How you doing bro. Dang. Thank you. Definitely me. And thats how it is in savannah, just random people saying whats up . I cannot wait to show you why savannah is the most beautiful city in the world. Dont you guys agree . Yeah. Hey, yeah, me too. Let me show yall why. Come on. [music playing] singing gonna give up and be mine, bbbe mine. In the heart of americas south, situated on the banks of the ogeechee river, youll find savannah the oldest city in georgia, dating back to 1733. Today, savannah is a destination for good times and good weather, where you come for the drinks, but stay for the history, which savannah has plenty of. History has its place. Were georgias first city, georgias first capital. Phillip calvert its hard to find a starting point for this towns story. But if anyone can give context to where the past and the present collide, its mayor van johnson. Pleasure to have you here in the worlds greatest city. This is the worlds greatest city. It is the worlds greatest city. That is a big statement. Im excited. Van Johnson Savannah is an international city. We have the third busiest port in america. We feel the effects of hurricanes. And we feel the effects of storms here. We have a responsibility to make sure that that stays pristine, and that we take care of them. Were a place that acknowledges the role that slavery played here. The largest slave trade ever in American History occurred right here in savannah, georgia, maybe more than two miles from this very spot. Wow. For me, its a great honor, but its also a great responsibility, knowing that the city hall that i occupy wasnt made for me. But it also shows how much our community has grown, how much our nation has grown, and that we are the land of opportunity. With great power comes great responsibility. Absolutely. And if this is the best city in the usa. The best city in the world. Oh im sorry, im sorry. Best city in the world. Well, we have the greatest people in the world. And we are blessed to have a community thats growing all in the same direction, respecting our history, but really positioning ourselves for the future. Phillip calvert but aspirations for the future doesnt come without a reckoning with the past. And savannahs dark history can be called flat out bizarre, from haunted mansions to mass graves, savannah had a lot of demons to overcome. And those demons can sometimes take the form of paranormal beings. Every now and then, yeah, youll get some nice ghosts. And then every now and then, youll get one thats not so nice. Phillip calvert here to tell us more is ghost expert Patrick Welch, founder of Paranormal Society of savannah and actor producer mark mccullough. Savannah, one of the most haunted cities in the world. Why . Patrick welch back in 1733, there was a yellow fever epidemic that came out three or four times in savannah. Over 50 of the population got wiped out. And with no place to really bury them, they would have mass graves. And they would just bury them all over the city. And then as savannah progressed, they were just building on top of all these mass graves out there. Phillip calvert man. And ever since, the city has been plagued with visitors from the beyond. Youre born and raised here in savannah. I was, yes. The house that my dad had since i was a young boy, we had a lot of very creepy experiences when i was a kid. But as the years went by it, went from being creepy to terrifying. Phillip calvert oh, man. Yeah. Phillip calvert the ghost stories have even reached the Silver Screen with the making of the 2021 film, a savannah haunting. I heard stories about this piece of land when i was a little girl. Phillip calvert produced by marc mccullough, the film is based on real events from his life using the actual Haunted House that he grew up in. Right up here is where we see the lady thats in the window a lot. Phillip calvert she goes Patrick Welch right up here. Phillip calvert i dont see her. When it turns blue, it could be an entity because its a lot colder. A lot of people notice when theres a presence around that everything gets cold. Is it a lot of activity in this room . The majority of the haunting is in the bedroom up here. The alarm went off at like 2 30 in the morning to the sound of laughter. [giggling] and i woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a little girl whispering my name outside the window. And i remember standing up, and as i walked out, i heard her calling my name all the way out the room. whispering mark. Bro. Yeah, it was pretty scary. I would not stay in that house by myself, ever. The hair standing up on the back of my neck. Doesnt it feel cooler . Yeah, man, lets go over here. Is there anyone here that would like to communicate with phil . Yes. Oh, hell, no. He said yes. This is the scariest paranormal thing ive ever experienced. And you just be living there. Yes. Savannah, shes been through a lot of trauma. Absolutely, just like anyone who goes through a lot of trauma, if you face it and work through it, you grow through it and you get better. And thats why yall are probably the best city in the world. We try to get along with everybody, dead or alive. Oh, that was good, right there. I hope its more alive. Im scared of ghosts. Estado dorado always in that state of mind living on a high vibration so hot gonna make it melt and im lovin what im tastin que bonito lugar lleno de tanto sabor so much flavor un future brillante se acerca ahhhhhhh nos gusta mezclar como malteada aqui hay lugar yeah we livin in the golden state dame mas, fresco y real wooh dale gas vive en el Estado Dorado we made it bmo has arrived. Hello . You said it. Hello to more ways to save money, grow your wealth, grow your business. Just what we needed, another big bank. Not so fast. How many banks do you know that reward you for saving every month . Hes got a good point. Did i mention bmo has more feefree atms than the two largest us banks combined . Uh, bmo . Just beemo, actually. Quick question, will all this stuff fit in your car . should i get rid of the mug . Bmo hey sharon, did you know triscuit is crunchy on the outside yet incredibly wholesome on the inside . just like me you forgot salty. Im not salty. Triscuit. Unapologetically wholesome. vo ultimate endless shrimp is here with a limited time flavor drop. New crispy dragon shrimp. One of seven endless choices. Right now, only at red lobster. Welcome to fun dining. The year was 1912, and the Woman Suffrage Movement was at its peak. But while women were fighting for a voice, the boys were further empowered with their own organization, the boy scouts of america. In response to this, a woman from savannah named Juliette Gordon low had big dreams for the next generation of girls. So she founded the girl scouts. Since its founding, the girl scouts has grown into a national treasure, catering to over 2. 