Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent Historic District

Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent Historic District is an early 1900s residential area in Savannah covering about 400 acres with roughly 1000 buildings and several parks interspersed throughout. The structures display various architectural styles from 1910 to 1930, including late Victorian, Colonial Revival, Arts and Crafts, and Mediterranean designs.

Founders Harry Hays Lattimore and William Lattimore designed this residential area in 1909 as a planned neighborhood with generous green spaces. The project drew inspiration from European urban planning ideas, particularly the City Beautiful movement that was gaining popularity in Paris at the time.

The curved streets shape how the neighborhood feels, following a European model rather than a rigid grid layout. This design choice reflects the founders' goal of creating a harmonious and planned community that stood apart from less organized settlements.

The neighborhood is easy to explore on foot, as parks and wide streets provide good landmarks for orientation. Visitors should allow time to notice the details of the various houses scattered throughout, as they shape the character of every block.

The district displays one of the few American examples of the City Beautiful movement, a style usually associated with European cities. Designer Henri Bignault had trained at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, bringing European urban design principles to Georgia.