Episode 5: Meet the Statues

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.

EPISODE 5 – Meet the Statues

In this fifth episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos traces the fate of the Greenwich statues after the devastating fire that destroyed the Shotter mansion. What followed was a haunting chapter in Savannah’s history — an era when the city, still reeling from the Great Depression, struggled between preservation and progress.

As the ruins of the once-opulent Greenwich estate decayed into gothic splendor, Savannah’s economy transformed — from cotton and sugar to paper and industry. Jessica uncovers how marble relics of the past languished in city storage for decades, passed between departments and museums, nearly forgotten amid changing times and civic priorities.

Listeners are introduced to Harry Delorme, Senior Curator at the Telfair Museums, who has spent nearly four decades studying and preserving the Greenwich statuary. He offers insights into how these ancient works fit into Savannah’s evolving artistic narrative — from classical ideals to contemporary inclusion. We also meet Luciana Spracher, Director of the City of Savannah’s Municipal Archives, whose meticulous records illuminate the statues’ bureaucratic journey through time — including their appraisal, forgotten crates, and rediscovery.

This episode explores what gives art its worth: is it marble, money, or memory? And how does a city decide what’s worth keeping? As Jessica connects the past to the present, we see that the story of the Greenwich statues is as much about Savannah’s future as it is its past.

SHOW LINKS:

Meet Jessica Leigh Lebos

Check out Savannah Sideways Substack

Check out Jessica's books

Meet the Producers: Dee Daniels Media

THANKS TO THOSE WHO MADE THIS SHOW POSSIBLE:

Dr. Erika Morrow and the team at ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear

Bubba Gumbo's Tybee Island

Tybee Island Marina

BG’s Seafood Co-Op

Bonaventure Don

The 5 Spot

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

Shot By Somi

SIXBY

Lone Wolf Lounge

Over Yonder

Celebritees

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 The Abandoned Greenwich Mansion

00:40 Savannah's Economic Struggles and Industrial Growth

02:38 The Fate of the Greenwich Statues

04:39 The Telfair Museum's Role

05:54 Harry Delore's Contributions

11:39 Modern Art and Environmental Commentary

14:32 The 2012 Appraisal and City Council Decisions

17:30 Dr. Mark Abbey's Research and Future Plans

19:03 Conclusion and Teaser for Next Episode