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Moon River Brewery

Introduction

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Constructed as the city's first luxury hotel in 1821, this historic Savanah structure has been home to the Moon River Brewing Company since 1999. Elazer Early had the building constructed and operated what would be widely-recognized as one of the finest hotels in antebellum Savannah. Guests included American military leaders such as Winfield Scott and Marquis de Lafayette, as well as the first three commodores of the U.S. Navy and naturalist James Audubon. The hotel operated until 1864 and later served as a hospital during the Yellow Fever Epidemic in 1876. A century later, the building withstood a catastrophic hurricane in 1979. During most of the 20th century, the building was used as a warehouse.

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Moon River Brewery

Moon River Brewery

Backstory and Context

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Listen to a narration of this entry's description by David J. Trowbridge.

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The building on 21 West Bay Street in Savanah is one of many historical sites, but its history is unique as given its role as a hotel during the antebellum period. In those years, wealthy guests often travelled with enslaved servants, and most large Southern hotels that catered to the wealthy included separate accommodations for body servants and basement holding cells for other enslaved persons who might have been recently acquired at the many markets where enslaved persons were bought and sold. The building later served as a hospital, post office, and bank.

Elazer Early arived in Savannah from Charleston, South Carolina and decided to build the first luxury hotel in Savannah. From its grand opening in 1821, Early's "City Hotel" became one of the leading businesses in the city. Famous guests included the Winfield Scott during the years when he was regarded by many Americans as the hero of the War of 1812. Marquis de Lafayette also stayed at the City Hotel, as did the first three commodores of the U.S. Navy. Naturalist James Audubon stayed hotel for six months while trying to sell his wildlife sketch books.

Peter Wiltberger acquired the hotel in 1851 and is best-known for putting a live lion on display to attract guests to the hotel. The last guest to stay at the City Hotel was in 1864 just before General Sherman marched the Union Army into Savannah. The building later served as the home of a makeshift hospital for people, mostly children, who were being treated during the Yellow Fever Epidemic in 1876. The Yellow Fever Epidemic originated in New Orleans and spread all the way up the Mississippi River.

The building was used for storage for many years and then used for a coal warehouse. The building was later sold in 1960 and became the home of an office supply store. In 1979, Hurricane David hit Savannah, Georgia and blew the roof off of the building. The building sat empty until 1995 when the process of restoration and renovation began culminating in the opening of the Moon River Brewery in 1999.

Sources

The Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-yellow-fever-epidemic-of-1878

Learn about the best Savannah brewpub. (2020, August 10). Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://moonriverbrewing.com/about-us/

Moon River's Haunted History. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/ghost-adventures/articles/moon-rivers-haunted-history

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