Friday, June 5, 2009

6/6 Pink Saturday

image It’s Pink Saturday, hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. Be sure to visit Beverly's blog to see a complete list of all the participants in today's Pink Saturday.

The Olde Pink House in Savannah, Georgia was built by James Habersham, Jr. in 1771. Habersham lived there for 31 years. The Olde Pink House is located on Reynolds Square at 23 Abercorn Street and is Georgian in architecture. It is called the Pink House because the native, antique brick bleeds through the plaster walls and changes the color to a warm, glowing pink.

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The Olde Pink House has a colorful history. Before the Revolutionary War, the home was a meeting place for the Liberty Boys, a group of young men who met in order to free colonial America from British rule. It was here that plans were made during one meeting that led to the capture of the British Governor of Georgia, James Wright.

In 1812, the Olde Pink House became the 1st registered bank in GA. It underwent extensive alterations in order to serve this commercial purpose. A new north wing was added. A bank vault was installed and a one-story Greek portico with 4 Doric columns was attached to the front entrance. It was this bank vault that played a part in the War of 1812. During the War of 1812, the sons of James Habersham, Jr., James III and his two brothers, John and Joseph, captured British gold and stored it in one of two vaults. Later, when Savannah was captured by Union troops, Brigadier General Lewis York used the house as his headquarters.

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The Olde Pink House served as many different businesses until 1970 when it was purchased by Herschell McCallan and Jeff Keith and transformed into the Olde Pink House Restaurant for gourmet dining. It is considered one of Savannah's finest restaurants. Today, it has a special room, a restored dining room that visitors can view from behind a locked wrought iron gate, with authentic furniture from 1779. Furnishings include stuff back chairs and hardwood floors.

The cuisine is richly steeped in the traditions of the Low Country and includes sautéed local shrimp with country ham and grits cake, crispy scored flounder with apricot sauce, steak au poivre, black grouper stuffed with blue crab and drenched in white onion and butter sauce, and grilled tenderloin of pork served with collard greens and yams. You can enjoy your meal in the candlelit dining rooms or in the Planters Tavern.

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At the Olde Pink House, now called the Olde Pink House Restaurant, you may find what has been called "the most frequently seen ghost in Savannah." The ghost of the Olde Pink House has been seen in the restored dining room, which is behind a locked wrought iron gate. Visitors to the restaurant can see the room from this gate, but can not enter. The ghost reportedly rearranges furniture and lights candles in this room. This activity has been reported even when no one present in the restaurant had a key to the gate.

Also, many people have reported seeing strange, unexplained happenings in the Olde Pink House. At times, groups of people have been seen moving about by candlelight after the restaurant was closed for the evening. Others have reported feeling a strong presence and seeing a gentlemen in old-fashioned attire and a wig. These people say the gentlemen looks like the portrait of Habersham, Jr. hanging in the restaurant. One witness, manager Rick Ellis, reported that one night after the restaurant closed and the lounge was still open on the ground floor that 26 people felt the room get hot and saw a white vapor descending the stairs. One source claims that Habersham hanged himself in the basement of the Olde Pink House and his tragic death led to the haunting.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog and don't forget to visit Beverly’s blog How Sweet the Sound to see more pink!

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53 comments:

  1. Very Cool Pink Post (I hear tell there's ALOT of ghostly sightings around Savannah) My niece lives there and this is going on my list to visit when I go!
    Happy Pink Saturday!
    ♥ Teresa

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  2. I enjoy reading the story Susan :-). I enjoyed it from the brick color seeping through - leading to the color pink (how cool), the many transformations of the building until it became a restaurant, and the haunting of the pink building. eeerrrryyyyyyyy I would have love to dine in such a pretty place but ghosts? aaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhh :-)

    Happy PS!

    Li

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  3. I love history and this post is so wonderfully full of it. Thanks for taking the time to include the story of this historic site.

    Beautiful!

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  4. What an interesting story. Thank you and have a nice Pink Saturday.

