A Square as Reminder of Jim Crow Days

Crawford Square

Crawford Square is on Houston Street between Perry and Hull Streets and is the only square that is still fenced as all the squares were at one time. Crawford Sqaure is probably one of Savannah’s most unique squares. It was laid out in 1840 and was name for Savannah William Harris Crawford. He was a Georgia Senator, Minister to France, Secretary of Treasurer under James Madison as well as major candidate for President. The square is the smallest and was the only square that allowed blacks free use.
 
Crawford Square is the only square to retain part of its fence that all the squares originally had. You can see the multiple purposes squares were often used. After the great Savannah Fire of 1820 two cisterns were placed in the square to give access to firefighters for water to fight fires. These cisterns are partially revealed. In the middle of the square is a gazebo. And on one side of the square is a basketball court.
The basketball court is significant because of how it came to be. In the days of Jim Crow money for the black community and its recreation needs was not highly forthcoming. But the recreation department held a basketball tournament that is still held today and offer the winner of the tournament a basketball court. The Black team from the Crawford Square Neighborhood won the tournament and received the court that now stands in Crawford Square as an award. Through the years developers and others have wanted to do away with the court because of various reasons but the black community has insisted on the court remaining. Thus, it is the only square with a recreational use.
I imagine one day there may be a historical marker alongside the square marking where The Lady Chablis of the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil fame lived before she became the star she was meant to be. The Square is a reminder of hard times for blacks but also of how they pulled together to create a good place to live.
 
 

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The cisterns in Crawford Square

The basketball court in Crawford Square