1784:
~ Isaiah Davenport is born in Little Compton, RI to Jonathan and Sara Thurston Davenport. Jonathan, a carpenter, passed his trade to his four sons.

1788:
~ Sarah Rosamund Clark, future wife of Isaiah Davenport, is born in Beaufort, SC to Archibald and Susannah Sutler Clark.

1795:
~ Sarah Rosamund Clark and family move to Savannah.

1805-06:
~ Isaiah is apprenticed in New Bedford, MA.

1807-08:
~ Isaiah moves to Savannah with his brothers Thomas and Samuel.

1808:
~ Isaiah builds his first structure in Savannah.

1809:
~ March 15, Isaiah Davenport and Sarah Rosamund Clark are married at Independent Presbyterian Church.
~ The Davenports enter into a seven-year lease for Lot 14, Columbia Square. This is the future site of the Davenport House side garden.

1810:
~ Isaiah becomes fire master for Greene and Columbia Wards.
~ The Davenport’s first child, Susannah Elizabeth, is born.
~ Isaiah purchases two slaves.

1812:
~ The Davenport’s second daughter, Sarah Rosamund, is born.
~ Isaiah buys Lot 13, Columbia Ward, the future site of the Davenport House.
~ Isaiah is commissioned by the U.S. Government to construct a Martello Tower on Tybee Island to protect Savannah against naval attack.
~ The Davenport family moves to the south half of Lot 8, Washington Ward, at the corner of Bay and East Broad Streets.
~ Daughter Sarah dies from teething and bowel complaint.

1813:
~ The Davenport’s first son, Thurston Warren, is born.

1814:
~ Son, Thurston, dies of dysentery at the age of nine months.
~ Daughter Susannah dies of bilious fever at the age of four years.
~ Isaiah is made constable for Greene Ward.
~ Son, Isaiah, Jr. is born.

1817:
~ Son, Benjamin Rush Tippens, is born.
~ Isaiah and brother, Samuel, are employed by the city of Savannah to enclose Warren and Washington Squares.

1818:
~ Isaiah purchases two additional slaves, bringing his total number to six.
~ Isaiah becomes a member of the Savannah Mechanics Association.
~ Isaiah is elected city alderman. His first assignments include State, Lane and Tree Committee, Health Committee and a committee to keep the meat and vegetable market clean.

1819:
~ Son, Archibald Clark, is born.
~ Isaiah is appointed to serve on a City Council committee to oversee the laying of a pavement of oyster shells "under the avenue of trees on the Bay," in preparation for President Monroe’s visit.
~ Isaiah is named to a City Council committee to "report on eligibility of Tybee Island as a place for our citizens to reside at during the summer months."

1820:
~ Isaiah is assigned by the City to create a plan for temporary housing to accommodate those left homeless by the recent fire.
~ Isaiah encloses Greene and Franklin Squares.
~ Isaiah’s brother, Samuel, dies at age 32 of yellow fever.
~ Son, Henry Kollock, is born.
~ DH is under construction.

1821:
~ Isaiah repairs and paints the enclosures to Oglethorpe Square and builds a wharf at West Broad Street.
~ For the first of many times, Isaiah’s name appears in the minutes of Savannah City Council’s list of delinquent taxpayers. Lot 18, Greene Ward and Lot 14, Columbia Ward are slated to be sold unless taxes are paid.
~ Isaiah is made constable for Columbia Ward.
~ Isaiah purchases 300 acres of land on Little Ogeechee Neck for $1000.

1822:
~ Isaiah once again is a successful candidate for city alderman.
~ Isaiah continues to work on his house on Columbia Square.
~ Chatham County Sheriff is instructed to advertise Lot 13 in Columbia Ward in the list of properties to be sold for non-payment of taxes.
~ Son, Hugh McCall Davenport, is born.

1823:
~ Isaiah is included in the early list of candidates for city alderman, but soon withdraws his name and never serves as alderman again.
~ The Davenports lose pew #60 at the Independent Presbyterian Church for failure to pay $315.

1824:
~ Isaiah bids unsuccessfully on a large project to repair docks.
~ Isaiah is appointed as a member of the Board of Health for Columbia Ward.

1824:
~ Daughter, Cornelia Augusta, is born.

1825:
~ Lots 13 & 14, Columbia Ward and Lot 18, Greene Ward, owned by the Davenports, are cited in the minutes of City Council for non-payment of taxes.
~ Isaiah purchases from Susannah Clark (mother-in-law) three slaves, bringing the total number of slaves owned by the Davenport family to nine.

