Savannah – RDZ Photography

We make our way north from Florida for the next stop on the Virtual Tour to Georgia. As with most states the cities are very different from the rest of the state, but nowhere is this more pronounced than Georgia. During our time living there we would say we didn’t live in Georgia, we live in Atlanta.

Still there is much to the state outside of Atlanta. With the Piedmont in the north and the beaches in the south, there is plenty to see and do in Georgia.

The oldest map in the collection is from 1949.

1953 – The Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta is featured on the cover. This building was completed in 1889, having been built to support the move of the state government from Milledgeville after the war.

The reverse side contains city maps, including downtown Atlanta. Note the first portion of the Downtown Connector has been completed, with plans for the Northwest and Northeast Expressways.

Downtown Connector – 1955 & 2019. That’s what happens when the metro population goes from 1 million to 6 million in a little over 60 years.

Sailing has been featured a couple of times. Left 1966, Right 1982

Atlanta Skyline on the maps – 1968 & 2009. In 1968 there were 3 buildings in Atlanta over 400′ tall. Today there are 39.

1968 Skyline

2019 Skyline (photo by Curbed Atlanta)

1970 – Unidentified country scene

1972 – Forsyth Fountain in Savannah

The same fountain in 2020 (photos – Visit Savannah Tourist Website)

Savannah is a historic city with beautiful parks and antebellum architecture.

1976 – Bicentennial Map.

The backside of the 1976 map details Georgia’s role during the revolution. Note the state encompassed the area that is now Alabama and Mississippi.

1980 – View from the top of Amicalola Falls. These watefalls are the highest in Georgia, with a drop of over 700′.

Same view 40 years later (photos from Wikipedia)

Main cascade

1983 – Road construction in the colonial times.

1984 – State Route 2 in far northeastern Georgia. While much of the state has had dramatic growth, Northeastern Georgia looks much the same.

1989 – Celebrating Georgia’s most famous crop – peanuts.

Believe it or not they now do ‘Peanut Tours’

For 1993 and 1993 the map was produced by Southern Living Magazine, resulting in nondescript scenes.

The Georgia coast, while short, has a number of highlights including Tybee Island (photo from visittybee website)

Jekyll Island was once the winter home to the very rich. Today many of the ‘cottages’ remain.

2002 and 2003 highlighted Georgia’s other famous crop – peaches. Ironically despite being the Peach State Georgia ranks #4 in peach production behind, amazingly, New Jersey!

California grows more peaches than the rest of the country combined.

2007 – Not happy kids at a Horticultural Center.

2008 – Lake Lanier. This massive lake is a result of the damming of the Chattahoochee River in 1956. The lake provides water for Atlanta, although the downriver states (Florida and Alabama) are constantly arguing with Georgia about the water rights.

With suburbia having reached the shores, there is also a constant battle to preserve the undeveloped areas.

2011 – Blackstock Vineyards and Winery in Dahlonega

Dahlonega is a cool little town in the mountains of North Georgia. Originally a center for a gold rush, the town has relied on tourism for 100 years. (photo from Pintrest).

2013 – A $6 million dollar bridge to Fort Benning, complete with a fountain that can turn itself off if it is too windy. Fort Benning has the population of a medium sized city, with over 100,000 people.