Why The Olde Pink House is Pink

Table Of Content

• AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE MANSION WAS TURNED INTO A BANK
• The Olde Pink House: A historic, fine dining experience
• The Olde Pink House Restaurant
• THE OLDE PINK HOUSE IS ONE OF SAVANNAH'S MOST ICONIC & HISTORIC RESTAURANTS
• White House Correspondents’ Dinner red carpet arrivals as Molly Ringwald, Lynda Carter lead the best-dressed
• Washington Hilton Hotel held the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Patrons dine immersed in the architecture and atmosphere of 18th century Savannah brought to life by one of its earliest leading citizens. Though the interior layout has evolved through various uses, the exterior and many original design elements still transport visitors back to the Georgian era when one of Savannah's forefathers first envisioned this elegant property. Habersham had already amassed substantial wealth as a planter by the time he hired the architect William Jay to design his new Savannah estate.

AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE MANSION WAS TURNED INTO A BANK

The war had taken its toll on Savannah, so operating the old house as a hotel provided much needed accommodations. The Habersham-Clay mansion led a utilitarian existence for many decades following Savannah's antebellum era. As the Civil War plunged the nation into chaos, the grand house transitioned into more practical uses aligned with tumultuous times. For over two centuries, the mansion has welcomed Savannah's elite through its doors, from the lavish parties of Habersham's era to the distinguished gentlemen's club operated out of the house in the 19th century. Standing stately in Reynolds Square, the Olde Pink House restaurant inhabits one of Savannah's finest examples of Georgian-style architecture.

The Olde Pink House: A historic, fine dining experience

The room we were seated in was so dark we couldn’t read our menu without our flashlights on our phones. An almost-identical house was built in 1928[20] at 102 East Gaston Street,[21] just beyond the northeastern corner of Forsyth Park.

The Olde Pink House Restaurant

Stepping into the Olde Pink House today, patrons can embark on a culinary journey through Savannah's regional fare thanks to the restaurant’s meticulous attention to heritage Southern cuisine. The Strongs filled the dining rooms with fine antiques and opened the restored cellar as a tavern. Their passion revealed the mansion's beauty once more, while retaining its 18th and 19th century character. During this period, the mansion was less a family home or even hotel—it now bustled daily with patrons conducting business transactions and employees obediently working in their offices. The mansion's parlors and bedrooms now served as guest lodging, losing the elegance of their previous incarnations.

THE OLDE PINK HOUSE IS ONE OF SAVANNAH'S MOST ICONIC & HISTORIC RESTAURANTS

Dishes like the creamy shrimp and grits or silky she-crab soup allow diners to savor two of the Lowcountry’s quintessential flavors. With a vision to revive the mansion to its former elegance, the Strongs commissioned meticulous restorations of the original floorplan, doors, windows, and interior details. This practical chapter, though far removed from the structure's original purpose, became an important part of the historic mansion's story and connection to Savannah's past.

Remembering Diana Rogers Community Savannah News, Events, Restaurants, Music - Connect Savannah.com

Remembering Diana Rogers Community Savannah News, Events, Restaurants, Music.

Posted: Sun, 14 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The banking offices situated upstairs in the former bedrooms, while the ornate dining and drawing rooms of the Clay family became the public-facing spaces for bank transactions. At a time when Savannah society was flourishing, the Clay family used the house to host elegant soirees and entertainments befitting their station. Its brick walls, burled wood accents, and dim atmosphere evoke 19th century revelry, likely not so different from when city leaders and planners would discuss business over cards and whiskey. When guests savor the cuisine, they take part in the continuing story of Southern food that fills this landmark with legacy. Exceptional local flavors thus converge within the historic rooms where Georgia's leaders once dined centuries ago.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner red carpet arrivals as Molly Ringwald, Lynda Carter lead the best-dressed

Through painstaking technique and time-honored family wisdom, the Olde Pink House kitchen channels history onto every plate. The Olde Pink House transports modern patrons back through centuries of memories made within those walls. If only the walls could speak of Habersham's grand parties, the Clays' lively gatherings, or the bustle of Victorian bank tellers - all long gone but not forgotten. Among the city’s most iconic historical treasures is the Olde Pink House restaurant, which has borne witness to Savannah society since 1771 within the elegant confines of an 18th century mansion.

THE ENDURING HISTORY OF THE OLDE PINK HOUSE OF SAVANNAH

This stellar event, an annual highlight for the capital, wasn’t just a celebration of the critical work done by journalists but also a glittering convergence of high-profile celebrities and distinguished guests. When renovations were complete, the Habersham-Clay house had emerged as the Olde Pink House restaurant. By the early 20th century, the aging but still-stately former Habersham mansion had passed through many uses and owners.

