The Savannah Sideways Podcast

Episode 1: Stuff for Sale

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
EPISODE 1 - STUFF FOR SALE: In this debut episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos begins unraveling the strange tale of Savannah’s ancient Roman statuary—a story that stretches from the ruins of Rome to the marshes of coastal Georgia.
On April 9, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Savannah’s City Council quietly considered selling off a cache of centuries-old artifacts, including a 15th-century ram’s head pedestal and a bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. These treasures had been tucked away for decades, but in a time of financial strain, they suddenly reemerged as a possible solution.
Jessica, a longtime Savannah resident and award-winning writer, blends personal reflection with deep research. She takes listeners from Savannah’s cemeteries to its council chambers, connecting the city’s eccentric charm to global history. With stories spanning the Revolutionary War to the digital age, this debut episode sets the stage for a season full of historical twists, cultural mysteries, and sideways views of Savannah you won’t hear anywhere else.
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 Introduction to Savannah Sideways Podcast
00:15 City Council's Virtual Meeting and Surplus Statuary
04:23 The Fascinating Journey of Savannah's Roman Statuary
04:54 Meet Jessica Leigh Lebos: Your Guide to Savannah
07:01 Savannah's Rich History and Cultural Significance
08:06 Exploring Savannah's Historic Cemeteries
13:52 The Enchanting Greenwich Cemetery
17:02 Sponsors and Local Recommendations
18:33 Conclusion and Credits

Episode 2: If the Land Could Talk

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
EPISODE 2 - If the Land Could Talk: In this second episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos recounts the enigmatic history of Greenwich Cemetery, once the site of an opulent estate filled with 2000-year-old Roman statues.
From General Oglethorpe's founding of Savannah to the tragic fate of the Yamacraw people, we explore the multifaceted narratives woven into this land. Learn about the mysterious burial of Revolutionary War Hero Casimir Pulaski, the grandeur of the Greenwich Place mansion, and the Shotters' extravagant art collection, including a shipment of ancient statues that took nearly five years to arrive.
This episode delves deep into Savannah's historical layers, touching on both well-documented facts and unresolved mysteries.
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 Introduction to Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary
01:40 The Origins of Greenwich Cemetery
05:46 The Revolutionary War and Kasmir Pulaski
19:26 The Civil War and Its Aftermath
24:50 The Gilded Age and Spencer Shotter's Mansion
30:29 The Arrival of the Roman Statuary
30:48 Conclusion and Sponsor Messages

Episode 3: In Turpentine We Trust

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
EPISODE 3 – In Turpentine We Trust: In this third episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos traces Savannah’s rise from post–Civil War hardship to Gilded Age opulence through an unlikely source—turpentine. As the longleaf pine forests fueled a booming naval stores industry, fortunes were made, ecosystems were destroyed, and entire communities were bound to brutal labor and debt.
Meet Spencer Shotter, the magnate whose pine-scented empire made him one of Savannah’s richest men—and ultimately led to his downfall under America’s first antitrust prosecutions. Along the way, historian Dr. Drew Swanson sheds light on the environmental legacy of the longleaf pine, and we follow the thread from the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era, where unchecked capitalism finally met reform.
The story culminates in fire and renewal— and the extraordinary life of Sandy West, whose legacy transformed Georgia’s conservation movement.
This episode uncovers how pine sap, power, and progress shaped Savannah’s fortunes—and how one man’s empire helped set the stage for the city’s most enduring mysteries.
YOUTUBE VIDEO MENTIONED: Greenwich At Bonaventure Cemetery-Savannah GA's Own Biltmore House-Forgotten No Longer
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 Introduction to Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary
02:12 The Rise of Savannah's Naval Stores Industry
04:16 Environmental and Social Impact of Turpentine Production
10:30 The Decline of the Naval Stores Industry
17:44 Spencer Shotter's Legal Troubles and Legacy
24:06 The Tragic Fire at Greenwich Place
25:51 Sandy Tory West and the Preservation of Ossabaw Island
26:35 Conclusion and Sponsor Messages

