Thomas Square Streetcar Historic District
Also known as: Garden Historic District; South Victorian Historic District; A
Why it's listed
This neighborhood south of Savannah's Victorian district grew as a streetcar suburb after the city extended its limits to 42nd Street in 1883 and the streetcar lines were electrified in 1888. Its streets follow a grid and include tree-lined blocks, landscaped medians, brick-paved sections and Thomas Square park. The district contains 1,114 contributing resources, mainly single- and multiple-family houses in styles such as Queen Anne, Folk Victorian, Italianate and Craftsman, along with corner stores, former rail buildings, churches, schools and a Carnegie-funded library. Its oldest building is the Drouillard-Maupas House, built about 1799. The Georgia Infirmary, rebuilt in 1871, links the area to African-American history. Residential construction peaked between 1890 and 1920. The nomination argues statewide significance in architecture, planning, commerce, transportation, landscape architecture and African-American heritage, covering the years from about 1799 to 1947, though it warns that historic buildings are being lost.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues statewide significance in architecture, community planning and development, commerce, African American ethnic heritage, transportation and landscape architecture. It cites an intact mix of residential, commercial and community buildings, the influence of the 1888 electrified streetcar line on development, and the Georgia Infirmary, an early African-American hospital.
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 97000813, listed July 29, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Anderson Ln., 42nd St., Victory Dr., E. Broad St., and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | July 29, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000813 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | C. 1799 to 1947 |
| Architect / builder | Henry Urban; Henrik Wallin; Hyman Witcover |
| Architectural style | Mixed: Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Romanesque, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, Beaux Arts, Prairie School, Craftsman, Folk Victorian, Bungalow, Shotgun and other vernacular types |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Transportation, Black, Commerce, Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as having a high level of historic integrity but losing historic building stock to economic pressures; the Little Sisters of the Poor building is being rehabilitated. |
| Acreage | 314 |
| Coordinates | 32.05710, -81.09831 (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 97000813.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134427353
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.