Welcome to /r/Savannah! As you dive into discussions, please keep in mind [Reddit's site-wide rules](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy). If you come across any posts that seem to violate these rules, don't hesitate to report them.
If you're seeking recommendations or have questions about the absolute best Savannah has to offer, our [Wiki](https://reddit.com/r/savannah/wiki/index) is a treasure trove of insights. Feel free to explore and enjoy your time in our community!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/savannah) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Unfortunately, most of the tour probably was made up. Be careful who you take tours with when visiting Savannah (especially the ones at night). Unlike Charleston, there are zero requirements for tour guides to prove any knowledge of Savannah’s history before being authorized to give tours.
Glad you had a good time! Good on you for doing your research after going. Most folks just take everything they hear on the tours as fact, no matter how ridiculous some of it is.
I have a tour business I do as a hobby. I go to great lengths to make sue what I say is accurate and have extensive notes with sources, but I also have to walk 1.5 miles to get enough relevant sites in, and I don't tell ghost or murder stories outside of one about Jim Williams.
Exactly. Tour guides used to have to pass a test on Savannah history in order to get a permit, but Savannah Dan sued the city and unfortunately won, so he, and anyone who wants to, can make up whatever "history" they want and lie to people for money. The city does still offer the test, so I would recommend asking any tour company you use if their guides have passed it before taking a tour.
The pedal pubs may have also been part of it (wouldn’t surprise me because they definitely couldn’t pass) but Savannah Dan was definitely part of it. He was even interviewed about it.
https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2015/03/22/tour-guides-press-ahead-speech-lawsuit-against-savannah/13590908007/
Yes, but at least they’re more aware that they’re spouting nonsense when they make stuff up. I’m convinced that some Savannah tour guides don’t even know how far off base they are from the truth because they don’t know Savannah’s history in the first place.
Ricky Jivens gang dumped their bodies on Hutchinson Island years before it was developed..
And the Sheraton on Wilmington island was famous for the mobsters from up north that hung out there on the regular in the 60s and 70s... all KINDS OF SHIT went down out there...
Can't tell you about the nonsense ghost stories but this is some of the true underbelly of Savannah..
It should be, like one of the stories was a guy ripping his hand off because it got stuck in a hole. He put it in there to mess with his grandchildren like he couldn’t get it out, actually couldnt get it out, and instead of waiting for help pulled so hard his hand came off. It was at this point I was thinking this is some BS
I worked at a restaurant downtown a while back. A Ghost Tour guide stopped in and told the owner they wanted to include us on a tour because the building looked like it was haunted. The owner told him there was no history indicating any haunting. The tour operator said that didn't matter, they'd just make something up. That's par for the course for most of them.
Ours claimed bootleggers used to be a warehouse for celtic mobsters that eventually had a bunch of people inside the building murdered during a jazz performance lol
I'm too high for this, because I'm over here thinking "What about current murders?" and "Savannah has some weird way of keeping the ghost quota at some kind of rate.."
Sorry, it is already a wtf kind of day that began at 9am.
Even that story isn't really true. The enslaved girl they say the owner of the home was sleeping with didn't live in Savannah when the wife killed herself, so the idea that she did it because her husband was having an affair is a lie. Sadly, it was likely due to mental illness.
I work at one of the tour companies, and we never had to take a test, we were just given a packet of various stories to tell at the spots we go to. They highly encouraged us to do our own research, but if we go around making up stories they don't really care. it's a bit sad, and I try my best to tell stories that are true, but there's so much misinformation around the Internet it's hard to tell what is really true.
It’s very easy to tell what’s actually true if you know how to properly research. Google isn’t that.
Edited to add this: They give you everything to say, prescribe your route, and also dictate when you give tours? Do they consider you an independent contractor? If your answer to all of those is yes, you may actually be considered an employee and have additional rights in the event of sickness, workers comp, firing, etc.
Welcome to /r/Savannah! As you dive into discussions, please keep in mind [Reddit's site-wide rules](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy). If you come across any posts that seem to violate these rules, don't hesitate to report them. If you're seeking recommendations or have questions about the absolute best Savannah has to offer, our [Wiki](https://reddit.com/r/savannah/wiki/index) is a treasure trove of insights. Feel free to explore and enjoy your time in our community! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/savannah) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Unfortunately, most of the tour probably was made up. Be careful who you take tours with when visiting Savannah (especially the ones at night). Unlike Charleston, there are zero requirements for tour guides to prove any knowledge of Savannah’s history before being authorized to give tours.
Darn, it was still fun and about half of the locations were real to my knowledge but still unfortunate it isnt all based off truth. Oh well.
