The Story Behind One Of The Oldest Saloons In Georgia Is Incredibly Unique
By Beth|Published August 29, 2016
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Beth
Author
A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.
Anyone who’s spent time in Savannah, Georgia understands that the city has an intangible quality that borders between beautiful and utterly haunting. Perhaps it’s the low-hanging Spanish moss, the architecture, and the historic buildings that create the mysterious lure about this southern town. There are some buildings in Savannah that are almost unquestionably haunted. The Pirates’ House is one such case. Built in 1753 in the heart of downtown, it’s possibly the oldest building in all of Georgia and has acquired quite a reputation.
Located in downtown Savannah, the Pirates' House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, and for good reason. The building was constructed in the 1700s on the east side of John Oglethorpe's planned design for the city. This land was to be used for an English style botanical garden, and skilled botanists from all over the world were hired for its creation.
A small building was constructed to house one of the gardeners and this building would later become the core part of the Pirates' House. As years passed, Savannah was quickly becoming a port town and it became apparent that having a botanical garden wasn't as necessary as having housing for men at sea.
The Pirates' House gained a reputation as being a place for the riff raff, where pirates frequented and the general population of Savannah generally avoided. It was somewhat of a haven for men who had been at sea for months, and provided them a place to stay and indulge in drinking.
There was a darker aspect of the house, too. Savannah had an underground tunnel system and the Pirates' House happened to be an entrance to one of them. Many sailors went missing after having entered the building, most likely having been kidnapped by Captains and taken aboard pirate ships in need of more hands.
Other tunnels were most likely used to import contraband drinks, most often barrels of rum, into the cellar. It is this kind of pirate lifestyle that is said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevensons's Treasure Island. In fact, some of the pages of the book's first edition are hanging on the wall today.
The Pirates' House has been converted into a restaurant and is the setting of murder mystery dinner theatre as well. And yet, there's speculation that this is one of the most haunted spots in all of Savannah.
There have been countless sightings of old sailors, disgruntled spirits who may have been kidnapped hundreds of years ago. Many stories also circulate around the tunnel system, and how these portals may have been used to transfer bodies in addition to the liquor. Whether you happen to actually spot a ghost or not, there's no doubt about the dark and fascinating past of this legendary Savannah building.
What do you think about the Pirates’ House? Be sure to share your thoughts with us, especially if you’ve had the chance to visit!
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