The Davenport House Museum, with its new entrance and shop at 323 E. Broughton Street, is planning its winter public programs for February. They are Potable Gold: Savannah’s Madeira Tradition on Friday and Saturday evenings in February and Valentine’s Day Weddings in the Davenport House Garden on Feb. 14.
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SAVANNAH, GA – October 24, 2022 – The Davenport House Museum will host its annual Harvest Lecture, Bound to the Fire: How Enslaved Chefs Helped Invent American Cuisine at 6:30 p.m. November 10 at the Second African Baptist Church, located at 123 Houston St. in Savannah. This year, Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz will draw upon archaeological evidence, cookbooks, plantation records, and folklore to present a nuanced discussion of the lives of enslaved plantation cooks from colonial era through emancipation and beyond and how it has shaped American cuisine today.
The Harvest Lecture is presented by the Davenport House Museum and sponsored by Gulfstream as a community service and an opportunity for enrichment on topics related to its mission.
“The completion of the Davenport House’s Urban Enslaved Exhibit is one of the most highly anticipated openings in our museum community and it will open in early 2021. This year ‘s Harvest Lecture offers a lens into the kitchen where the enslaved toiled,” said Director Jamie Credle, “We thank this year’s speaker Dr. Keely Fanto Deetz and Gulfstream for their generous sponsorship of this event.”
Kelley Fanto Deetz is the Vice President of Collections and Public Engagement at Stratford Hall, and a Visiting Scholar in the Department of African American Studies at U.C. Berkeley. She holds a BA in Africana Studies and History from The College of William & Mary and an MA and Ph.D. in African Diaspora Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Deetz partnered with National Geographic to produce the documentary film Rise Up: The Legacy of Nat Tumer (National Geographic Channel) and wrote two cover stories for National Geographic’s History magazine. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine, which was named as one of the top ten books on food in 2017 by the Smithsonian Magazine. Her most recent work is on Audible‘s The Great Courses on the history of sugar, and her contribution to the forthcoming cookbook California Soul, with celebrity and OWN TV star Chef Tanya Holland and author Alice Walker.
To reserve a spot at this free lecture, please call 912-236-8097 or email info@davenporthousemuseum.org.
Davenport House Museum is a property of Historic Savannah Foundation. HSF is a leading nonprofit preservation and cultural institution, which saves buildings, places, and stories that define Savannah’s past, present, and future. The Davenport House was the first property HSF saved. For more information, please visit http://www.davenporthousemuseum.org/programs/, email info@davenporthousemuseum.org or call 912-236-8097.
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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651, Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).
Savannah, Ga. – September 6, 2022 – The Davenport House Museum will present a living history depiction of early 19th-century life in Savannah, focusing on the Yellow Fever epidemic, on Friday and Saturday evenings in October. The performances will begin at 7 p.m. at the Davenport House Museum Entrance and Shop, located at 323 E. Broughton St. in Savannah. Audience sizes will be limited, so patrons are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance.
The 2022 living history production will be a 50-minute, dramatic re-creation of the Yellow Fever epidemic and the psychological effects of losses it caused the city’s residents. The performance will examine 1820’s interesting medical treatments, and attendees will meet ordinary citizens with complaints about the government, home remedies, combatting mosquitoes and the true cause of the fever. With its shows, the Davenport House relays factual historical events pertaining to the epidemic of 1820 while conveying the profound emotions of grief and fear that citizens grappled with.
The presentation features a script compiled from period sources specially for the Davenport House and includes vignettes adapted from works by Washington Irving and Conrad Aiken, developed by playwright/screenwriter Raleigh Marcell. He is a professionally produced and published playwright, his four published one-act plays having been performed by over 2,000 schools, theaters, and colleges in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Turkey.
“This year’s Yellow Fever performance focuses on the people of Savannah and how the epidemic affected them mentally and physically,” Davenport House Museum Director Jamie Credle said. “They will also enjoy seeing the house at twilight and live action performers portraying people from the past.”
The production will begin in Columbia Square, in front of the Davenport House, and guests will make their way through the candlelit home. Guests are asked to arrive on time. Before purchasing tickets, those interested should consider that the performance requires that guests walk up and down the stairs and maneuver in low light.
