Anna Colquitt Hunter

Anna Habersham Colquitt Hunter (1892–1985) was an American preservationist, one of the founders of Historic Savannah Foundation in 1955.

Anna Habersham Colquitt Hunter
Colquitt around 1940, during World War II, when she was a Red Cross field director
BornJanuary 21, 1892
Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
DiedJanuary 28, 1985(1985-01-28) (aged 93)
Tybee Island, Georgia, U.S.
OccupationPreservationist, artist

Early life

Hunter was a descendant of James Habersham (1712–1775),[1] a pioneering merchant and statesman in the British North American colony of Georgia.[2] She was born in Savannah, Georgia, on January 21, 1892, but also grew up in South Carolina.[3]

She was a graduated of Agnes Scott College, but left to marry George Lewis Cope Hunter, who was a student at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.[3]

George died in 1936, aged 44, leaving his widow with three children to support.[3]

Career

After her husband's death, Hunter began working for the Savannah Morning News and the Savannah Evening Press as a reporter, columnist and editor.[3]

During World War II, she served as a Red Cross field director, serving in North Africa and Italy.[3]

After the war, she performed as a dancer and singer, taking her to New York City in addition to dates in the South.[3]

Historic Savannah Foundation
Main article: Historic Savannah Foundation

In 1954, Savannah's popular City Market in Ellis Square was demolished to be replaced by a parking garage, prompting a public outcry.[4] The following year, a funeral home was set to purchase the Isaiah Davenport House in Columbia Square and tear it down for a parking lot.[5] This sparked a movement to start a preservation process in the city.[5]

"What began as an effort to save one house quickly turned into an organized movement that went on to save an entire city." – Historic Savannah Foundation[5]

Hunter formed a group with six of her friends to block the demolition of the house and formed Historic Savannah Foundation. The group managed to raise the $22,500 needed to purchase the property themselves.[5]

Death

Hunter died on January 28, 1985, aged 93. She is buried with her husband, who she survived by 49 years, in Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery.

References
  1. James Habersham – Georgia Historical Society
  2. Grey-White, Deborah (2013). Freedom on My Mind. Boston, MA.: Mary V. Dougherty. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-312-64883-1.
  3. Anna Colquitt Hunter – Georgia Women
  4. Savannah Morning News and Evening Press – Clemson University, May 1981
  5. Our Story – mhysf.org
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