Georgia Historical Society
Professional services
UnclaimedA statewide nonprofit historical society that collects, researches, preserves, and teaches the history of Georgia.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is a statewide historical organization headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. Founded in 1839, it is the oldest continuously operating state historical society in the Southern United States and one of the oldest historical organizations in the country. Its work centers on three closely connected functions: preserving primary-source materials, supporting historical research, and bringing Georgia history to students, teachers, communities, and the broader public. GHS maintains a major research library and archival program. Its collections include millions of manuscripts, photographs, architectural drawings, rare and general books, maps, portraits, and artifacts documenting Georgia's political, social, economic, military, cultural, and architectural history. The holdings cover the state's communities and regions across multiple historical periods and are used by scholars, genealogists, teachers, students, journalists, lawyers, filmmakers, preservationists, public officials, and members of the public. The Society operates as a private institution while also serving as a branch repository for records associated with the Georgia Secretary of State, working alongside the Georgia State Archives rather than replacing it. The Society's principal Savannah facilities reflect its dual mission. The Research Center is based in W. B. Hodgson Hall, a Gothic Revival building completed in 1876 and designed by Detlef Lienau. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes distinctive vaulted interiors and decorative ironwork. The Abrahams Archival Annex, added in 1970, expanded storage capacity. In 2011, GHS acquired the neighboring Jepson House, a nineteenth-century property that became its education center and administrative headquarters. A substantial renovation and expansion of the Research Center was completed in 2021, adding archival capacity and improving spaces for processing, digitization, and specialized collections care. The Society also maintains an office in Atlanta. GHS delivers public programming through publications, educational initiatives, lectures, fellowships, festivals, and historical interpretation. Its Georgia History Festival provides a school-year program of events linked to the founding of the Georgia colony, including lectures, a Colonial Faire and Muster, Super Museum Sunday, the Georgia Day Parade, and the Trustees Gala. The Society also produces Today in Georgia History, a series of short daily videos about people and events connected to particular dates in the state's past. The Georgia Historical Marker Program has been administered by GHS since 1998. Through partnerships with local governments, civic groups, religious organizations, and other community sponsors, the Society develops and installs new markers while coordinating maintenance of older markers placed by the state before 1998. Its statewide affiliate network, established as part of the Initiative 2000 program, provides local historical organizations with training, technical assistance, consultations, publication subscriptions, publicity, and recognition opportunities. The Society's scholarly and educational profile is reinforced by the Georgia Historical Quarterly, published since 1917, as well as Georgia History Today, Headlines, and the research and commentary blog Off the Deaton Path. The Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program recognizes senior historians and supports emerging researchers using GHS collections. The Georgia Trustees program, conducted with the governor of Georgia, honors individuals whose public achievement and service are presented as reflecting the ideals associated with Georgia's colonial trustees. GHS is therefore both a collecting institution and a statewide platform for historical education, preservation, scholarship, and civic engagement.
History
The Georgia Historical Society was established in Savannah in 1839 by a group of prominent Georgians that included John Macpherson Berrien, Richard D. Arnold, Eugenius A. Nisbet, Thomas Butler King, William Bacon Stevens, Israel Keech Tefft, James Hamilton Couper, Edward Padelford, Mordecai Myers, Alexander Smets, and James Moore Wayne. From its beginning, the organization pursued the preservation and study of Georgia's documentary heritage. Its creation placed it among the earliest historical organizations in the United States and made it the oldest continuously operating state historical society in the Southern United States. In 1849, the Society moved into a Gothic Revival building on East Bryan Street. That building was later demolished in the early twentieth century, but the organization continued its collecting, research, and publishing activities. Over time, GHS developed a substantial body of manuscripts, photographs, books, architectural records, maps, portraits, and artifacts representing the state's people, institutions, communities, and built environment. The Society's principal research facility became W. B. Hodgson Hall on Whitaker Street in Savannah. Built in 1876 and designed by Detlef Lienau, the building was named for William B. Hodgson, a Savannahian, American diplomat, and longtime curator of the Society. Its architecture, including high vaulted ceilings and decorative ironwork, reflects the historic character of the institution and has helped make the facility itself part of Savannah's heritage. The Abrahams Archival Annex was added in 1970 to provide additional space for the expanding collections. GHS's institutional role is distinct from that of the Georgia State Archives. The Society preserves and makes accessible private manuscripts and other records created or held by individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities, while the state archives focuses on official government records belonging to Georgia. GHS also functions as a branch repository connected with the Secretary of State's office. This combination of private collecting and public research service has enabled the Society to support a wide range of users, from academic historians and genealogists to educators, preservationists, journalists, legal professionals, filmmakers, and policymakers. The organization broadened its statewide service during the late twentieth century. Its Affiliate Chapter Program, launched in 1996 as part of Initiative 2000, created a network linking GHS with local historical and genealogical societies, museums, archives, preservation groups, churches, foundations, and other nonprofit organizations. The program offers workshops, technical assistance, consultation visits, publication access, publicity, and awards. Since 1998, GHS has also administered the Georgia Historical Marker Program, developing new markers with community sponsors and overseeing the upkeep of older markers installed by the state. The Society expanded its physical presence in Savannah in 2011 by purchasing the neighboring Jepson House, built in 1856. The property became the Jepson House Education Center and accommodates executive and administrative functions as well as educational activity. A large renovation and expansion of the Research Center was completed in 2021. The project added a new archival wing and reconfigured facilities for collections processing, digitization, and specialized storage, strengthening the institution's ability to preserve and provide access to historical materials. Public education has become a central part of GHS's modern identity. The Georgia History Festival provides a multi-month K–12 program organized around the anniversary of the founding of the Georgia colony. Its activities include lectures, a Colonial Faire and Muster, Super Museum Sunday, the Georgia Day Parade, and the Trustees Gala. Today in Georgia History extends the Society's outreach through short daily videos about historical people and events. The organization also supports teachers and emerging scholars through seminars, fellowships, lectures, and research opportunities. GHS has maintained a publishing program for much of its history. The Georgia Historical Quarterly, issued since 1917, publishes scholarly work and reviews concerning Georgia and Southern history. The Society also produces member-oriented and public-facing communications, including Georgia History Today and Headlines, along with the Off the Deaton Path blog. Through the Georgia Trustees awards and the Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program, it connects historical interpretation with civic recognition, teaching, scholarship, and mentorship. Today, the Georgia Historical Society remains an independent statewide institution whose work joins archival preservation, research services, educational programming, publications, historic-site interpretation, and partnerships with local communities.