Tickets to the Yellow Fever in Savannah performance are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. To purchase tickets, please visit www.davenporthousemuseum.org, call 912-236-8097, or buy them in person at the Davenport House Museum gift shop. Due to the sensitive subject matter, this program is not suitable for children under the age of 8.
The Davenport House seeks to educate, enrich, and inspire our visitors and the community, as well as recognize the historical role of the house in the founding of the Historic Savannah Foundation. Situated on Columbia Square at the corner of State and Habersham streets in historic downtown Savannah, it is one of the oldest brick structures in the city and sees approximately 40,000 visitors annually through its guided tours and education programs.
Davenport House Museum is a property of Historic Savannah Foundation. HSF is a leading nonprofit preservation and cultural institution, which saves buildings, places, and stories that define Savannah’s past, present, and future. The Davenport House was the first property HSF saved. For more information, please visit http://www.davenporthousemuseum.org/programs/, email info@davenporthousemuseum.org or call 912-236-8097.
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For media inquiries, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, or Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100.
SAVANNAH, GA — January 20, 2022 — The Davenport House Museum, located at 324 E. State Street, is planning four spring programs slated to begin in February and run through May, which is National Preservation Month. Events planned include Potable Gold: Savannah’s Madeira Tradition in February, Springtime Tea at the Davenports in March and May, the Discovering 1820s Savannah Walking Tour in April, and the Early Bird’s Preservation Walking Tour in May.
Potable Gold: Savannah’s Madeira Tradition, sponsored by realtor Liza DiMarco, will be performed Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 5, 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 at 5:30 p.m. and will last 75 minutes. Pending additional performances will be held February 12 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. if the 5:30 p.m. sessions sell out. Guests will experience the historic atmosphere of the Davenport House in a socially distanced format while learning about and tasting a unique and flavorful wine. Patrons are oriented to the long and rich tradition of Madeira as it relates to the history of Savannah and will participate in a Madeira party. The performance requires that guests be able to walk up and down stairs and maneuver in the candlelit rooms. Admission is $22 plus tax and guests must be 21 years or older. Reservations are recommended as attendance per performance is limited due to COVID-19 safety protocols, which will be enforced.
Springtime Tea at the Davenports will run Wednesdays and Thursdays, March 2, 9-10, 16, 23-24 and 30-31, and again Wednesdays and Thursdays, May 4, 11-12, 19 and 25-26. The program begins at 5 p.m. and lasts 60 to 75 minutes. Guests will learn about tea traditions and experience an early 19th century tea in the historic atmosphere of the Davenport House Museum. Weather permitting, tea will be served in the museum’s garden at the end of the program. On inclement weather dates, tea will be taken inside the house museum in a delightful fashion. Costumed interpreters will join guests for refreshment and conversation. Admission is $18 for adults and $14 for children, plus tax. Reservations are recommended as attendance per performance is limited due to COVID-19 safety protocols, which will be enforced.
The Discovering 1820s Savannah Early Bird’s Walking Tour will be offered Saturday, April 2, 9, 16 and 30, starting at 8 a.m. and will last about 100 minutes. See what survives of the 1820s Savannah that master builder Isaiah Davenport knew. Throughout the 2.5-mile walk, which begins at the Davenport House Museum, participants will see some of the finest examples of preservation in the city and learn about what no longer remains. Coffee and treats in the Davenport House garden will follow the tour. Admission is $21 plus tax and, while walk-ins are welcome, reservations are appreciated. Please call 912-236-8097 to inquire about group rates for 10 or more people.
The Early Bird’s Preservation Walking Tour of the Landmark Historic District’s East Side will be offered Saturday, May 7, 14, 21 and 28, starting at 8 a.m. and lasts about 100 minutes. Enjoy a 2.3-mile early morning walk through one of the oldest and most varied neighborhoods to learn how historic preservation has revitalized downtown Savannah in this Historic Preservation Month special. Tours led by Davenport House Director Jamie Credle will introduce the personalities, structures and issues that have enthralled Savannah’s preservation movement. Coffee and treats in the Davenport House garden will follow. Admission is $21, plus tax. While walk-ins are welcome, reservations are recommended. Please call 912-236-8097 to inquire about group rates for 10 or more people.