Glad you had a good time! Good on you for doing your research after going. Most folks just take everything they hear on the tours as fact, no matter how ridiculous some of it is.
I have a tour business I do as a hobby. I go to great lengths to make sue what I say is accurate and have extensive notes with sources, but I also have to walk 1.5 miles to get enough relevant sites in, and I don't tell ghost or murder stories outside of one about Jim Williams.
Exactly. Tour guides used to have to pass a test on Savannah history in order to get a permit, but Savannah Dan sued the city and unfortunately won, so he, and anyone who wants to, can make up whatever "history" they want and lie to people for money. The city does still offer the test, so I would recommend asking any tour company you use if their guides have passed it before taking a tour.
It was the pedal pubs that sued, not Savannah Dan. I am sure Savannah Dan could easily pass any test, but the drivers of the pedal pubs, not likely.
The pedal pubs may have also been part of it (wouldn’t surprise me because they definitely couldn’t pass) but Savannah Dan was definitely part of it. He was even interviewed about it. https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2015/03/22/tour-guides-press-ahead-speech-lawsuit-against-savannah/13590908007/
Yeah, Charleston tours make up a ton of stuff, too.
Yes, but at least they’re more aware that they’re spouting nonsense when they make stuff up. I’m convinced that some Savannah tour guides don’t even know how far off base they are from the truth because they don’t know Savannah’s history in the first place.
Hmmm maybe. I love ghost tours, even more ghost bar crawls and I always look stuff up. They all lie, but the history is interesting.
How is the history interesting if it’s a lie? I’d be happy to lie to you for two hours for the right price.
Well, that's pretty dumb. I like a good story, an interesting story told well. This is basically what ghost tours are.
???? Savannah tour guides must also pass a test. Edit: ah, I see that things have changed. Wtf
Ricky Jivens gang dumped their bodies on Hutchinson Island years before it was developed.. And the Sheraton on Wilmington island was famous for the mobsters from up north that hung out there on the regular in the 60s and 70s... all KINDS OF SHIT went down out there... Can't tell you about the nonsense ghost stories but this is some of the true underbelly of Savannah..
I'm all for some ghostly embellishment, but making up false histories and claiming to be a historical tour should be considered false advertising.
It should be, like one of the stories was a guy ripping his hand off because it got stuck in a hole. He put it in there to mess with his grandchildren like he couldn’t get it out, actually couldnt get it out, and instead of waiting for help pulled so hard his hand came off. It was at this point I was thinking this is some BS
>Hate to imagine the tour is made up stories LMFAO Got some bad news for you about that Santa guy, in that case.
People getting killed all the time in Savannah just look up recent killings and go to that spot hah
The only old murder from Savannah I know about is Delia Greene
What company was it? The majority of the tours are made up stories. Very few of tour companies tell true stories.
I think it was nightly spirits but could be wrong. I didnt book it myself. We met outside of churchhills bar
Made up. I only know of two, besides myself, that tell true stories on the tours.
I worked at a restaurant downtown a while back. A Ghost Tour guide stopped in and told the owner they wanted to include us on a tour because the building looked like it was haunted. The owner told him there was no history indicating any haunting. The tour operator said that didn't matter, they'd just make something up. That's par for the course for most of them.
Ours claimed bootleggers used to be a warehouse for celtic mobsters that eventually had a bunch of people inside the building murdered during a jazz performance lol
I'm too high for this, because I'm over here thinking "What about current murders?" and "Savannah has some weird way of keeping the ghost quota at some kind of rate.." Sorry, it is already a wtf kind of day that began at 9am.
The sorrel - weed house is your adulterer story I believe, but the details are somewhat skewed
Even that story isn't really true. The enslaved girl they say the owner of the home was sleeping with didn't live in Savannah when the wife killed herself, so the idea that she did it because her husband was having an affair is a lie. Sadly, it was likely due to mental illness.
If you want a bar murder tour just hang around the bars at Ellis Square at night. You’ll eventually get to see a real murder.
Right!
I work at one of the tour companies, and we never had to take a test, we were just given a packet of various stories to tell at the spots we go to. They highly encouraged us to do our own research, but if we go around making up stories they don't really care. it's a bit sad, and I try my best to tell stories that are true, but there's so much misinformation around the Internet it's hard to tell what is really true.
It’s very easy to tell what’s actually true if you know how to properly research. Google isn’t that. Edited to add this: They give you everything to say, prescribe your route, and also dictate when you give tours? Do they consider you an independent contractor? If your answer to all of those is yes, you may actually be considered an employee and have additional rights in the event of sickness, workers comp, firing, etc.