History
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Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent is a large, highly intact residential area developed beginning in 1910 as two adjacent planned subdivisions. The plan of Ardsley Park,
a regular grid with landscaped squares, is extremely important as it is a twentieth century variant of Oglethorpe’s original city plan. Chatham Crescent is a rare example in Georgia of a Beaux Arts influenced, “City Beautiful” type plan with a grand mall, crescent-shaped avenues, and small circular parks incorporated into a basic grid pattern. Immeditately adjacent is Ardmore and Chatham Terrace, developed as a seperate but related subdivisions that share a common developmental history and characteristics. The architectural styles in the district include textbook and local interpretations of almost every revival and eclectic style popular in the early twentieth century. They are predominantly one- and two-story, single family homes, many of which have free standing garages in the rear. - Historic Savannah Foundation |
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Pre-Development
Camp Onward - 1898
By the early 20th Century most of the area in what is now called the Thomas Square Streetcar District had been developed (Anderson to Victory Drive). South of this midtown Savannah section lay open land and farm pasture.
On the western end of these tracts were remnants of Camp Onward - a series of tents and barracks which housed over 13,000 soldiers during the Spanish American War. At the height of their stay in Savannah was a gigantic Thanksgiving Day dinner celebration hosted by the women of the city in 1898. Before shipping out for occupation duty in Cuba and Puerto Rico, the soldiers of Camp Onward held a grand review for President McKinley on December 17, 1898.
On the eastern end of the tracts were reviewing stands built for the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup automobile races (1910, 1911) and American Grand Prize race (1910). These races were run over a course of 17 miles in Chatham County and are considered to be some of the greatest international auto races ever held in the United States. Their prestige and fame contributed to the development of the early automobile industry in America.
On the western end of these tracts were remnants of Camp Onward - a series of tents and barracks which housed over 13,000 soldiers during the Spanish American War. At the height of their stay in Savannah was a gigantic Thanksgiving Day dinner celebration hosted by the women of the city in 1898. Before shipping out for occupation duty in Cuba and Puerto Rico, the soldiers of Camp Onward held a grand review for President McKinley on December 17, 1898.
On the eastern end of the tracts were reviewing stands built for the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup automobile races (1910, 1911) and American Grand Prize race (1910). These races were run over a course of 17 miles in Chatham County and are considered to be some of the greatest international auto races ever held in the United States. Their prestige and fame contributed to the development of the early automobile industry in America.
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Ardsley Park
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The Ardsley Park Land Corporation was born from the mind of Harry Hays Lattimore and William Lattimore 1910 to serve as Savannah's first automobile suburb. Inspired by the Oglethorpe Plan, the neighborhood is laid out in a series of grids and squares, with lanes providing access for city services. The northern and western portions of the neighborhood were marked with an impressive wall of belgian block. At key intersections, spanish styled pillars marked entrances into the neighborhood.
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Chatham CrescentImmediately adjacent to Ardsley Park was Chatham Crescent - developed by Harvey Granger in the Beaux Arts style.
Residents interested in moving to Savannah could order this book from the Chatham Hotel and Land Company (published 1911). "The Playground of America" highlights the best of Savannah, while keenly advertising Chatham Crescent - "The most unique and beautiful subdivision south of Washington." Please click the image to the right for digital copy of the neighborhood prospectus. |
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Advertisements touting Chatham Crescent as the place to build your winter home (1910)
Ardmore and Chatham Terrace
By the 1930's, development of Ardsley Park and Chatham Crescent was nearly complete. The Lattimore's then set out for their next development, Ardmore. Running from 52nd Street to 55th Street to the South, and punctuated with a large, diamond shaped Hull Park, Ardmore would also become a popular Savannah neighborhood. On Sunday, November 8, 1925, a full page ad in the Savannah Morning News reported the public sale of lots in Ardmore. The day after the sale, it was announced that every lot had been sold before noon the same day.
Flanking Hull park is the Gould Cottage for Children (now site of the Habersham School), funded by millionaire philanthropist Edwin Gould. Immediately east of the Lattimore's Ardmore development lay Chatham Terrace - A subdivision which extended building to Waters Avenue. |
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Looking for more history of our neighborhood? Please check out
Savannah's Historic Neighborhoods: Ardsley Park, Chatham Crescent, Ardmore by Polly Powers Stramm.
Savannah's Historic Neighborhoods: Ardsley Park, Chatham Crescent, Ardmore by Polly Powers Stramm.
Savannah as it was in 1910 when Ardsley Park/Chatham Crescent was established