Episode 4: Ossabaw Coincidences & Connections

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
EPISODE 4 – Ossabaw Coincidences & Connections:In this fourth episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos follows the Torrey family’s journey from the ashes of their Greenwich mansion to the wild beauty of Ossabaw Island, uncovering how loss, legacy, and a touch of magic intertwined to shape one of Georgia’s most fascinating conservation stories.
Meet Eleanor “Sandy” Torrey West, the indomitable woman who turned her family’s Gilded Age retreat into a crucible for art, science, and spiritual exploration. From the ruins of Greenwich Place to the pink stucco mansion on Ossabaw, Sandy’s life bridges eras—where ancient myths meet modern activism and coincidence feels more like cosmic choreography.
Through conversations with Elizabeth DuBose of the Ossabaw Island Foundation and a deeply personal story of discovery, Jessica traces how statues, stories, and serendipity connect Savannah’s past to its present. Along the way, we meet a cast of visionaries—artists, philosophers, conservationists—and a woman whose 108 years embodied the spirit of the island she fought to save.
This episode is about more than marble and memory. It’s about meaning: how we follow signs, find purpose in patterns, and keep listening for the gods—Hermes included—who travel beside us.
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 Introduction: Ossabaw Coincidences and Connections
00:13 The Torrey Family's New Beginning on Ossabaw Island
00:37 The Rich History of Georgia's Barrier Islands
01:26 Ossabaw Island Through the Ages
03:18 The Torrey Family Legacy and the Pink Mansion
05:49 Sandy West: The Woman Who Saved Ossabaw
08:55 The Ossabaw Island Project and Genesis Project
10:02 The Fight to Preserve Ossabaw Island
12:38 Sandy West's Final Years and Legacy
16:15 The Author's Personal Journey and Connection to the Story
22:25 The Auction and the Photograph
28:10 Conclusion: The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary
 

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
 

Episode 6: Breaking Down the Myths

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
EPISODE 6 – Breaking Down the Myths
In this sixth episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos digs deeper into the fascinating world of ancient art and modern mythmaking. Joined once again by Dr. Mark Abbe, University of Georgia professor and global expert in antiquities and art restoration, Jessica unpacks how America’s Gilded Age fascination with marble and grandeur shaped our collective imagination — and, in some ways, distorted history.
From the lavish collections of tycoons like J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and Isabella Stewart Gardner, to the stately Southern estates that mirrored their northern counterparts, we explore how art collecting became both a symbol of sophistication and a tool for shaping America’s cultural identity. These early art patrons saw themselves not just as collectors, but as civilizers, building museums, libraries, and institutions meant to uplift the public — even as their wealth and privilege drew scrutiny.
Dr. Abbe also sheds light on one of art history’s biggest misconceptions: the myth of the “pure white” marble statue. Through groundbreaking scientific research, he reveals that the sculpted figures of ancient Greece and Rome were once vividly painted in lifelike colors — red lips, golden hair, and skin tones in every shade. This revelation challenges centuries of Western ideals about beauty, culture, and race, and exposes how a simple misunderstanding became an aesthetic standard with deep social implications.
As Jessica connects Savannah’s own Roman relics to this broader narrative, she invites listeners to reconsider what authenticity really means — in art, in history, and in how we tell our stories. Were the Greenwich statues truly ancient, or clever reconstructions? And what truths lie hidden beneath their white marble sheen?
This episode reminds us that history isn’t static marble — it’s painted in color, layered with meaning, and alive with questions.
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 Introduction to Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary
00:57 The Rise of American Art Collecting
04:34 Gilded Age Philanthropy and Art
08:35 Carnegie Libraries in Savannah
11:37 The Mystery of the Greenwich Statues
19:09 The Truth About Ancient Roman Statuary
24:35 Conclusion and Teasers for Next Episode

