Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Juliette Gordon Low

That name will mean something to you old girl scouts. If you've ever been to Savannah in the middle of the summer, you will notice two things. First, it's hot as blazes! Second, there seems to be a ton of young girls walking around, frequently in green. Why? Savannah is a Girl Scout mecca. Juliette Gordon Low was one cool lady. She founded the Girl Scouts in answer to the Boy Scouts. Having been a girl scout and now the mother of a girl scout, I can say it's a program that is great for girls. If you get the chance, the house is about 4 blocks from the hotel. You can take a tour or just visit the Girl Scout shop.

The house is famous for other reasons; it's haunted as well. Her parents were very much in love until the end and apparently beyond. Juliette came from an old, important family in Savannah. Her family were major railroad entrepreneurs, which helped put Savannah on the map. They shipped iron and cotton all over the southeast. Savannah, in fact, is the Pittsburgh of the South and that's why there are so many manholes that say "Savannah" on them. Look for the amazing ironwork in town. In fact, some of my favorite ironwork is disguised to look like marble; check out the columns of St. John the Baptist Cathedral, also in the historic district.

We'll see everyone on Saturday!

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