Taylor Square (Savannah, Georgia) Explained

Taylor Square
Namesake:	John C. Calhoun (1851–2022) Susie King Taylor (2023–present)
Other Name:	Calhoun Square (formerly)
Location:	Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Maint:	City of Savannah
Coordinates:	32.0707°N -81.0925°W
North:	Abercorn Street
South:	Abercorn Street
West:	East Wayne Street
East:	East Wayne Street

Taylor Square, formerly known as Calhoun Square, is one of the 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. Laid out in 1851 south of Lafayette Square, west of Whitefield Square, and east of Monterey Square, it is named in honor of the first American Civil War black nurse, educator and memoirist, Susie King Taylor.^[1]

The oldest buildings on the square, the Adam Short Property and the Alexander Bennett House (both on East Taylor Street), date to 1853. The square is sometimes informally called Massie Square due to the presence of Massie Common School House, which was built in 1855 and lies just outside.^[2] The Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, founded in 1868, is located directly across the street from the square's western side.

Name

The square had previously been used as a "negro burial ground"; in 1855, the bodies of enslaved residents Emily and Rinah were removed to Laurel Grove Cemetery.^[3] In 2004, a skull was found by utility workers outside the Massie Heritage Interpretation Center on the square's southeastern side.^[4]

This legacy prompted a 2021 movement to rename the square after the Sankofa bird, a Ghanaian symbol expressing the "importance of knowing one's history."^[5] City councilors voted unanimously on November 10, 2022, to remove Calhoun's name from the square.^[6]

In August 2023, after discussion and debate, the Savannah City Council settled on a new name, Taylor Square.^[7] The council approved the installation of a new granite marker, which will note that the square that was once named for John C. Calhoun (Calhoun square) is now named for Susie King Taylor (Taylor square).^[8]

Dedication

Namesake	Image	Note
John C. Calhoun		The square was dedicated to South Carolina statesman John C. Calhoun, in 1851, who served as Secretary of War, Secretary of State, and as Vice President in the administrations of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.^[9]
Susie King Taylor		The square was renamed for Susie King Taylor, in 2023, who became the first black nurse during the American Civil War, that looked after wounded Union troops of the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment.^[10]

Constituent buildings

See also: Buildings in Savannah Historic District.

Each building below is in one of the eight blocks around the square composed of four residential "tything" blocks and four civic ("trust") blocks, now known as the Oglethorpe Plan. They are listed with construction years where known.

Northwestern residential/tything block

• Mary Demere House, also known as The House on Taylor, 128 East Taylor Street (1860) – bay windows added 1894
• Mary Demere (Estate of) House, 126 East Taylor Street (1872)
• Adam Short Property, 118–122 East Taylor Street (1853) – joint-oldest building on the square
• 108–114 East Taylor Street (1873)
• John Kuck House, 106 East Taylor Street (1906)
• Alexander Bennett House, 102 East Taylor Street (1853)^[11] – joint-oldest building on the square

Northwestern trust/civic block

• Sara Clark House, 421 Abercorn Street (1859)^[11] – additional level added in 1894

Southwestern trust/civic block

• Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, 429 Abercorn Street (1875)^[12]

Southwestern residential/tything block

• John B. Berry House, 127 East Gordon Street (1856)
• Adolphus Gomm House, 115 East Gordon Street (1869)
• Charles Hutchins House, 113 East Gordon Street (1868/1897)
• John Mingledorff Property, 439 Abercorn Street (1856)

Northeastern residential/tything block

• William Rogers House, 202 East Taylor Street (1859)^[11]
• George Ash Row House (1), 206–210 East Taylor Street (1855)^[11]
• Andrew Hanley House, 214 East Taylor Street (1883)^[11]
• George Ash & Francis Grimball Duplex, 216–218 East Taylor Street (1854)^[11]
• George Ash Row House (2), 220–224 East Taylor Street (1869)^[11]

Northeastern trust/civic block

• Easton Yonge House, 426 Abercorn Street (1855)^[11] – by George Ash; side porch added 1909

Southeastern trust/civic block

• 430–432 Abercorn Street (1868)^[13]
• Edward Purse Duplex, 220–222 East Gordon Street (1856)^[11]

Southeastern residential/tything block

• Massie Common School House, 201–213 East Gordon Street (1855)^[2]
• John Guerrard Row House, 215–229 East Gordon Street (1872)^[13]
• Lengre Building, 233 East Gordon Street (1923)^[13]
• Flora Max House, 235 East Gordon Street (1894)^[13]
• Thomas Davis House, 237 East Gordon Street (1893)^[13]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2023-08-25 . Savannah renames historic square in honor of a Black woman, replacing slave advocate . 2024-01-22 . NBC News . en.
2. https://georgiahistory.com/ghmi_marker_updated/massie-common-school-house/ Massie Common School House: Savannah’s Cradle of Public Education
3. https://www.savannahtribune.com/articles/negro-burials-grounds-located-in-two-historic-squares/ "Negro Burials Grounds Located In Two Historic Squares"
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20161125012554if_/https://www.savannahnow.com/stories/070104/2274766.shtml#.WDeTK35xeHs "Workers dig up historic skull"
5. https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2021/02/01/name-change-sought-savannah-george-whitefield-john-calhoun-squares-slavery-graveyard-burial-ground/4265343001/ "Push to erase names of slaveholders from Savannah squares would be first change in a century"
6. Web site: Peebles . Will . Savannah City Council votes unanimously to remove the name of Calhoun Square . 2022-11-10 . Savannah Morning News . en-US.
7. Web site: Walker . Will . 2024-01-22 . Exploring Savannah’s Taylor Square (Formerly Calhoun Square) . 2024-01-22 . House on Taylor . en-US.
8. Web site: City of Savannah to Dedicate Taylor Square Feb. 10 . 2024-01-22 . Savannah, GA . en.
9. http://www.savannah.com/scene/online.html Savannah Scene
10. Web site: Taylor, Susie King, b. 1848. Reminiscences of my Life in Camp with the 33d United States Colored Troops late 1st S.C. Volunteers. . 2024-07-21 . docsouth.unc.edu.
11. https://www.thempc.org/docs/lit/hist/maps/supplement.pdf Historic Building Map: Savannah Historic District
12. https://www.wesleymonumental.org/about-us/history/ History
13. https://www.thempc.org/docs/lit/hist/maps/supplement.pdf Historic Building Map: Savannah Historic District