1827:
~ Isaiah is awarded a contract for the construction of the Savannah Steam Saw Mill Company on Hutchinson Island.
~ September 16, Isaiah Davenport dies at age 43 of yellow fever.
~ Tenth child, Dudley, is born one month after Isaiah’s death.
~ Sarah Davenport hires Mr. Thompson to finish the construction of the Savannah Steam Saw Mill. After paying him Sarah clears $24.50. Other sources of income include the hiring out of slaves and rental properties.
~ To meet the large tax bills and mortgages of the estate, Sarah decided initially to sell the family home, then decided to keep the home and open it as a boarding house.

1828:
~ Sarah sells several properties and some household goods to pay taxes and mortgages but continues to operate the family home as a boarding house.

1834:
~ Sarah continues to operate the family home as a boarding house.
~ Isaiah Davenport, Jr., marries Martha E. Fairfax. They eventually have four children.

1839-40:
~ Cornelia Davenport attends the Hartford Female Seminary in Hartford, CN.

1840:
~ Sarah Davenport sells the Davenport House to William Baynard of Hilton Head, South Carolina, for $9,000. The Baynard family keeps ownership of the Davenport House until 1955. (The house was rented as a single family residence until the 1920s, when it became a boarding house for multiple families.)
~ Benjamin Russ Davenport marries Mary Eliza Jenkins.

1844:
~ Cornelia Augusta Davenport marries Henry Rootes Jackson, a distinguished lawyer and statesman of Savannah. They eventually have four children.

1847:
~ Henry Kollock Davenport marries Jeannie Brent Graham. They eventually have two children.
~ Hugh McCall Davenport marries Martha Anne Elizabeth Stone. They eventually have two children.

1850:
~ Archibald Clark Davenport becomes an inspector for the U.S. Customs Office.
~ Hugh McCall Davenport is engaged as a merchant and superintendent at Cotton Press Kain’s Wharf.

1853:
~ Cornelia Augusta Davenport Jackson dies of ptomaine poisoning at age 29.

1858:
~ Isaiah Davenport, Jr. is a commercial merchant conducting business at 75 Bay Street.

1860:
~ Hugh McCall Davenport is a U.S. customs inspector.
~ Benjamin Russ Tippens Davenport is a teacher in Effington County, SC.

1862:
~ Dudley Davenport dies at age 40.
~ Archibald Davenport is the Savannah City Treasurer.

1866:
~ Sarah Davenport runs a boarding house on south side of Broughton Street next to the Marshall Hotel.

1868:
~ Isaiah Davenport, Jr. dies at age 53.

1869:
~ August 7, Sarah Davenport, a resident of Jones Street, dies at age 81 and is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery. Isaiah and other deceased family members are moved to this cemetery.

1870:
~ Archibald Clark Davenport marries Jane E. Postell. They had no children.

1872:
~ Henry Kollock Davenport, a captain in the U.S. Navy and commanding officer of the U.S. steamer Congress, dies in Franzenbad, Bohemia, at the age of 51.

1875:
~ Benjamin Rush Davenport dies at the age of 58.

1879:
~ Hugh McCall Davenport dies at the age of 57.

1883:
~ The Davenport House is rented as a single-family residence.

1892:
~ Archibald Clark Davenport dies at age 75.

1920:
~ The Davenport House contains eight to ten low-income families with one family per room.

1927:
~ Two marble mantles are removed from the Davenport House, one of which is installed in a house at the corner of Gaston and Drayton Streets.

1955:
~ Katherine Summerlin, step-daughter of Mr. Goette of the Goette Funeral Home (now the Kehoe House Inn) purchases the house and side-garden with the intent of demolishing it for a parking lot to accommodate the funeral parlor. The seven founders of Historic Savannah Foundation try several times to convince Mrs. Summerlin to sell the property. She finally concedes and at the time of the sale the house was vacant.
~ Historic Savannah Foundation purchases the Davenport House for $22,500, hours before its imminent demolition.

1962:
~ Restoration of Davenport House is completed.

1963:
~ Davenport House opens to public as a house museum.
~ Mrs. Ethelyn Nightingale McKinnon begins as director of the Davenport House.

1964:
~ Davenport House bedrooms "refurbished."

1965:
~ Davenport House featured on the cover of the Savannah phonebook.

1967:
~ Davenport House featured in the March Magazine Antiques along with other Savannah sites.
~ Davenport House included in the historic Savannah architectural survey, Historic Savannah, funded by the Junior League of Savannah and Historic Savannah Foundation.

