FAQs
Where are you located?
At the corner of Habersham and East State Streets on Columbia Square.
How old is the house?
The house was completed circa 1820.
How is the house furnished?
The Museum used an inventory taken at the time of Isaiah Davenport’s death as the basis for furnishing the house. Furniture, ceramics and textiles are either from the period or are period reproductions.
What is the square footage of the Davenport House?
Total square footage in the house is 6,800 feet, with each floor measuring 1,700 feet.
How much did it cost to restore?
The 1999-2003 restoration cost approximately $280,000 and was raised through private donations, mostly in the Savannah community.
What did it cost to build?
We do not know. The inventory taken at the time of Isaiah Davenport’s death lists Lot 13 (the Davenport House lot) as having the value of $1,500.
Was Isaiah Davenport a rich man?
He was a successful artisan of Northern birth and a self-made man who did well for himself and his family in Savannah. Comparing inventories of Davenport with his neighbors and peers indicate that while Mr. Davenport was a man of means – as seen by the home he built – there were many others in the community who were wealthier. He was not a member of coastal Georgia’s elite.
Are there other houses built by master builder Isaiah Davenport still standing?
There are several houses in the Historic District that look similar to the Davenport House and there is a belief that Davenport was one of the carpenters on the Wayne House, which is now the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. However, more research needs to be done to find out for sure what surviving houses may be the work of Davenport. We believe Laura’s Cottage which is also termed the Hannon Houston House at 420 East President Street (formerly of Greene Square) has some relationship to Davenport. The “Isaiah Davenport House” on the NE Trust lot (lot 18) on Green Square has some relationship to Davenport. And, the double house on West York called the Frederick Selleck House (305-311 West York Street) has some relationship to Davenport House. Davenport built a Martello Tower on Tybee Island for coastal defenses in the mid-1810s. It no longer stands. The foundation is under the sand at the northern end of the island.
Are there descendants of Davenports in the Savannah community today?
Yes, there are descendants in Savannah. Also, the Museum keeps a register of “Davenports.” If someone identifies themselves as such the Museum notes it.
Did Davenport own enslaved people?
Shortly after arriving in the port city of Savannah from New England in 1810, tax records show Isaiah Davenport owned enslaved workers. As his fortunes rose and fell, his ownership did as well throughout his residence in Savannah. Between 1810 and 1827 when he died he owned between one and ten enslaved people. Most labored within the home but a few were listed as “mechanics” who probably worked in Davenport’s construction business. There is ongoing research into the lives of the thirteen enslaved workers Davenport owned during his lifetime.
How is the Museum funded?
The Museum is a self-supporting. Income comes from tour and program admissions, gift shop sales, facilities rentals, Friends of the Davenport House donations and our annual fundraising event. All donations are deeply appreciated.