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  5. Thanks for sharing the story of that beautiful pink house! Warm wishes for a wonderful weekend, Esther

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  6. What a pretty building, Susan, and wonderful history. Lovely color!...Christine

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  7. What a neat old historical building. The food served sounds wonderful!

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  8. What a pretty building, and fantastic history!
    thanks for sharing with us!
    Happy Pink Saturday!

    xoxo

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  9. ooh, this is my kind of restaurant. I hope to get to Savannah some day soon and will definitely put this on my places to go. I bet TAPS has investigated it.

    Justine :o )

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  10. Susan, Great post today. So interesting. I'd love to visit Savannah and this would be a great stop. ~ Robyn

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  11. Hi Susan!
    ♥´¨)
    ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ HAPPY PINK SATURDAY ♥

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  12. It really looks impressive at night! Thats a cool post. Thanks Susan! Having a good weekend?
    ~Really Rainey~

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  13. Cool historical post about the Olde Pink House. Spooky, too! But I think I'd brave it just to have a taste of that black grouper stuffed with blue crab! Sounds wow!

    Happy Saturday, Susan!

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  14. YUM! My husband and I ate there on our 4th wedding anniversary when we were visiting Savannah on his R&R from Iraq. The food was out of this world!

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  15. Wow! What a detailed history you provided here. It was an interesting read. You'll never know that this pink house would have a colorful history if you didn't supply any. Thanks!

    Happy Pinkness! :)

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  16. What an interesting post! Another great place to visit if I am ever fortunate enough to visit Savannah.

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  17. Hi Susan,
    What a lovely building! Very interesting history to go with it too. Thanks for sharing and Happy PS. Enjoy your weekend.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  18. What a neat story! I love pink and add a ghost story and I'm in heaven!

    Enjoy your day!

    Leann

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  19. What a beautiful house! And such a wonderful history. Happy Pink Saturday!

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  20. What a wonderful, wonderful post. I love the house and the thoughts of a ghost makes it even better. :).
    Happy Pink Saturday..hope you have a lovely week.

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  21. Spooky, but a very inviting house. The menus sounds fabulous! I think I would like to visit someday. ~ Judy

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  22. It is absolutely beautiful. Especially lit up with lights in the early dusk.
    Brenda

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  23. Hello Susan, I love Savannah. We once took a horse drawn ghost tour and it was quite interesting. The Olde Pink House has an amazing history. I wish I could say I remember seeing it. I don't. Thank you for the interesting long story of this amazing home, now restaruant. I hope we can eat there one day. My grandfather's home in Oxford, MI was transformed into a bank after my greanparents died. You know how the old Victorian homes became part of the business parts of old towns. I went in there when visiting family in Oxford, and the bedroom where I slept as a young girl from time to time, was an office. That felt really strange. My grandmother fixed her Victorian home so beautiful and it was all gone. It made me so sad. Life goes on though and that's a good thing.

    We are now visiting the Tetons near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We came in early as we finally tired out. It gives me some time to comment and I am happy about that.

    Until next time...Hugs...Jeanne

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  24. One day of the week I can count on for self-indulgence, Beverly's Pink Saturday. My l♥ve for the color is fed over and over and over by the generosity of everyone who participates. This week is no exception.

    Thank you for sharing such great eye-candy. It was an absolute pleasure to visit your blog. Hoping this weekend finds you surrounded by l♥ve and happiness.

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  25. Thanks for the lovely history lesson. I am dreaming of visiting Savannah soon I just love those old southern towns and their huge Magnolia trees. "Midnight in the Garden Of Good and Evil" is one of my favorite movies. Thanks for stopping by for a visit~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  26. What a beautiful building and what an interesting history it has.

    Great post,

    Laura

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  27. What a beautiful post and wonderful photos. So nice to learn something new.

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  28. What a beautiful old place and what an interesting history! Thanks for sharing!

    Happy Pink Saturday!
    Robin

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  29. Soft, warm glow at dusk, very romantic....but wow what history..would love to travel to Savanah someday. Happy PS, I can't wait to try the lucious looking recipe below.

