Savannah is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. A strategic port city in the American Revolution and during the American Civil War, Savannah is today an industrial center and an important Atlantic seaport. Savannah was listed # 14 as “A Top 25 Destination in the World” by Trip Advisor in May 2013.

LDS Population

LDS Members make up 1.10% of the population of Savannah. The state of Georgia has 77,948 members in 15 stakes, 112 wards, 39 branches, 3 missions, and 1 temple.

LDS History

In 1843, missionary work was briefly opened in Georgia by Elder John U. Eldredge. Other missionaries followed to preach and to campaign for Joseph Smith in his presidential bid. Missionary work in Georgia resumed in 1878. The Southern States Mission headquarters was established in Rome (60 miles north of Atlanta). One early convert to the Church donated land and built a chapel at Mormon Springs in Haralson County. Unable to secure protection for missionaries, the church pulled out all missionaries in Georgia for the next decade. Missionaries returned to Georgia in 1899, but slowly and cautiously due to disease and persecution. LeGrand Richards, later a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, served as Southern States Mission mission president from 1934-1937, and wrote the outline for ‘A Marvelous Work and a Wonder’ while in Atlanta. In 1957, the Atlanta Stake was created.