The mission of the Davenport House Museum is to preserve and interpret the American Federal-style house and the artifacts within, built by master builder Isaiah Davenport for his household, with an emphasis on the years 1820-27. The DH seeks to educate, enrich, and inspire our visitors and the community, as well as recognize the historical role of the house in the founding of Historic Savannah Foundation. Situated on Columbia Square at the corner of State and Habersham Streets in historic downtown Savannah, it is one of the oldest brick structures in the city and sees approximately 40,000 visitors annually, through its guided tours and education programs. For more information, please visit http://www.davenporthousemuseum.org/programs/, email info@davenporthousemuseum.org or call 912-236-8097.
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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the PR team at 912-417-5377.
SAVANNAH, GA – January 18, 2022 – Newly engaged and ready to say “I do” without all the months of prepping and planning? You’re in luck. The Davenport House Museum will provide couples with a stress-free and economical way to start their married life in one of historic downtown Savannah’s most beautiful gardens on the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day – Monday, Feb. 14.
These annual micro wedding ceremonies, conducted by a licensed officiant, will be offered every 10 minutes from 5 to 7 p.m. for a $100 donation to the museum.
Recommitment ceremonies as well as first weddings will be conducted. Those marrying for the first time should bring a valid Georgia marriage license to the ceremony. In the event of rain, ceremonies will be performed at another location on the Museum property.
“Every year couples spend thousands of dollars on weddings and stress about things like what color their napkins will be,” Davenport House Director Jamie Credle said. “The Davenport House is honored to provide a beautiful, budget friendly venue for those ready to exchange their vows. Our garden is a lovely place for couples to make their commitment to each other.”
For information, particularly regarding safety protocol, please call 912-236-8097. Confirmed reservations are highly recommended as the event is popular and tends to fill up. To reserve a spot, please visit https://davenporthousemuseum.org/programs-events or call 912-236-8097. To learn more about the history and mission of the Davenport House Museum, please visit www.davenporthousemuseum.org. The Davenport House Museum is located at 324 E. State St. in downtown Savannah.
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For media inquiries, please contact Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651, Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the team at 912-417-5377.
SAVANNAH, GA. – NOV. 23, 2021 – The Davenport House Museum (DHM), a property of Historic Savannah Foundation, announces its Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight event celebrating the coming of the New Year as it would have been observed 200 years ago. Patrons may arrive at the historic house, located at 324 E. State St., any time between 6-8 p.m. for the fifty-minute tour from Sunday, December 26 through Thursday, Dec. 30. Reservations are strongly encouraged.
This family friendly event will feature costumed docents telling the story of early 19th century holiday festivities. Part of the experience will include a short, dramatic presentation on the discovery of Clement Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Another highlight will be experiencing the house by candlelight.
“Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight allows guests a chance to glimpse at a time long ago when the world was so different,” said Davenport House Museum Director Jamie Credle. “Our volunteers and staff look forward to sharing the house with visitors and locals alike at a time of year that is festive and celebratory. It is a delightful way to begin ringing in the new year!”
Admission for Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight costs $12 for adults in advance and $15 at the door. Children ages 6-17 are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. DHM asks that patrons call about scheduling a time to visit or indicate on their online purchase the time they hope to enter the house. To purchase tickets, please visit www.davenporthousemuseum.org, contact info@davenporthousemuseum.org, call 912-236-8097, or visit the Davenport House Museum Shop.
The tour requires that guests be able to walk up and down stairs and maneuver in dimly lit rooms. Guests will be asked to be mindful of current safety guidelines during the tour and should anticipate wearing masks inside the building.
The mission of the Davenport House Museum is to preserve and interpret the American Federal-style house and the artifacts within, built by Master Builder Isaiah Davenport for his household, with an emphasis on the years 1820-27. The Davenport House seeks to educate, enrich, and inspire our visitors and the community, as well as recognize the historical role of the house in the founding of the Historic Savannah Foundation. Situated on Columbia Square at the corner of State and Habersham streets in historic downtown Savannah, it is one of the oldest brick structures in the city and sees approximately 40,000 visitors annually through its guided tours and education programs. For more information or to reserve tickets, please call 912-236-8097.
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For media inquiries, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, or Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651.
