The Oglethorpe Plan: Enlightenment Design in Savannah and Beyond
This is a fascinating book that shifts perception of Oglethorpe’s Savannah plan dramatically from that of a beautiful but essentially limited example of utopian design to an urban model fully representative of mainstream eighteenth-century intellectual thought.(Jack Williams, Professor Emeritus, Auburn University, author ofEast 40 Degrees(Virginia))Thomas Wilson brings a fresh perspective on the planning accomplishments of James Oglethorpe, situating Savannah’s famous urban plan within the broader framework of Enlightenment philosophy, social reform, religious philanthropy, and agrarian idealism. His study challenges accepted notions of Oglethorpe’s intentions and makes a compelling case for understanding the urban plan of Savannah as part of an integrated system of land use planning. This book will be a valuable resource to anyone interested in the history and planning of American cities.(Robin Williams, Savannah College of Art and Design)Wilson is deeply familiar with Savannah.... [His] detailing of this history is serious but accessible, not stuffy or academic. It's a fascinating tour of the potential, and the limits, of design.(Landscape Architecture Magazine)To make the familiar unfamiliar is one of the most powerful acts of a historian and Wilson does this. His carefully researched story describes both Oglethorpe’s contribution to the Enlightenment and the rich intellec- tual context for both the idea’s initial generation and its manifestation in Georgia. Wilson successfully chal- lenges the "static portrayal of Oglethorpe’s role in his- tory " and is able to persuasively argue for his contribu- tions to "social reform, political theory, and town plan- ning" (p. 1).The description of Oglethorpe’s efforts to create social equity through physical design remains rel- evant today. In addition, Wilson’s careful analysis points to a frequent misrepresentation of the plan as infinitely expandable, demonstrating instead that there is an ideal scale at which the plan as a whole is optimal.(Thaisa WayH-Environment)Wilson considers this philosophy, the present-day physical ambience of Savannah (with 18th century urban design filled in with 19th century architecture protected by 20th century historic preservation districts), and its implications. What can it say to planners today?... Wilson handles both the history and the planning issues with delicacy and precision. Don't miss this treat.(Planning Magazine)