5 Million Girls in the United States and more around the world. So were visiting the birthplace of it all, the original camp low, where Juliette Gordon low first broke ground. Girl scouts is this Worldwide Organization helping girls become who they want to be in the future. We teach a lot of valuable life lessons, valuable life skills, financial literacy, stem, art, anything, we teach girls about it. Phillip calvert and perhaps their most Popular Program and what they have become synonymous with is a treat that has baked itself into popular culture. Everybody wants to know, where did the cookies come from . Where did the cookies come from . So, it was started by a troop of older girls in oklahoma, who were selling cookies at their School Cafeteria to raise money to send care packages to their military overseas. And the idea exploded. We are the largest run kid business, run by girls, in the entire world. Its 1 billion business. Phillip calvert wow. There are so many skills we learned with selling girl scout cookies, money management, business ethics, promoting yourself. It gives you confidence to get out there. Confidence and courage and character to do the things you want. Hey, you took the words right out of my mouth. Thank you. Phillip calvert and theres no better place to test that motto than in the Great Outdoors at camp low. I got to have courage. And im so confident. And its going to show my character. [frog croaks] are you ready . What do i say when i hit it . Girl scout are you a dad . Because you really got the dad jokes. Not yet. Do you feel like the girls here in todays world are far beyond than what they were 10 or 15 years ago . I know they are. They actually have a Girl Scout Institute that does research. And that Research Shows that girl scouts, in fact, are ahead of non girl scouts in almost every single subject in school by third grade. Oh. Watch this. Whoa. Im man enough to be a girl scout. Here we go. You are too man enough, actually. Phillip calvert so these are definitely the leaders of tomorrow. They really are, in every way. I mean, they want to learn and they want to be in those jobs that traditionally have not been part of a womans life. I think that im probably one of the best archers out here. I actually hit all three of my arrows. Thats right. Did you . No, i didnt. So, hey. Theyre sassy. Shes sassy. We allow those girls to look at trying to change the world to be a better place, but in the way that they see it. Hey, you are a natural. So it really is a wellrounded education that they get in girl scouting. Thats awesome. Women singing come on, ladies. Come on, girls. Phillip calvert and all of their hard work is celebrated during their annual bridging ceremony, a girl scout tradition that dates back to 1920. Hello, girl scouts. Hello. Welcome to savannah, where it all started. Choir singing we are unit unstoppable. We are a unit of choice. We are a unit thats powerful. Nothing can stop the force. A daisy bridges to brownies, then brownies to juniors, and juniors to cadets, and then to seniors, and to ambassadors. Crossing the bridge to become what . What level . Were aging out. Yall aging out . So this is the last walk. Keep those feet in there. Lets walk it up. There you go. What are you going to be now after you bridge over. Cadet. Give me a high five on that. Congratulations. I think bridging is super important because it teaches us that we are heading into the future and we are the future. You are the future. Man, juliet would be so proud of you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thats whats up. Savannah, a city of freedom, a city of faith. In august of 1777, these principles came together when a former slave and ordained minister, george lyle, founded the first african baptist church. Its a misnomer to think that those who came from africa did not worship. Phillip calvert and almost 250 years later, reverend Thurmond Tillman is keeping the faith alive. They were able to see freedom and liberation in the midst of the same words, how the children of israel were looking to get out of bondage in egypt. You cant help but begin to understand and begin to read and begin to see that theres freedom, that theres joy, that theres peace, in a relationship with god. Let us go into the house of the lord. Phillip calvert while the congregation now comes for its faith, some of the original worshippers came for their freedom. There were members of the congregation that were enslaved. Yes, sir. The majority would have been. In this building, we have a place where they could in fact leave from here, get to the savannah river. And from the savannah river, be able to go towards freedom. Even the actual songs that were being sang, basically those are all songs coded for freedom. When youre singing, wade in the water, were not just talking about baptism, or just wade in the water, youre saying, when you are escaping, wade in the water so the dogs cant follow your trail. As a matter of fact, there are so many symbols in this building, i mean, the ceiling itself has a nine patch, which is a symbol of safety. On the side of the pews in the windows, west african symbols. Phillip calvert west african symbols. Right. So whenever im in the south and i see these nine patches, wherever i see those four symbols, underground railroad. Choir singing i saw troubled water. Hey, hey, hey. And