Savannah restaurant listed as one of the ‘Most Legendary Restaurants in the World’ - WSAV-TV

Savannah restaurant listed as one of the ‘Most Legendary Restaurants in the World’.

Posted: Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

With its pink stucco facade and white ornamental ironwork, the mansion emanates the elegance of 18th century life when it was first erected in 1771 for James Habersham Jr. The legacy of James Habersham is still honored through the surviving Habersham house, now the Olde Pink House restaurant. Over 250 years later, the mansion remains one of the premier illustrations of Georgian architecture in Savannah. The ornate brick and pink stucco edifice with its symmetrical layout exemplified the Georgian style then fashionable throughout the colonies.

The striking pink facade also rendered the mansion instantly recognizable in the local landscape, with the color chosen as a proud nod to Habersham's English heritage. The Olde Pink House’s pink color isn’t a new development – it’s been part of the restaurant’s signature décor for almost 100 years. But the story behind the color is more elaborate than just a standard paint job, so the story can't be explained without diving into the restaurant's history. We specialize in memorable dining experiences ranging from a quaint table for 2 in the Planters Tavern "Wine Vault", to a party of 400 guests reserving the entire mansion. Crisp fried green tomatoes offer another taste of regional delicacies transformed by the Olde Pink House into appetizing works of art.

Guests delighted in dancing the evening away in the grand first floor ballroom or discussing politics and business in the dining room over sumptuous meals. The food draws from regional tradition, but underneath the surface of fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits lies a storied landmark that has watched over Savannah from Reynolds Square for nearly 250 years. Just as in 1771, the Olde Pink House remains a destination for those who seek to experience Georgian Savannah's splendor. Today, diners can still experience that refined grace as they step inside the Olde Pink House restaurant and enjoy Southern cuisine in spaces that have hosted Savannah society since the city's settlement.

Servants smoothly attended to every guest's needs and Mary Clay ensured the food and wine were of the finest quality. News of the Clays' parties often appeared in Savannah's society pages, further elevating the family's social status. Through meticulous restoration and devotion to regional cuisine, the restaurant has revived this aristocratic dwelling, allowing modern diners and history aficionados alike to step inside Savannah’s gilded past.

Arched windows flanked by columns, iron-railed balconies, and a signature white ornamental iron fence cast in Savannah all exuded an air of refinement. In exploring the history of the Olde Pink House, we peel back the layers of this Southern icon to reveal its origins, illustrious inhabitants, and evolving identity across centuries at the heart of Savannah. The Olde Pink House (also known as The Pink House and, formerly, Habersham House) is a restaurant and tavern in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located on Abercorn Street, in the northwestern trust lot of Reynolds Square, the building dates from 1771.[4] It is bounded by East Bryan Street to the north, Abercorn Street to the east and East Saint Julian Street to the south. Adding to the anticipation, President Joe Biden was expected to deliver remarks, highlighting the unique blend of journalism, government, and entertainment that defines this event. This year, the dinner was graced by the luminous presence of stars such as Scarlett Johansson, Molly Ringwald, Lynda Carter and Chris Pine, who brought Hollywood glamour to the politically charged atmosphere of Washington.

From the mansion, tea parlor and haunted restaurant, the Olde Pink House has accrued a long and varied history, making it one of Savannah’s premier landmarks in the city. The Olde Pink House is one of Savannah’s finest dining establishments, offering new Southern cuisine in a sophisticated, yet casual setting. The Olde Pink House is known for specialties like Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Molasses, Crispy Scored Flounder with Apricot Shallot Sauce, and Corn Bread Fried Oysters. The kitchen fries the green tomatoes to perfection so diners can experience this Southern staple at its finest. Yet preparation still remains faithful to the way grandmothers and great-grandmothers cooked throughout Savannah’s history.

Built in 1777 for James Habersham Jr., the Olde Pink House was originally a mansion whose red bricks would bleed into the white plaster, turning the home pink. The appropriately-named Olde Pink House is easy to find, with its iconic shade of pink, right across from Reynolds Square. The stately mansion surely felt livelier during the Clay's residency than in its previous incarnation as a more staid family estate for James Habersham Jr. But the Clays upheld the home's refined atmosphere, using its grand spaces as the backdrop for some of Savannah's most memorable early 19th century social events. Joseph's wife Mary was known as a consummate hostess who masterfully planned lavish dinners, musical evenings, and holiday balls in the mansion's spaces.