SAVANNAH, GA — MARCH 18, 2021 — The Davenport House Museum will host “Know Hamilton” lecture and performance in the garden at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30. In case of rain, the event will be moved to the Drawing Room in the Museum, which is at 324 E. State St. in Savannah.
The lecture, given by historian Jimmy Napoli, will focus on Alexander Hamilton’s early years and will be followed by actress/playwright Eva Dorrepaal’s one-woman show, “Raising a Revolutionary.” The show is set in the 18th century Danish West Indies, where Hamilton’s mother, Rachael Faucett, contends with a criminal record and a vengeful ex-husband while trying to keep food on the table and prepare her son for life’s harsh realities.
The program will be 55 minutes long and tickets cost $20 per person. Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the audience size will be limited to 25 people or less and everyone must wear masks and practice social distancing. Hand sanitizer stations will be available.
Davenport House Museum Director Jamie Credle thinks the evening will sell out and expects the audience will be delighted by the show, which Napoli and Dorrepaal will soon stage in the Caribbean.
“Eva and Jimmy are currently traveling down the Intercoastal Waterway and heading to the Caribbean to provide tours and organize events on the island of St Croix, where Alexander Hamilton began his illustrious career before arriving in New York. Eva wondered if she could work out an opportunity to work with the Davenport House and contacted the staff to see if a performance of her work could be arranged. We happily agreed,” Credle said.
Napoli has been lecturing and leading tours on Alexander Hamilton for over 25 years. He has been a licensed New York City. tour guide since 1996, specializing in the American Revolution, the creation of the federal government of the United States of America, the abolition movement and women’s suffrage. In 2007, Napoli appeared in the PBS documentary “The American Experience: Alexander Hamilton,” written and directed by Middlemarch Films. Dorrepaal has written three plays to date, as well as starred in numerous motion pictures that have been screened in more than 50 film festivals, including Cannes, Toronto and Sundance. She authored and performed three solo shows and had numerous appearances in European TV programs. The couple is currently maintaining a YouTube channel documenting their travels, entitled “Living in Xisle.”
The mission of the Davenport House Museum is to preserve and interpret the American Federal-style house and the artifacts within, built by master builder Isaiah Davenport for his household, with an emphasis on the years 1820-27. The DH seeks to educate, enrich, and inspire our visitors and the community, as well as recognize the historical role of the house in the founding of Historic Savannah Foundation. Situated on Columbia Square at the corner of State and Habersham Streets in historic downtown Savannah, it is one of the oldest brick structures in the city and sees approximately 40,000 visitors annually, through its guided tours and education programs. For more information or to reserve tickets for the “Know Hamilton” lecture and show, please call 912-236-8097.
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For media inquiries, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, Kristyn Fielding at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, or Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651.
SAVANNAH, GA – January 26, 2021 – The Davenport House Museum will provide couples with a safe and economical way to say “I Do” in one of historic downtown Savannah’s most beautiful gardens on the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day – Sunday, February 14. The annual event will comply with 2021 COVID-19 safety protocols.
Ceremonies, conducted by a licensed officiant, will be offered every 20 minutes between 5-7 p.m. for a $100 donation. Couples will be expected to follow safety protocol as specified by local, state and federal mandates. No more than 10 people can be present at the wedding, including the marrying couple.
Recommitment ceremonies as well as first weddings will be conducted. Those marrying for the first time should bring a valid Georgia marriage license, which does not require a waiting period or a blood test, to the ceremony. In the event of rain, ceremonies will be performed on the back porch of the museum, which overlooks the garden.
“Right now, couples are making tough decisions on whether to postpone or even cancel their big days due to the pandemic,” Davenport House Director Jamie Credle said. “The Davenport House is honored to provide a venue for those ready to exchange their vows. Our garden is a lovely place for couples to make their commitment.”
For information, particularly regarding safety protocol, please call 912-236-8097. Confirmed reservations are highly recommended as the event is popular and tends to sell out. To reserve a spot, please go to http://bit.ly/DHMWeddings or call 912-236-8097. To learn more about the history and mission of the Davenport House Museum, please visit www.davenporthousemuseum.org. The Davenport House Museum is located at 324 E. State St. in downtown Savannah.
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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Fielding at 229-393-6457 or email kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or Hollie Barnidge at hollie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651, Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).