a history of broughton street
TRANSCRIPT
A HISTORY OF
Savannah was founded and Broughton Street was named after Thomas Broughton, the Governor of South Carolina. Broughton Street was largely residential but also functioned as the commercial hub of the city.
1733
George Washington visited the city’s retail heart, Broughton Street, during his presidency.
1791
Broughton Street is labeled as “Georgia’s first shopping district” and “the Hollywood of the South.” During this time period, there is a perfect harmony of residential and commercial space.
1800s
The Great Savannah Fire of 1820 swept through 94 lots, extending from Broughton and Bay Streets and Jefferson to Abercorn. Months without rain and illegally stored gun powder on Market Square resulted in large destruction. Fortunately, relief efforts were sent from across the country to restore the devastated city and aid the citizens in need. In 1825, the Savannah Fire Company formed.
1820
Marshall House, one of the first hotels in Savannah, opened on Broughton Street as the city’s population doubled during the railroad boom of the 1840s –1850s.
1851
TheBrushElectricCompanyofSavannahmergedwithParsonsRailwaytoformSavannahElectric.ThefirstincandescentlightsappearedinajewelrystoreonBroughtonStreet.
1902
NationalchainslikeSears&Roebuck,J.C.Penney,Adler’s,andKresstooktheirplaceonBroughtonStreetafterWorldWarII,establishingthestreetonceagainasashoppingmeccafortheentirearea.
1950s
OnMay20,firedestroyedtheAdlerDepartmentStoreonBroughtonStreet,markingthebeginningofthestreet’sdeclineasaMainStreetshoppingdestination.
1958
Thecity'sfirstmall,OglethorpeMall,openedin1969.BroughtonStreetwitheredasmanyremainingretailersandanchorstoresmovedtothemall,withSearsmovingintoaspace4timesthesize.
1969
Afteryearsofunderutilizationandabandonment,manybuildingsonBroughtonStreetstoodvacantfordecadesandwereinneedofmajorrehabilitation.In1990,thecity’ssecondmall,SavannahMall,opened,drawingmoreretailersandshoppersawayfromthedistressedstreet.
1980s – early 2000s
TheGreatRecessionimpactedeconomiesaroundtheworld,causingasharpdeclineinconsumerspending.Businesseseverywherestruggledtokeepdoorsopen,includingonBroughtonStreet.
2007 – 2009
BenCarterEnterprisesoutlinedavisionaryplantobuyandrestorehistoricbuildingsonBroughtonStreetinneedofrehabilitation.
2014
BenCarterEnterprisesinvestedover$100milliontorenovatemorethanthreedozenbuildingswithstorefrontsonBroughtonStreet,reintroducingmorethan225,000squarefeetofretailandrestaurants.Thebuildings’upperlevelsconsistofluxuryapartmentsandcreativeofficespace.
2014 – 2016
RetailonBroughtonStreetis95%leasedtoablendoflocal,regionalandnationalretailers.Upper-storyresidentialspacehasawaitinglistasresidencesarefullyleased.BroughtonStreetisonceagainteemingwithlifeandenergy,toppingthelistofUSAToday’sTop10GreatAmericanShoppingStreets.BenCarterEnterprisesisalsorecognizedbyTheGeorgiaTrustforHistoricalPreservation.
2017
www.broughtonstreetcollection.com@broughtonstcollection
Timeline References1733: http://www.savannahga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4346
1733:https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/thirteen-colonies/resources/view-savannah-georgia-1734
1800s:http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2008678829/
1820:https://www.jstor.org/stable/40576606?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
1820:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/508414245403481211/
1820:https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/1175
1902:http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/savannah-electric-and-power-company
1950s: https://www.savannahbusinessjournal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1013:march-14-savannah-then-a-now&catid=113&Itemid=55&fontstyle=f-larger
1958:https://www.flickr.com/photos/aasuarchives/3542593513
1969: http://savannahnow.com/anniversary/2010-03-25/broughton-street-circle-economic-life#
2017: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/10greatplaces/2017/05/05/shopping-streets-districts/101287158/