The Architecture of Good Fortune

Tybee Island and the Savannah Region have been relatively lucky when it comes to impacts from hurricanes, and it's apparent through the older homes that survive across Tybee Beach.

May 20, 2023

Only three hurricanes significantly impacted the Savannah Region over the twentieth century: David (1979), unnamed (1947), & unnamed (1940). More recently, Irma (2017) and Matthew (2016) have threatened the area, but the impacts were relatively minor. Savannah has become known as ‘Dodge City’ because it has escaped impacts from so many storms, and the architecture of Tybee Island is proof.

There are scatterings of older homes on other southeastern beaches - homes that give an ‘old-school, east coast beach’ vibe that have survived the winds and storm surges of past hurricanes through some combination of luck, care, and restoration. There’s just a lot more of them across Tybee because it hasn’t been devastatingly impacted by a hurricane in so long.