Owens-Thomas House

The Owens-Thomas House is a mansion in Savannah showing early 19th-century English architecture with cast iron details, tabby concrete walls, and ornate plasterwork throughout. The property includes the main two-story building, preserved slave quarters, and a formal garden laid out in a structured design.

The building began in the early 1800s as a private residence and passed through several owners before gaining its current name. It survived regional conflicts and urban change, eventually becoming recognized as an important historical site.

The house is named after its most prominent owners, and visitors can see how different rooms served various social classes in daily life. The arrangement of spaces reveals the social hierarchy of the era and how the family deliberately separated their private areas from service areas.

Visitors can explore the property on guided tours that provide access to the main building, outbuildings, and garden spaces. Comfortable walking shoes are helpful since the visit involves moving through multiple rooms and outdoor areas.

The house contains one of the earliest known examples of indoor water systems in North America, with arched cistern systems beneath the building. These technical innovations were decades ahead of their time and reveal the engineering knowledge of its inhabitants.