Wormsloe State Historic Site Unveils New Visitor Center

One of Savannah’s most photographed historic sites, colonial Wormsloe, unveiled its new visitor center on Wednesday, January 3. State and local leaders, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials, members of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund Board of Trustees, and others gathered for the ribbon-cutting at the new Wormsloe State Historic Site Visitor Center.

Wormsloe State Historic Site preserves the estate of one of Georgia’s first settlers from England, and its tabby ruins are among the oldest structures in Savannah. The new, 6,000-square-foot building offers a large patio with fireplace, gift shop, meeting space and introductory information about the site. Repurposed materials include slate roofing material from a historic dock, as well as an iron gate from the 1930s formal gardens.

“I believe it will be the perfect place to welcome the 185,000 visitors that come to Wormsloe each year,” said Walter Rabon, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources.

A new trolley system will be operated out of the visitor center to take visitors down the iconic 1.5 mile Live Oak Avenue which will help protect the historic trees from frequent auto traffic. The reduced traffic will also be an added benefit for those photographing the famous lane. Visitors will soon be able to rent bicycles to pedal down the avenue. New landscaping includes native plants, young cypress trees and live oaks, and a water feature. Once guests pass through the new visitor center, they can explore a museum, tabby ruins, colonial life area, nature trails and marsh views.

The new visitor center had funding supported by the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program.

“Our state parks and historic sites have been the recipient of several of these grants,” said Rabon, who also serves as Chairman of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund Board of Trustees. “We are focused on making significant impacts on improving our facilities, visitor centers, campgrounds and trails.”