The story
As you stand beneath the swaying Spanish moss of Lafayette Square, your eyes are likely drawn to the towering spires of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. But just across the street at 330 Abercorn, you’ll find a residence that commands just as much respect, though for reasons both architectural and revolutionary.
This is the Hamilton-Turner Inn, a breathtaking example of the Second Empire style, finished in 1873 for a man named Samuel Pugh Hamilton. Take a moment to appreciate the visual weight of this mansion. Notice the steep, slate-covered mansard roof and the ornate cast-iron balconies that wrap around the structure like dark lace.
In a city dominated by Greek Revival and Regency styles, this house feels like a bold piece of 19th-century Paris transported to the Georgia coast. Samuel Hamilton, who was a wealthy jeweler and later the president of the Brush Electric Light & Power Company, wanted a home that reflected his status as the so-called Lord of Lafayette Square. But the house’s most famous contribution to Savannah history happened inside those walls in 1883.
Because of Hamilton’s business interests, this became the very first house in the city to be wired for electricity. Picture the scene on a humid Savannah evening nearly 150 years ago. While the rest of the square was bathed in the soft, flickering orange glow of gas lamps and candles, the windows of this mansion suddenly blazed with a steady, brilliant white light.
To the neighbors passing by on the sidewalk where you are standing now, it must have looked like a miracle or a haunting. A century later, the house transitioned from a family home into a legendary social hub. In the 1980s and 90s, the mansion became inextricably linked to the colorful characters of John Berendt’s famous book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
It was here that the flamboyant Joe Odom hosted his legendary, often unauthorized, parties. He was known for letting the champagne flow and filling the grand parlors with the sound of jazz, transforming this historic monument into the most sought-after invitation in town. Today, the mansion operates as a luxury boutique inn, meticulously restored to its former glory.
As you continue your walk, look up at the high windows. It is said that the spirit of a long-ago guard still paces the upper floors, and guests sometimes claim to hear the phantom sound of children’s laughter. Whether you’re here for the ghost stories, the architectural grandeur, or the history of innovation, the Hamilton-Turner Inn remains the crown jewel of Lafayette Square, standing as a testament to a time when Savannah first stepped out of the shadows and into the light.