U.S. Customs House - Savannah, GA
designed by Architect John S. Norris
Savannah has been home to three U.S Custom Houses to date. The current location on East Bay and Bull Streets is the third iteration which was built in 1848. Leading up to the construction of this location, Savannah’s first U.S. Custom House opened in 1789 and was located on Commerce Row. In 1819, the city’s second U.S. Custom House opened but burnt down in a fire in 1837. The third and final U.S Custom House in Savannah was designed and built by New York architect John Norris. Remarkably, the building is known for being constructed entirely out of stone - Gray Granite to be specific. Like many other buildings of the nineteenth century in Savannah, it was built in a Greek Revival Style.
When this U.S. Custom House first opened, the U.S. Post Office occupied the basement, the Customs Service occupied the ground floor, and the federal courts occupied the second floor.
Savannah’s U.S. Custom House is a great representation of architecture that strived to be as fireproof as possible. With the city’s known history of fires, Norris wanted to design a fireproof construction that kickstarted a movement throughout the city to prevent future devastation. This, however, did not negatively impact the building’s design.
The exterior of the building is surrounded by a distinctive cast-iron fence which gives it its signature appearance. The main facade of the building boasts six monolithic columns, which support the portico. A granite staircase leads visitors into the main public lobby and altogether creates a grand entrance for the building.
Upon entering the building, a solid granite staircase sits at the center point of the building’s first floor. Its cast-iron railings match that of the exterior fence and display a closed tobacco leaf motif.
Today, the building is still used for its original purpose as Savannah’s U.S. Custom House. In 1860, the infamous case of the “Wandered” yacht was tried in the building, which was the last documented case of a violation of the law preventing the importation of slaves. Twenty-nine years later, in 1889, Colonel John H. Deveaux worked as the first African American U.S Customs Collector in the building.
This monument is not only notable for its rich history in customs, but the site it sits on was once home to James Edward Oglethorpe, the founder of the Colony of Georgia and designer of Savannah’s town plan. The U.S Custom House was designated as a contributing building in the Savannah National Historic Landmark District in 1966 and it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
At over 150 years old, Savannah’s U.S. Custom House is an exemplary architectural marvel showcasing Greek Revival style that has withstood the test of time. Minimal changes have been made to the structure over this time, and most of what you can see is original dating back to the original construction of the building. Visitors can enjoy a glimpse at a piece of nineteenth-century architecture that continues to fulfill its original intended purpose to this day.
