd Street. Originally a storage tank built in the 1950s by Savannah Gas Company it's been painted to resemble the earth. It now carries an advertisement for the Savannah Mortgage Company. 
You can read more about this at Roadside America.

Historic Savannah 10K Walk

This walk was set up by The Happy Wanderers Walking Club and is self guided. You can pick up the directions and a map at the Savannah History Museum and Visitors Center: 303 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Savannah, Ga 31401. Just go to the front desk at the museum and ask for the start box. 

I was intrigued by all the staircases in this city. This is just one view. 

This is Forsyth Park at Gaston Street and Bull Street. It's one of many parks and squares that dot this town. I loved that there was so much activity going on. People sitting and talking, riding bikes, walking and a young couple (see the guy kneeling down?) having their pregnancy photos taken. Large oak trees that shade the park and a beautiful cast iron fountain that was that was erected in 1858 make this a lovely place to walk.

If you continue on in Forsythe Park past the fountain you'll come to the Confederate Memorial. The monument was erected in 1874 to honor those who fought and died in the Confederacy. It's interesting to note that the monument was made in Canada with Canadian materials and brought to Savannah by ship so no part of it touched Yankee soil. History runs deep here. 

If you're walking for AVA credit be sure to take the time to walk around the monument and make note of the names of the Confederate officers on the two bust at the front and rear. You'll be tested later:-)

This is a friendly town full of Southern hospitality. While we were trying to take a selfie in one of the parks a young couple walking their dogs stopped and offered to take our picture. 

We did venture down to the water front but it was packed with tourist so we didn't linger. To me it was nicer walking by the old houses and through the many parks and squares. 

There's a lot of history to be found not to far from home. 

For more information on how you can enjoy walks of this kind check out the American Volkssport Association.

Lace up and visit a town near you!

Walking in Historic Springfield

Springfield is the oldest residential area in Jacksonville. Established in 1869 Springfield saw tremendous growth after the Great Fire of 1901 destroyed the downtown area. An eclectic grouping of bungalows, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Prairie School, Mediterranean and Stick style homes sit along tree shaded streets. By the 1920's many of Jacksonville's richest and most powerful families lived in Springfield.  

By the time I worked at the Springfield Atlantic Bank at 8th and Main in the late 1970's and early 80's many families had abandoned the area in favor of newer neighborhoods. The area was blighted and many of beautiful homes were left to deteriorate.

In 1987 the Springfield neighborhood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. There was a renewed interest in the area and in 2010 Southern Living magazine spotlighted Springfield as the #1 comeback neighborhood of the South.. In 2013 This Old House placed Springfield fourth on their list of sixteen of the Best Old House Neighborhoods in the South.

This was the first walk we took with the First Coast Trail Forgers walking club. The walk started at 10am with about 15 people. We enjoyed walking with Mark and Gloria a couple that have been involved with the club for many years.

It was a really nice walk with beautiful houses and big trees. The 5K walk took us about an hour and then we ate lunch at a little cafe at the start point of the walk. The Three Layers Cafe located at 1602 Walnut Street offered a lunch menu of salads, sandwiches, soup and the most wonderful looking desserts. I had a turkey and artichoke grilled sandwich with chips. John had a Cuban with potato salad. I stole a taste of the potato salad and it was very good. Even though we passed on dessert it was the perfect way to end a walk.

At the start of the walk we were all together. That didn't last long as
the power walker blew on down the road. 

A small sampling of the renovated homes.

I would love to see inside that room at the top of the tower.

St Mary Episcopal Church on N Laura Street. 

It was a sweet surprise when we spied this little gem in the middle of a residential block. St Mary Episcopal Church. There she was. Red door and all...I wonder if the power walkers even noticed?

There's still work to be done...

Lots of interesting places to see...

Are you ready to lace up your shoes and go walking?

A Rainy Day Walk in St Marys Ga

On this rainy Saturday we ventured north to St Marys, Georgia. St Marys is a small coastal town just over the Florida-Georgia line.