- 2021
Research Center expansion completed
[1]A major renovation and expansion improved archival storage, processing, digitization, and specialized collections facilities.
- 2018
First Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellow inducted
[1]David W. Blight became the inaugural Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellow.
- 2011
Jepson House acquired
[1]GHS purchased the neighboring historic Jepson House to serve as an education center and headquarters for administrative functions.
- 1998
Historical Marker Program begins under GHS administration
[1]The Society began administering Georgia's program for reviewing, installing, and maintaining historical markers.
- 1996
Affiliate Chapter Program launched
[1]GHS established a statewide affiliate network to support local historical and preservation organizations through training, advice, publications, and recognition.
- 1970
Abrahams Archival Annex added
[1]The Abrahams Archival Annex was added to accommodate the Society's growing archival collections.
- 1917
Georgia Historical Quarterly begins publication
[1]GHS began publishing its scholarly journal devoted to Georgia and Southern history.
- 1876
Hodgson Hall completed
[1]The Society's historic research building, designed by Detlef Lienau and later known as W. B. Hodgson Hall, was completed in Savannah.
- 1849
Society moves to East Bryan Street building
[1]GHS moved into a newly constructed Gothic Revival building on East Bryan Street, a facility that was later demolished.
- 1839
Georgia Historical Society founded
[1]The Society was founded in Savannah by a group of civic and professional leaders to collect, examine, and promote the history of Georgia.
Products and positioning
An independent, statewide authority on Georgia history combining a major archival research center with public education, preservation partnerships, scholarly publishing, and community-based historical interpretation.
Research and archival services
Research Center and Library
The Society's Savannah Research Center provides public access to extensive collections documenting Georgia history. Holdings include millions of manuscripts, photographs, architectural drawings, books, maps, portraits, and artifacts. Users include scholars, students, teachers, genealogists, journalists, preservationists, legal professionals, and documentary producers. Services include on-site consultation and access to materials made available online.
Publication · 1917
Georgia Historical Quarterly
A scholarly journal published by GHS since 1917, featuring research articles, documentary material, and book reviews focused on Georgia and Southern history. It serves academic readers while also extending the Society's role as a publisher and interpreter of regional history.
Educational program
Georgia History Festival
A multi-month K–12 and public education program held around the anniversary of the founding of the Georgia colony. Activities include a kickoff lecture, Colonial Faire and Muster, Super Museum Sunday, the Georgia Day Parade, and the Trustees Gala.
Digital media and education
Today in Georgia History
A series of short daily video segments presenting a person or event associated with a particular date in Georgia history. The program is researched and presented in collaboration with the Society and distributed through Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Historical interpretation · 1998
Georgia Historical Marker Program
A statewide program through which GHS reviews applications, partners with local sponsors, installs new markers, and coordinates maintenance of older markers. The program covers a broad range of subjects and uses a shared-cost model for approved new projects.
Scholarship and fellowship · 2018
Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program
A program recognizing accomplished historians and supporting emerging researchers. Teaching Fellows are established scholars and educators who contribute through lectures, seminars, consultation, or related service, while Research Fellowships help outside scholars conduct intensive work in GHS collections.
Awards and civic recognition
Georgia Trustees
An award presented with the governor of Georgia to recognize individuals whose accomplishments and community service are viewed as reflecting the ideals of the trustees who governed the Georgia colony from 1732 to 1752. Inductions take place in connection with the annual Trustees Gala.
Marketing campaigns
- 1996Initiative 2000 and Affiliate Chapter Program
Georgia
GHS broadened its statewide service by creating an affiliate network for nonprofit historical, genealogical, archival, museum, and preservation organizations. The program provides practical training, consultation, technical assistance, publications, publicity, and awards.
Outcome. The network grew to include nearly two hundred affiliated organizations in Georgia and beyond.
- Georgia History Festival
Georgia
An annual, school-year program using lectures, public events, reenactment-oriented activities, museum participation, and civic ceremonies to encourage K–12 and public engagement with Georgia history.
Outcome. The festival became a recurring statewide educational and public-history program.
Brand decisions
2021
Modernize and expand the Research CenterStrategyBackground
The Society's large archival holdings required additional capacity and improved facilities for processing, digitization, and preservation.
Action taken
GHS completed a substantial renovation and expansion of the Savannah Research Center, including a new archival wing and reconfigured technical spaces.
Aftermath
The project strengthened the institution's capacity to preserve collections and provide research access.
2011
Expand the Savannah campus through Jepson House acquisitionStrategyBackground
The Society needed additional space for its growing staff and expanding educational and administrative functions.
Action taken
GHS purchased the neighboring Jepson House, a historic property built in 1856, and adapted it as an education center and administrative headquarters.
Aftermath
The acquisition created a campus structure separating and supporting the Society's research, education, and administrative activities.
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