Hello, I’m Jefferson; a shy and somewhat-reclusive Savannah historian & thirty-year veteran (retired) tour-guide. Since 1991 I have been, by both profession and hobby, a fact-checker of Savannah history. While others engaged in age-appropriate activities of going to the beach or the clubs, I wiled away my 20’s endlessly researching in the Georgia Historical Society’s reference library at Hodgson Hall, losing myself in vertical files, notebooks, images and microfilm until 4:59 most afternoons. So often was I in there studying that one day in April, 1992 as I was reading a book on the balcony Director Anne Smith came upstairs and asked me if I wanted a job. At the time I didn’t appreciate enough what she offered to me… but I do now.
From April of 1992 to October of 1993 I was privileged to work as a part-time assistant archivist, helping to pre-process, process or re-process manuscript and photographic collections—on my own or under the supervision of others far more experienced. I often worked the reference desk and as Anne would say, attended to “other duties as assigned,” and frequently served in addition as the unofficial, “in-house” fact-checker.
In hindsight, I was hardly qualified for any such position (I was on sabbatical from pursuing my art history degree at SCAD), but my enthusiasm was not lacking. I assisted Bobbie Bennett in processing the Hartridge Collection (#1349) in that whirlwind summer of ’92 and helped the sweet, generous and amazing Lee Alexander to process the Minis Collection in ’93, alongside its Levy/Cohen/Phillips offshoot. I learned every nook and cranny, every alcove and Hollinger box in the “stacks;” I was there when the library had the old Lilla Hawes-era orange carpeting, I was there when it transitioned to green carpeting of the Anne Smith era. Today GHS is financially secure, but in the ’80s and ’90s it was funded in part as a branch repository for the State Archives; as such I probably held the distinction of being the lowest possible ranking employee of the Georgia Department of Archives and History, but I was awestruck each and every day.
Anne Smith was a remarkable mentor I still admire to this day, and whose wisdom and patience I can only hope to one day emulate (Seriously, I think I gave her reason to doubt her choice of me at least once every other week). GHS had a tiny staff back in those days; coworkers Jan and Eileen still daily stand behind the reference desk of my mind, my fellow part-timers Barbara and Nancy were my buddies. It’s not much of an exaggeration to claim that between 1991 and the end of 1993 I spent more time in Hodgson Hall than I did my own apartment… which itself was conveniently (and literally) next door on Gaston.
The important disclaimer to be made here is that in no way today am I associated with GHS, speak in any way for GHS or represent any party but myself. No, my experiences at that place and with that institution are many decades passed, but that wonderful opportunity exposed me to a particular work ethic. I learned quickly that primary sources are the only dependable sources. Stories snowball, myths gain traction, it’s just what they do—as the old saying goes, our love of stories outweighs our love of facts. Secondary sources perpetuate secondary sources, just like most tour guides learn from other tour guides… the inevitable result draws us further and further from whatever truth there was in a given story. I find tour guides far too eager to believe anything they are told; when really, the job as a tour guide should be to question everything they hear. I like to say there’s always a grain of truth in the sandbox of embellishment, and the granular detail of separating fact from fiction is something I’ve always enjoyed. Granular minutia is my jam.
If you want to know the truth about Savannah history, ask; I might know. If you want to know about tunnels or ghosts or anything equally made up (*cough*), well… don’t. Listen, if something sounds a little too fantastical, it probably is… but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other amazing stories still out there.
So it’s time for me to give back; I need to share what I’ve learned before I forget it all or die… and the Internet is forever. My objective here was to create an archive that anyone could spend an afternoon perusing or coming back to, much as I did in my 20’s as a hungry researcher. And if you’re still eager for more after looking at this blog, keep in mind I’ve written an unpublished 476 page book on Savannah’s founding and first seven years, which is free and downloadable as a pdf, link below!
And here’s my personal website… completely & utterly devoid of Savannah history, but fun:
Fact-Checking Savannah's History 
Hi Jefferson. I found your post while researching Richard Wayne (my 4th great-grandfather, I think). My mother grew up in Savannah, I still have cousins there and try to get down at least once a year. Thanks for your work!
LikeLike
Thank you for your visit and your kind words!
LikeLike