Former Savannah Cotton Exchange - Savannah, GA, USA - Current and Former Exchanges on Waymarking.com

An historical marker about the old cotton exchange is located in a park across the street from the building. It reads:

"The Savannah Cotton Exchange building was completed in 1887 during the era when Savannah ranked first as a cotton seaport on the Atlantic and second in the world. In its heyday as a cotton port over two million bales a year moved through Savannah. The Cotton Exchange was the center of activity in the staple which dominated this city's economic life before its evolution into a leading industrial seaport.

The Exchange was designed by the nationally-known Boston architect, William Gibbons Preston (1844-1910). His design won out in a competition participated in by eleven architects. The Exchange is believed to be one of the few structures in the world erected over an existing public street.

The beautiful iron railing around this grass plat, with panels featuring medallions of famous statesmen, authors and poets, once graced the ante-bellum Wetter House in Savannah.

The former Cotton Exchange is now the headquarters of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, which cordially invites you to drop in for a visit."

[UPDATE: The building has been under a 100-year lease to Solomon's Lodge No. 1 since 1974 (visit link).]

The following additional information about this historic building is from Visit-Historic-Savannah.com website:

"The Savannah Cotton Exchange stands as a grand reminder of cotton's influence on this city. Built in 1886 by Boston architect William G. Preston, the cotton exchange was one of the first major buildings to be constructed entirely over a public street. Built of red brick with a terra cotta façade, iron window lintels and copper finials and copings, the building is one of the best surviving examples of the Romantic Revival period.

The original building was built in 1872 when export revenue from cotton was $40 million when Georgia was the leading cotton producer in the country, and Savannah was one of the major cotton seaports on the Atlantic. By the 1880s the area was known as the "Wall Street of the South." Ironically the current building was constructed when cotton was only selling for as little as ten cents a pound. But it was a little insect, the boll weevil, which finally rendered the building obsolete by 1920."

Name: Savannah Cotton Exchange Address: 100 East Bay Street Savannah, Georgia 31401 Country: USA URL: [Web Link] Is this exchange still active at this location: no Activity Period: 1887-1920

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