Telfair Mansion State Historical Marker

Located on Barnard and President Streets,

Opposite St. James Square, Savannah, Ga.

 

(Text)

 

TELFAIR FAMILY MANSION

(1818 - WILLIAM JAY, ARCHITECT)

 

This building is one of the city's outstanding examples of

Regency architecture. The main floor and basement kitchens

are maintained as a historic house museum. The rotunda and

west wing are later additions. It was left by Savannah's out-

standing philanthropist, Mary Telfair (1789-1875), relative of

William Gibbons, friend of Peter Cooper, last surviving child

of Edward Telfair (Revolutionary patriot and early Governor of

Georgia) to house the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences which

was formed under her will. Notable among her other public

bequests are the Telfair Hospital, the interiors of the Independent

Presbyterian Church, and (with her sister) Hodgson Hall.

 

In the Colonial and Revolutionary periods "Government house",

the residence of the Royal Governors of Georgia, stood on this

site. Here on the night of January 18, 1776, in one of the

dramatic episodes of the American Revolution, Major Joseph Haber-

sham, commanding a small force of patriots walked alone into

the chamber where Governor Wright was conferring with his Council

and announced, "Sir James, you are my prisoner." Habersham later

became Postmaster-General of the United States.

 

025-28 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1954

 

 

Photo: Ed Jackson

© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, The University of Georgia

Go to Georgia Historic Markers web site

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