The Olde Pink House

Of the many historic structures that compose Savannah’s National Historic Landmark District #32 Abercorn St., known to locals as The Pink House, is one of the most significant. The Pink House is Savannah’s only serving 18th century masonry structure[1]. Built in 1790 the property was originally home to a member of one of Savannah’s founding families, James Habersham. The original structure comprised of a Georgian style home with a six over six window arrangement and a central hall floor plan. A Palladian window is located above the entrance and the structures corners feature prominent stucco quoins. Between 1812-1820 a front porch with unfluted Doric columns was added . The addition to the north side and the window cornices where added in the mid 19th century.[2]


The property has weathered through many hardships and the majority of Savannah’s history. The Pink House survived the fire of 1796 which claimed over 200 homes. In 1812 it became Planters Bank, the first bank to exist in the State of Georgia, and it held British gold captured in the war of 1812. In 1820 the pink house survived another large fire. During the civil war it served as General York’s head quarters.[3] After the civil war Planters bank closed its doors, the property then hosted a stream of short term tenets and began a slow decline in to a state of neglect.[4]



In 1940 the Society for the Preservation of Historic Landmarks tried to purchase the Pink House, however their plan fell through when they failed to negotiate a price[5]. Shortly thereafter it received some much needed attention when Alida Harper Folwk took it upon herself to revive the struggling business of the Pink house’s primary tenet The Georgia Tea Room.[6] Sadly by the late 1960’s The Pink house was once more in a state of utter dilapidation. In 1970 the building’s luck changed for the better when it was purchased by Jeffrey Kieth who restored the building to its former glory.[7] The survival of The Pink House is a success story which emphasizes the power of grass root community efforts to preserve our architectural history.


[1] “Pink House” file. Vertical Stacks, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah.
[2] Morgan Lee Harrison. Paths to Involvement: Women and the Early Preservation
Movement in Savannah. Savannah, Ga. : Savannah College of Art and Design, 2006
[3] Historic American Buildings Survey “Habersham House, Reynolds Square Vicinity, Savannah, Chatham County, GA” avalible at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.ga0023; accessed 1 April 2010. HABS data page no. 3
[4] “Pink House” file. Vertical Stacks, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah.
[5] ibid
[6]Morgan Lee Harrison. Paths to Involvement: Women and the Early Preservation
Movement in Savannah. Savannah, Ga. : Savannah College of Art and Design, 2006
[7] “Pink House” file. Vertical Stacks, Georgia Historical Society