Gordonston Historic District
Why it's listed
Gordonston is a planned suburb of about 80 acres east of downtown Savannah. W. W. Gordon laid it out in 1917 on land his family had inherited and advertised it as a healthy, strictly suburban residential park. Its Beaux-Arts-inspired radial plan centers on Pierpont Circle, with wide boulevards, planted medians, live oak canopies and rear service alleys. Deed restrictions placed larger houses near the circle and small bungalows on less prominent streets. Development was slow, and more than a quarter of the lots were built on between 1945 and 1950. The district contains Craftsman bungalows, Colonial Revival houses, Tudor and other English-inspired houses, a Spanish Colonial Revival house, Monterey-style houses, early ranch houses and the 1942 Moore Avenue Elementary School. Juliette Gordon Low Park, established in 1926, is a landscaped park with a cabin used by Girl Scouts. The district is significant for its architecture, landscape architecture and community planning, with a period of significance from 1917 to 1950.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent example of an early 20th-century planned suburb in Savannah, with houses in Craftsman, Colonial Revival, English Vernacular and early ranch styles. It is also a rare Georgia example of a Beaux-Arts-influenced City Beautiful radial plan with landscaped medians and a park. As an early automobile suburb, it reflects the move away from crowded downtowns.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 01000741, listed October 11, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Skidaway Rd., Goebel Ave., Gwinnett St., and Pennslyvania Ave., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | October 11, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000741 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1917-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Architects and builders named include E. Lynn Drummond, Henrik Wallin, J. G. Langdon (landscape architect), John C. LeBey, Levy and Clarke, J. A. Bright, J. Julius Wallwork, Faquar McRae, Olaf Otto, Gerry Berry, George Dutton, C. S. McConnell, J. V. Duffin House Building Co. and Spaulding Construction Company. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival; Bungalow/Craftsman; Ranch Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current uses are single and multiple dwellings and a park. The Moore Avenue Elementary School closed in 1990. |
| Acreage | 80 |
| Coordinates | 32.05515, -81.06303 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01000741.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141715561
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.