Pin Point Heritage Center

If you like to find those little unexpected places that overflow with history, this is the place!  We really didn't know what to expect other than we were going to learn about the Gullah/Geechee culture.  Pin Point won our hearts!  The people, the place, the tour guides all touched us and made their story live in us.

The claim to fame of Pin Point is the fact that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is from there.  I didn't know this until I read the sign.  We were just interested in learning about Gullah/Geechee.  This tidbit of information was an added bonus.

We were warmly welcomed as soon as we made our way to the first building.  The video about Pin Point had started five minutes before we got there, so we elected to wait and see it after the tour.  Our tour guide, Gail, chit-chatted with us while we waited for those seeing the video to finish.  She was extremely nice and answered questions we had while waiting.

Once the video was over, the others joined us and we learned about the history of Pin Point.  Our guide told us about the way the land was obtained, the oyster/crab production of Varn and Sons, to the current day heritage center.  She knew first hand about all these things!  She was a direct descendant of the freed slave that owned the land that she owns today.  She also had worked for Varn and Sons and of course has family and friends that had done the same.  She told us stories and showed us the buildings.  We had a wonderful time listening to her stories!

After the tour, she took us into a building to learn about the Gullah/Geechee culture. Gullah is the language spoke and Geechee are the people.  She spoke to us in Gullah and we had to try and figure out what she was saying.  It was fun and difficult.  We enjoyed it.

We then went to see the video.  Oh, my it touched us!  A people, a culture, a heritage of a proud community exuded from it.  The stories that were told from each individual drew us closer to this community.  We laughed and also shed a tear.

The kiddos were also touched by this place.  They said it was their favorite of our trip.  It wasn't extravagant.  It wasn't filled with technology.  It was filled with memories of a people from a time not so long ago.  I think they sinced that.  We will return to Pin Point and spend more time there.  It feels like a front porch that just becons you to sit a spell and reminence. 

Savannah History Museum

The Savannah History Museum is often overlooked by tourist.  Of course, being the planner and homeschool mom I am, I look for these little gems.

The museum is not very large, but offers nice displays of the history of Savannah.

We learned about how the city was mapped out.  Savannah has many wards and squares as you drive through the historical downtown.  The display explaining how these came to be is quite interesting.

There are interactive displays for young children.  Areas devoted to Southern life, railroad, fishing, Revolutionary war, Civil war, WWI, WWII - to present day.  There is also a large room devouted to Girl Scout Founder Juliette Gordon Low.

However, the true jewel of this museum is the Loyalists and Liberty program offered on Thursdays-Saturdays and during special events.  (This program may be seasonal.  So check before going!)

The Battle of Savannah took place just steps from where the museum is located.  A few minutes before the Liberty and Loyalist program begins, a Patriot comes into the museum and begins playing his drum.  He is trying to rally troops for the cause.  He then meets all that have gathered at the back of the museum and begins to give a history of the Revolutionary war.  This is a wonderful lesson!  He is very energetic and interactive with the audience.

After he has set the stage of events leading up to the Battle of Savannah, he issues flags and muskets to the audience members.  Everyone then marches out of the museum and across the street to the battlefield as he plays the drum.  Young and old alike are involved and having a great time.

At the battlefield, he helps the audience recreate the battle.  He explains what took place and where.  We march and draw our bayonets.  We charge the Spring Hill redoubt!  Stopping here and there to learn what is happening around us.  We had a great time.

Then we change to the British side.  We entered the recreated redoubt and learn how to 'fire' our 'muskets'.  Our guide then instructed Egee to take the drum and give out firing orders through the drum cadence.  We formed our lines and followed the cadence to begin firing.  Our guide fired his musket during this time.

When exiting the redoubt, we once again became Patriots and finished learning about the battle.  We marched back to the museum and put down our weapons.  Our guide concluded the learning experience and answered questions from the group.

The kids loved this interactive experience.  We have seen many reenactments, but have never participated in one.  I know they will remember it!

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

We took a trip to the wild side in Savannah.  My sister wanted us to go gator hunting.  She drove us out to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.  We weren't sure what to expect, but ended up enjoying this little adventure.

The refuge occupies the land of a former rice plantation.   We traveled on the the gravel road and stopped at different areas which caught our interests.  We loved traveling through the little pockets of trees draped in Spanish moss.  We saw an abundance of fowl, insects, lizards and amphibians.

We saw three alligators in the murky water.  I couldn't get a great picture of them.  So, we will have to go out and try again our next visit.