Oglethorpe Ave. Median at Bull St.
In 1733, 42 Jewish settlers came to Savannah in hopes of practicing their religion freely. These settlers later established one of the first Jewish congregations in the United States. Upon their arrival, General Oglethorpe granted the Jewish settlers a small lot of land for a burial ground. By 1765, 16 Jews were buried within this tract of land. The lot was soon interrupted with the expansion of Savannah to the south and the burial ground was covered over by what is now the median of Oglethorpe Avenue and Bull Street. This expansion cost the loss of a large amount of history of the burial lot. A burial marker stands today dedicated to the 16 buried there. The law debate is: What form of protection exists today for projects that violate burial grounds?
This same question applies to the burial site of Chief Tomochichi located at Wright Square. Come find out the history and protection of these two sacred sites.