1972:
~ Davenport House is placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1973:
~ Davenport House purchases the lot behind the museum.
~ Davenport House conducts archeological dig of lot behind museum.

1974:
~ Trustees Garden Club begins work to create a garden at Davenport House.

1975:
~ Lady Bird Johnson visits Davenport House.

1977:
~ Mrs. Ethelyn Nightingale McKinnon received the Davenport Trophy from Historic Savannah Foundation for her work at the Davenport House.

1983:
~ Davenport House installs its museum shop on the ground floor.

1988:
~ Davenport House acquires its first SCAD student interns.
~ Davenport House gets a new metal roof and has its chimney bricks pointed.

1990:
~ Davenport House Committee is appointed.

1991:
~ Davenport House conducts a Conservation Assessment Survey to evaluate its collections and operations.

1992:
~ Davenport House commissions scholar Susan M. Mays to research Isaiah Davenport.
~ Davenport House Museum Committee affirms interpretation of the historic house to focus on Isaiah Davenport and his family between the years 1820-1827.

1993:
~ Davenport House conducts the first major restoration since the house opened, including window replacement, rear porch and structure stabilized, etc.

1994:
~ Davenport House commissions scholar Ellen Rogers to write Furnishings Plan and Recommendations for the Collection.
~ George Fore conducts a paint analysis and paint chronology of Davenport House interiors.
~ Furnishings Plan (FP) and Recommendations for the Collection completed by Ellen Rogers. The Isaiah Davenport Estate Inventory (DI) becomes the basis for interpretation of the museum.

1995:
~ Collection Policy (CP) is created, based on professional museum standards and ethics. The document governs collections care as well as the process of acquisition and disposal of museum objects.
~ Davenport House Guidebook published.
~ Reproduction floor cloth in a faux marble design is commissioned and installed by Bob Christian.

1996:
~ The Olympic torch passes by the Davenport House.
~ Davenport House creates and adopts a Hurricane Disaster Plan.
~ Major restoration and replacement of exterior shutters completed by Shuttercraft.

1997:
~ The Attic Sale fundraiser is held. De-accessioned objects as well as donated items were sold with the proceeds benefiting the museum.

1998:
~ Davenport House featured in an episode of "America’s Castles" on the A&E television network.
~ Visitation numbers peek at 66,000, due principally to the popularity of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" book/movie.
~ Donation by Gen. Yarborough of a sewing table, child’s commode, sideboard, easy chair and Queen Anne-style table.

1999:
~ The Davenport House drawing room mantelpiece is returned and reinstalled.
~ Frank Welsh begins an extensive paint analysis to discover original colors, graining and wall treatments. He discovers the original graining on the doors and evidence that wallpaper was the principle wall treatment. These findings are presented in November to the Restoration Committee.
~ Penelope Hobhouse, renowned garden designer, is contracted to work on garden design improvements.
~ A patron donates the Kennedy Building at 323 East Broughton to the Davenport House for use as the museum’s gift shop/orientation area and office.
~ Endowment Fund created for the perpetual care of the DH with founding donors being Craig Barrow III, Dale Critz Sr., Wiley and Clare Ellis and Cornelia Groves. Generous donations pour in from the community.
~ DH Restoration Committee holds its first meeting in March.
~ Chimneys and fireplaces sealed from the outdoor elements, stopping the damaging effects of 36 years of drafts, moisture and air pollution entering the museum.
~ Ceiling medallion in Isaiah’s Office is installed by notable ornamental plasterer David Flaharty of Philadelphia.
~ Acquisition of late 18th century corner cupboard. It is a rare example of late 18th century low country-made furniture.
~ A web page is created for the DH on the internet.

2000:
~ Scholar Page Talbott is contracted to work on refining period room interiors and interpretation.
~ Preservation Standards and Cleaning Methods for Collection Care is adopted by the Davenport House.
~ Reproduction floor cloth is commissioned and installed at the Davenport House.
~ A second Endowment Fund is created for the perpetual care of the DH Garden. An original donation of $10,000 inspires others to give.
~ Much needed restoration/repairs of worn/damaged collection items undertaken by Greg Guenther.
~ Any unnecessary electrical outlets, vents and lighting fixtures are removed.
~ All window sashes and frames repaired or replaced and glass re-glazed.
~ Plaster work, walls and ceilings repaired and restored.
~ A state-of-the-art air conditioning system is installed.
~ The Davenport Trophy is awarded to Clare Ellis and Cornelia Groves in recognition of their substantial contribution to the preservation of the DH.