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  30. What a grand ole house and an amazing story to go along with it = fascinating!
    ~*Happy Pink Saturday and Week*~

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  31. Fascinating story! I love ghost stories!!! Oh I wish I could visit! I want a pink house LOL.

    All the best,
    Allison

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  32. Very cool building. Thanks for sharing the history of it too. Hope you had a great Pink Saturday!

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  33. Hi Susan!

    Thanks so much for coming and for your kind comment.

    I LOVE this building. We're planning a Savannah trip next spring, so I'll certainly put this on my list of "must sees"....I can't wait!

    Blessings,
    Spencer

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  34. How fascinating! I love to hear stories about homes and buildings like this. The place looks like it's beautiful, have you ever been inside? The food sounds divine! Thanks for sharing, it's my first Pink Saturday ghost story!

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  35. Susan,

    I really enjoyed your PINK post and the story of the Olde PINK House.
    I enjoyed the beautiful pictures, especially at night, From the way the brick bleeds to bring out the beautiful color, the superb food and the ghostly stories.
    It makes really want to visit Georgia, not just pass throught the Atlanta Airport!

    Enjoy a wonderful Sunday tomorrow.:-)

    Beth~♥

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  36. That old pink house is beautiful and I enjoyed reading about it's history.
    Lovely post. Happy Pink Saturday (it's still Saturday here).
    ~Sue~

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  37. Hi Susan, Happy Pink Saturday! Thank you for your warm welcome. Your post was a fun read and I love that Pink Mansion with such a past!

    Have a great weekend
    Tina

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  38. We both have pink houses today! Do you think it is significant that the 26 people who saw the ghost were in the bar late at night? :) I love historical homes, especially ones with ghosts in them. Thanks for sharing this interesting bit of history! Have a great Sunday!!!

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  39. Fascinating AND spooky - my favourite combination! Happy Pink Saturday!

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  40. That was a very interesting story and such a great old house! It's just so gorgeous! I'd love to visit there one day, and Savannah! Happy Late Pink Saturday! Suzie

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  41. What a beautiful old house! I hope your Saturday was happy and filled with pink :-)

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  42. Oh thanks for sharing this wonderful place. I always have wanted to visit Savannah I now have another reason. Happy PS and enjoy your Sunday.
    Kelley

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  43. OMG!! What a great place! Thanks for all the info! I need to get more info on the stuff I write!
    Happy Pink Saturday!
    Hugs, Lisa

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  44. Would just love to visit there!!! Ghosts don't scare me...great post Susan! xo

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  45. I loved this post. I would sooo love to see the house in person. As a history lover, one of my goals is to visit the east coast and see the places where our country began. Thank you for sharing this delightful story!

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  46. Hi Susan, don't you just love reading about the history of America. We really are seeped in rich wonderful history and The Pink House surely is well worth reading about and seeing. Thankyou, and Happy Pink Saturday, Char

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  47. Hi Susan
    Very intresting history of the Pink House...little too spooky, for me I'll get my gritz some were eles:)
    It sure is beautiful, and in the evening it does look at diffrent shade of pink.
    Happy belated Pink Saturday

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  48. Susan thank you for sharing the Old Pink House. It sounds charming. I would love to go there fro dinner if we are in the area. I think my favoirte photo was the one at night. It seemed to glow.

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  49. I love ther Old Pink House, Susan! Thanks for this. Makes me want to scoot up to Savannah for a visit.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  50. I love this beautiful pink house! Happy belated pink Saturday, I hope you had a good weekend.
    Kathy

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  51. Susan,
    Beautiful story...and gorgeous home. Thankds for sharing...Happy Pink

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  52. Love this post about the Olde Pink House!.. a very interesting and fun read for this Tuesday morning!! Happy Pink Saturday, and hope you're having a wonderful week!

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  53. What a gorgeous building & the story was quite fun to read. I'll have to look it up when we visit Savannah. I'm a little creeped out by ghosts, though...
    Nerissa

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Thank you for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment! I enjoy reading all your thoughts and will try to answer any questions you might have for me. Have a wonderful day....hope to "see"you again soon!