ISLE OF HOPE

The Isle of Hope Historic District is a unique coastal-riverside community developed over the course of 100 years beginning in the early nineteenth century. Located on a small inland island eight miles from downtown Savannah, it is bounded by the Skidaway River to the east and the non-historic development to the north, west and south. The Isle of Hope was established as a historic summer retreat for nearby Savannah in the 1840’s and 50’s as a place to escape the heat and mosquitoes of the city. The area’s popularity as a ‘summering spot’ increased with the expansion of a railroad line connecting it to the city after the civil war. By the early twentieth century, it had become a suburb of Savannah with year-round residents.

“A unique coastal-riverside community developed over the course of 100 years”

Situated on a horseshoe bend in the Skidaway River, this roughly crescent-shaped area is comprised of a varied collection of residences ranging from small cottages to imposing mansions, richly landscaped with magnificent live oaks, palms and other shady trees. Architectural Styles represented include Greek Revival, Victorian Eclectic, Neoclassical and Craftsman/Bungalow as well as examples of vernacular cottages and a few antebellum houses. The district also includes two historic wood-framed churches dating from the 1870s.