2001:
~ First Savannah Garden Expo is held as an education program/fundraiser for the benefit of the Davenport House and Historic Savannah Foundation. Co-Chairs are Clare Ellis and Lyn McDonald.
~ Dr. Page Talbott’s report on suggested wallpaper patterns of the era is presented to the Restoration Committee in May.
~ New reproduction wallpaper is hung by nationally known wallpaper hanger/historian Jim Yates starting in October.
~ Floors are refinished.
~ Sarah Chase presents to the Restoration Committee her paint analysis findings at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace which was built at the same time as the Davenport House.
~ Building Assessment on DH provides recommendations for improving lighting, fire protection and accessibility.
~ Acquisition of a set of six Hitchcock chairs similar to those owned by the Davenport family.

2002:
~ Historic Structures Report produced of the DH ground floor, attic and pharmacy building by Surber Barber Choate and Hertlein Architects.
~ The first Ethelyn Nightingale McKinnon Award presented to longtime volunteer Anne Pearce Moye.
~ The Davenport House collection records are computerized using the PastPerfect software program.
~ Doors restored to original faux grained surface.
~ UV protective shades installed in all windows.
~ A system of accession numbering that follows professional museum standards is implemented for the DH collection.
~ Acquisition of Asher Durand’s engraving of John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence similar to the one owned by the Davenport family.
~ New bed hangings, curtains and slipcovers of historically accurate fabric hung in Master Bedroom.
~ Second Savannah Garden Expo. Co-Chairs are Kay Cobb and Caroline Nusloch.

2003:
~ Annual cleaning begun – closed for a week in January.
~ Continuation of the de-accessioning process of inappropriate items following established museum collection guidelines. This includes trading objects with other museums, giving objects to other museums, long term loans, returning loaned objects and finally a public auction.
~ Docent training program begun.
~ Reconstituted monthly volunteer newsletter.
~ Junior Interpreter program begun.
~ Cyclical Maintenance Plan completed.
~ Dreadful Pestilence: Encountering Yellow Fever program premiered in October.
~ Evening Christmas tours begun (week between Christmas and New Year’s).
~ Annual giving campaign, Friends of the Davenport House, begun.
~ Acquisition of a set of bamboo chairs similar to those owned by Davenport Family.
~ Cyclical Maintenance Plan completed and implemented.
~ Third Savannah Garden Expo. Co-Chairs are Cornelia Groves and Kay Cobb.

2004:
~ Dreadful Pestilence recognized by the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries as the "Museum Program of the Year."
~ Donation of Sarah Rosamond Davenport silhouette by Frank and Lucy Brannen.
~ Interpretation of DH rooms continues with removal of inappropriate items and addition of small, everyday artifacts of the era.
~ Mission Statement revised; three year plan proposed.
~ Remaining de-accessioned objects taken by Brunk Auction House of Asheville, North Carolina for public sale.
~ Fourth Savannah Garden Expo. Chairman is Lila Critz.

2005:
~ The DH received the "Preserve America Presidential Award for Private Restoration" in an Oval Office ceremony which included President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, HSF President Zelda Tenenbaum and DH Director Jamie Credle. A delegation of DH supporters traveled to Washington to attend the event, which included a reception and program in the Rose Garden.
~ The DH was awarded funds to conduct an institutional survey (MAP 1) through Museum Assessment Program, which is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and is administered by the American Association of Museums. The DH matched the grant award and a site team was assembled to conduct the work for the two-year survey.
~ DH Endowment Director Chairman Craig Barrow was named Museum Patron of the Year by the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries.
~ A volunteer maintenance team was assembled to discuss maintenance issues; this initiates an annual process delineated by the museum cyclical maintenance plan.
~ Textile expert Natalie Larson of Colonial Williamsburg is brought on board as a consultant in order to complete the slip-cover project in the Drawing Room, Morning Room and Office.
~ Fifth Savannah Garden Expo. Chairman is Terry O'Neal.
~ A Transition Committee is assembled by HSF to make recommendations for governance of the museum.
~ Graduate Intern Melissa Turgeon cleans, indexes and appropriately stores items from the 1973 archaeological dig.
~ The DH develops a pilot program titled, "Potable Gold: Savannah’s Madeira Tradition" and presents the program for 105 guests on the Savannah Tour of Homes "Trolley Back In Time" event.
~ The DH recruits Savannah Arts Academy students for a special Junior Interpreter program.
~ The DH web site is redesigned, updated and expanded by United Web Works, assisted by Associate Director, Heather Anderson.
~ DH Mission Statement is revised.