We weren't sure if anyone would show up for this walk because the weather was bleak. Overcast and
drizzling rain. It was a pleasant surprise that about 18 people came to walk.

Once the walk began it actually stopped raining. It did sprinkle on us a few times but over all it was a nice walk. The sun even appeared briefly.

There is always something interesting to see when we walk. This time we saw three things...

A new dad standing on his porch holding his new born baby (obviously a girl due to the pink ribbons tied on the mailbox), a wedding in the bandstand at the park and a funeral in the cemetery. The circle of life in one 2 hour walk!

The starting point. Everyone was together but eventually we all spread out. Some are super fast walkers and others like to stroll and see the sights. 

What ya see down there?

Christ Episcopal Church and one an example of the many large oak trees we saw on this walk.

Oak Grove Cemetery

A view across the marsh to the marina on the St Marys River. 

This walk is sponsored by the First Coast Trail Forgers Walking club. Today's walk was a group walk with the club but you can take this walk on your own. It's one of the many self guided walks set up by the club. Each self guided walk has a walk box that can easily be accessed for those who want to walk the trail. Once you locate the box you'll need to register on the sign in sheet and pick up the directions and the map. Most walks have a 5k and a 10k walk option. All walks are free unless you want IVV credit. 

 You can find a map and directions for this walk at the St Marys Welcome Center located at 400 Osborne Street, St. Marys, GA 31558. Ask for the walk box at the front desk.

Put your raincoat on and lace up and walk!

Walking With the Club - Fleming Island

A cool Saturday morning walking along quite, shady streets lined with big oak trees, beautiful houses and well tended yards with an occasional glimpse of the river.

Doesn't that sound like a lovely place to walk?

And to top it off an old Gothic Carpenter church with an equally old cemetery.

Yes, that's my idea of a nice place to walk.

We found such a place Saturday when we walked with the First Coast Trail Forgers walking club. The walk was set in Hibernia in Fleming Island just south of Orange Park and Jacksonville.

The walk started at the Publix shopping center in Hibernia Plaza. After crossing a semi-busy road and walking along a side walk for a couple of blocks we turned off on Augusta Drive and that's where the shady goodness began.

No sidewalk but there was no need for one. I think only two cars passed us on the whole walk. And they were actually going slow!

The walk started on a sidewalk through an area of newer homes.

Once we turned on Augusta Drive there weren't any sidewalks and the road was mostly shaded.

The dirt road to St Margaret Episcopal church.

As you can see from the pictures the group started out walking together and as the walk progressed we were spread apart. Some like to power walk to see how fast they can finish and others (like us) like to enjoy the walk and see the sights. 

To each his own...

St Margaret Episcopal Church. was built in 1878 and moved to its present location in 1880. The church is an example of Gothic Carpenter architecture and is one of the five oldest wooden churches still in use in Florida.

A cemetery is among one of my favorite places to walk. The oldest recorded grave in St Margaret cemetery (also known as Hibernia cemetery) belongs to George Fleming who died in 1821. 

In 1973 the church and cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

This was a 5K walk (a little on 3 miles) and we completed it in about an hour. All in all a nice Saturday morning walk.


A few reminders...

• There's no stops along the way so be sure to make a pit stop at Publix before you start the walk.
• Carry a bottle of water
• A cell phone might come in handy
• Very nice neighborhood but very few people out and about so safety sake you may want to walk with a friend.
• A couple of dogs weren't in a fenced yard one barked at us but neither one left the yard. '
• Don't forget a camera.
• This walk was set up by our walking club which is part of the AVA. The directions belong to the club so I can't post them here. Hopefully the map and directions for this walk will be placed in a walk box soon. Until then if you'd like more info on this walk you can contact First Coast Trail Forgers walking club.
• Of course you can always just wander about without a map. It's a beautiful area...
• 
  
• "not all those who wander are lost" 
• J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Fellowship of the Ring

Lace up your shoes and start walking!