Some say that Wright Square is one of the most haunted places in Savannah. The location is tied to the haunting and tragic story of Alice Riley, an indentured servant who first landed in the port city in 1733.
Riley arrived with a shipload of Irish transports; many, however, were already dead upon arrival.
Alice survived the brutal trip and even fell in love with another shipmate, Richard White, on the voyage. However, the couple ended up working with a cruel and masterful man named William Wise; around March 1, 1734, Wise was found dead.
Wise’s death was the first slaying in the colony, and it wasn’t long before Riley and White were accused of knocking off Wise.
Richard White would be immediately hanged, but Alice was granted a temporary stay of execution until after the baby was born. Right after giving birth, Alice was escorted to Wright Square in 1735, at just the tender age of 19, to meet her fate, making her the first woman to be executed in Georgia.
Some believe that her spirit never left the square, and reportedly, she isn’t the only one said to walk the grounds still.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.