US Customs House

The US Customs House in Savannah, Georgia is located in Chatham County. It was a house built for the United State Customs Service. The building was completed in 1852 on the design of John S. Norris. He designed it in the Greek Revival architectural style. The site of the house is as significant as the house itself. The site was once the site of a wood frame residence once lived in by James Edward Oglethorpe. He was the founder of the colony and designer of the city.

The first Custom House was opened in 1789. It was located on Commerce Row on East Bay Street. A second house was built in 1819 on East Bryan Street. It burned down in 1837. This is why the Federal Government commissioned a third house in 1845 to be built at East Bay and Bull Streets. Construction started on the home in 1848, but it took until 1852 for it to be completed. The US Post Office was located in the basement with the Customs Service on the first floor. The federal courts were on the second floor.

One of the most notorious cases to be tried at the courthouse was the case involving the Wanderer yacht.