We took an extra day on the way home from North Carolina
this trip to visit Savannah, GA. We stop at a no-frills campground in
Hardeeville, SC on our way to and from North Carolina and it just a
twenty-minute drive down Highway 17 to downtown Savannah.
I lived in Savannah for two years while stationed at Hunter
Army Airfield in the late sixties. It was fun to drop by the areas I remembered
from that time. There are many changes of course, for example the row house my
apartment was in has now been combined with several others to be an inn. It is
called The Savannah Bed & Breakfast Inn on West Gordon. We got a chance to
walk through it and plan to return sometime and stay there. It is just around
the corner from Forsyth Park. We parked on the square and walked the area. It
is amazing how beautiful the area is, though it was largely lost on me as a 22
year-old Vietnam returnee.
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| 119 West Gordon. Fond memories from the 60s. |
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| The lobby of the inn that now incorporates my old apartment. |
Mrs. Wilkes’ Boarding House was a mainstay eatery for me
then, and it was nice to see that it was still operating under the ownership of
Mrs. Wilkes’ granddaughter. We found no waiting (unusual most times of the
year) so we went in and were seated with seven others at a large table. We were
a mix of visitors and locals. Three were from England, two from Atlanta, two
owners of a men’s wear shop on Broughton, and the two of us from Florida. The
family style setting is conducive to mingling and having a nice conversation,
and it all starts with “pass the peas”. The fried chicken was every bit as good
as I remembered, but there was also beef stew and pork. There were more sides
than I could recall as I write this. There were twenty some odd bowls on the
table. When done you clear your own plates and take them to the kitchen. What a
great time it was. If in Savannah, and the line is not down the block, give it
a try. Just remember it is cash only.
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| So much food; so little time. |
When we were here a few years ago the campground at Hunter Army
Airfield had just opened. We found it to be a mud hole that time, so we thought
we would drive through and see if things had been improved. Turns out they have
not. If you have a large RV and are not into “rustic” camping I would pass on
Lott Island Campground at Hunter AAF. There is one site, #16, which seems high
enough and was dry. The remainder did not seem suitable for our needs and were
muddy despite two clear and warm days since the last rain.