at the close of the civil war, general sherman and the union army met with 20 ministers of savannah to discuss the protection and reparations for the thousands of newly freed slaves. Thats when right here in savannah the declaration of 40 acres and a mule. Wow. And then Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. President johnson came in and kicked all that stuff out. So even today, were not wrong to ask for our 40 acres and a mule. Were not wrong to ask for reparations. Do not act as if slavery did not happen. It did happen. We can learn from it. We can grow from it. And we can be better because of it. Choir singing hey, hey, hey. [vocalizing] Phillip Calvert and with freedom and faith comes the strength to bring back what was lost. Pinpoint, georgia stands as that testament to resilience. Founded by freed slaves, its rich history intertwined with the unique culture of the gullah geechee people has shaped the communitys identity and commitment to keeping african traditions alive. People without the knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots. Phillip calvert and dedicated to preserving some of savannahs oldest traditions is the pinpoint heritage museum. Once an oyster cannery, its walls now tell the story of a society nearly forgotten. Gullah geechee, they lived in complete isolation. After emancipation, they were able to practice their african traditions. This is how we would steer this thing. Phillip calvert traditions that mr hayes holds quite dear. My great great great grandfather the bond family was one of the families enslaved. A broken oil handle attached to the floor with a door hinge. Phillip calvert thats innovation right there. Hanif hayes this was actually first Land Ownership and first freedom. Wow, so i can sense the pride in you. Oh, yes. I love it. I feel it. Test your gullah. When i was little, going to school, and we were being teased because of the way we spoke. And i think i know this one because my grandma say it. Hanif hayes say it for me. Phillip calvert chirrin. Hanif hayes churn . Children, like kids. Hanif hayes children. O, you got it. Yeah. But now theres a great pride in gullah geechee. Now the language is actually being taught at harvard. Ona. Una. So is that one or you . Thats you. I dont know how i know that. I think its because its just in me. I was getting pretty good at the language, but theres one gullah geechee tradition i was hungry to learn. All right, what have we got to do . Teach me teach me about the low. Low. Country. Boil. How long has this recipe been around . This recipe been around since before i was born because they brought it from africa. They brought it from africa. Africa over here. You think the people that was enslaved was cooking this . Oh, yeah. They live off of the river with the oysters and crabs and the shrimp. Phillip calvert drop. Drop. Hanif hayes dont burn yourself. I aint burning myself. All right. Im going to need somebody to hold that pan for me. Ok . Phillip calvert i got the pan. Im holding it. Oh, i smell it. Hanif hayes there you go. You know what to do. Im teaching you right. You know the things. You teaching me. Choir singing hey, uh, hey, uh, hey, uh. I have this is a lot of low, low country boil. My man, this here is a beauty. And the scenery. And the scenery. You got to pay for scenery like this. Yeah, yeah. Thats right. You couldnt even copy this on a picture. Phillip calvert you cant copy it. Hanif hayes thats right. You cant copy it. So today is the start of my food journey here in savannah. And im ready to get it started with mrs. Wilkes dining room. Im excited because this is southern cuisine. This is what ive been waiting for the whole time. Come on in. Welcome, everyone. Phillip calvert originally a boarding house, the establishment was taken over in 1943 by selma wilkes. And her goal was simple, to bring people together with comfortable lodging and communal dining, which didnt take long with her down home southern cooking. Hey, welcome. How you doing . So glad youre here. Nice to meet you. Thank you. This looks like my grandmothers living room. Today, that tradition continues with her granddaughter, marcia thompson. Marcia thompson you got 25 different things. So you want to pass it all around, ok . I like to feel like were having 200 people at our house for lunch every day. Do you feel like youre at my house for lunch . I just want to give you a hug. Here, each table is stacked with plates of smothered, buttered, creamy, and fried goodness, all being passed around and shared by family, friends, and strangers alike. What are you liking so far . Do you like the Collard Greens . I got it mixed with a rutabaga, but its delicious. Ok. Its like a family style er. So the people that are in line, they get to know each other in line. And then when they come in here they all sit together. Phillip calvert you never know who youre going to sit next to. Marcia thompson you might be sitting by the mayor or the plumber or the electrician or Ryan Reynolds and blake lively. Youre from morocco . Yes. [arabic greeting] we have tons of people from all over the world. And i had some folks from germany the other day, and they told me that they had been here 10 times. 10 times. 10 times. Do you know how to say 10 in german . No, i dont. Me neither. Me neither. But i know how to say more chicken. More chicken. Phillip calvert and while marcia may be an ambassador for southern cooking, Donald Lubowicki and jeffery downey, the couple behind circa 1875 and their new restaurant, la scala, are in the business of bringing world flavors back home. Right this way. Thank you. Thank you. This place is beautiful. Wait till you see the upstairs. Am i in savannah or italy . Both. They walk in the door and the First Impression is oh my gosh. Is this a chapel in a restaurant . It is. It is. Theres so much history around every corner. Thats what im talking about. God gave you several senses, and i like every sense to be used in a restaurant. Im ready to use all my senses on this food. Our menu is Old School Italian but its also got a southern flair to it.