Historic Savannah Foundation to Spotlight Savannah’s Municipal Cemeteries in HSF Lecture on Thurs., Oct. 16, Offer Guided Tour of Laurel Grove North on Sat., Oct. 18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAVANNAH, Ga. (Sept. 23, 2025) – Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF), which is currently celebrating its 70th anniversary, will feature the City of Savannah’s Archives Director and History Officer Luciana Spracher as a special guest speaker on Thurs., Oct. 16 at the Murray C. Perlman and Wayne C. Spear Preservation Center, located in the Historic Kennedy Pharmacy at 323 E. Broughton St. in Savannah, Ga. Spracher will deliver an informative lecture titled “Discovering Savannah’s Municipal Cemeteries, Past and Present” as part of the 2025 Historic Savannah Foundation Lecture Series, “The People, Places and Stories That Define Savannah.” Attendees are invited to attend a wine reception at 5:30 p.m. The lecture will start at 6 p.m.

In addition, HSF members and guests will have the opportunity to enjoy an optional guided tour of Laurel Grove North, a Victorian cemetery maintained by the City of Savannah, on Sat., Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. Located at 802 W. Anderson St. in Savannah, Ga., this historic cemetery is home to the gravesites of some of Savannah’s most influential builders, philanthropists, artists and authors. This exclusive, hour-long walking tour will be led by City of Savannah Cemetery Services Coordinator John Brannen.

“We’re thrilled to welcome City of Savannah archivist Luciana Spracher as our featured speaker for October and to offer our first-ever cemetery tour at Laurel Grove North,” said Historic Savannah Foundation President and CEO Collier Neeley. “We warmly invite members of the community to join us as we spotlight Savannah’s historic municipal cemeteries and continue to share the fascinating stories that define Savannah’s past, present and future.”

In her HSF Lecture, Spracher will discuss the development of Savannah’s public cemeteries and trace historic burial grounds through archival maps and records, sharing insight into the unique features that define Savannah’s municipal cemeteries. Of the nearly 80 cemeteries located in Chatham County, the City of Savannah maintains six cemeteries, including Bonaventure, Colonial Park, Evergreen, Greenwich, Laurel Grove North and Laurel Grove South.

As the Director of Savannah’s Municipal Archives, Spracher oversees the city’s records management program, archival collections and local history outreach. Some of the major projects she is currently working on include the interior restoration of Savannah’s 1906 City Hall building, the redevelopment of the 1926 Springfield Terrace School building and the expansion of the Savannah Community Memory Project to document and preserve the history of Savannah’s diverse communities. Prior to joining the City of Savannah as the first official archivist, Spracher was the owner and principal of Bricks & Bones Historical Research, where she specialized in architectural and local history. She also previously worked as a project archivist for the Georgia Historical Society, the Savannah Jewish Archives and the Catholic Diocese of Savannah Archives.

Spracher earned a master’s degree in Public History from Armstrong Atlantic State University (now Georgia Southern University) and a bachelor’s degree in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She is the author of Lost Savannah, A History of Thunderbolt, Georgia and co-editor of Voices of Savannah: Selections from the Oral History Collection of the Savannah Jewish Archives.

The next speakers in Historic Savannah Foundation’s 2025 Lecture Series will be Becki Harkness and Sarah Ward of Ward Architecture and Mariel Hamer of Lynch Associates Architects, who will discuss “The Municipal Grand: A Journey in Adaptive Reuse” on Thurs., Nov. 20. For more information about the HSF Lecture Series, please visit myhsf.org/events/lecture-series

Historic Savannah Foundation’s Lecture Series and special tour of Laurel Grove North Cemetery are open to the public. Reservations are recommended, as space is limited. Attendance is free for Historic Savannah Foundation members and $15 for non-members. Members may RSVP by emailing Kendall Graham at [email protected] or calling 912-233-7787, ext. 109. Non-members may purchase tickets online at myhsf.org/events/lecture-series