Episode 7: The Mystery of the Missing Sphinxes

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
EPISODE 7 – The Mystery of the Missing Sphinxes
In this seventh episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos delves into one of Savannah’s most tantalizing historical enigmas: the whereabouts of the missing Greenwich Sphinxes. After tracing the 19-piece statue collection recovered from the estate, Jessica uncovers the lesser-known fragments of Greenwich — wrought iron planters, marble columns, and architectural remnants lost to fire, neglect, or rumor. But it is the pair of Egyptian Sphinxes, glimpsed in archival photographs and silent film, that sparks her obsessive quest.
Joining Jessica is Savannah historian Hugh Golson, whose lifetime of research into the city’s architecture and antiques offers new insight into the statues’ journey. From early 20th-century newspapers to the memories of local families, Hugh pieces together a story spanning decades, revealing that these enigmatic sculptures once graced private homes long after they vanished from public view. Along the way, listeners encounter Savannah’s quirky, colorful personalities, from graveyard directors to civic preservationists, each adding texture to the Sphinxes’ tale.
Jessica and Hugh also explore the broader cultural fascination with Egyptian motifs in America during the Gilded Age, situating the Greenwich Sphinxes within a national trend of Egyptian-inspired art, architecture, and decorative objects. Were the statues truly ancient, or beautifully crafted products of 19th-century collectors’ ambitions? Through photographs, archival research, and expert insight, the episode examines authenticity, provenance, and the ways stories of art and history intertwine with Savannah’s local lore.
This episode invites listeners to wander the thin line between myth and reality, reminding us that history is not only about what survives — it’s about what we choose to remember, preserve, and seek out. The Sphinxes’ story is far from over, and Jessica teases the next chapter in their remarkable and mysterious journey.
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 Introduction: The Mystery of the Missing Sphinxes
00:05 Uncovering the Greenwich Collection
00:44 The Disappearance of the Sphinxes
01:58 Historical Insights from Hugh Golson
03:27 The Forsyth Park Sphinxes
06:34 The Greenwich Sphinxes Resurface
09:11 The Sphinxes' Journey to Augusta
12:54 Modern-Day Mysteries and Speculations
15:59 Conclusion: The Ongoing Mystery

Episode 8: The Bridge to Sapelo

Welcome to the Savannah Sideways Podcast - Season One - The Strange Story of Savannah's Ancient Roman Statuary.
In this eighth episode, host Jessica Leigh Lebos follows the unexpected trail of Savannah’s ancient statuary all the way to Georgia’s barrier islands—revealing a sweeping story of wealth, land, loss, resilience, and one of the most culturally important communities in the United States. Beginning with the Greenwich estate’s original owners, Jessica traces how industrialist Spencer Shotter and later the Torrey family shaped both Savannah and the coastal islands through their lavish mansions, art collections, and Gilded Age pursuits. Their legacies intertwine with other elite landowners of the era, ultimately leading to Sapelo Island and the enigmatic Reynolds Mansion—one of the last surviving Gilded Age estates in Georgia.
Jessica explores how tobacco heir R.J. Reynolds transformed Sapelo into his own secluded retreat, even adding surreal features like circus murals and a life-sized menagerie painted by an Italian muralist. But her journey into the mansion’s faded opulence becomes a pathway to a deeper story: the history and present struggles of Sapelo’s Gullah Geechee residents, descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans who cultivated rice, cotton, indigo, and sugar along the coastal lowlands. Their agricultural expertise was foundational to the region’s wealth, yet their cultural identity has remained remarkably intact through centuries of isolation and community strength.
Listeners are introduced to Sistah Patt Gunn, Savannah’s internationally known Gullah Geechee storyteller and historian, who explains how the Geechee and Gullah identities formed across Georgia and the Carolinas. With her guidance, Jessica uncovers the legacy of Bilali Muhammad, the highly educated and devout Muslim enslaved on Sapelo who managed the island’s vast agricultural operations and left behind an extraordinary Arabic manuscript still studied today. His descendants—and those of his seven daughters—helped establish vibrant Geechee settlements across Sapelo that thrived well into the 20th century.
Jessica then travels to the island to meet Maurice Bailey, son of the late author Cornelia Walker Bailey and founder of SOLO (Sapelo Island Save Our Legacy Ourself). Riding with Maurice through Hogg Hummock and the historic cemeteries, she learns how Sapelo’s Geechee community has been threatened by land pressure, rising seas, political maneuvering, zoning changes, and an ongoing struggle for representation. Their challenges echo a long history of exploitation—from mid-century land seizures to recent attempts to rezone ancestral property for large-scale vacation homes.
The episode also reflects on the tragic collapse of Sapelo’s ferry dock in October 2024, which claimed the lives of seven elders who had just celebrated the island’s heritage. Jessica connects this heartbreaking event to the broader theme of loss—of stories, traditions, and irreplaceable cultural memory.
Through it all, Jessica discovers that the “bridge” connecting Savannah’s statues to Sapelo is not architectural but symbolic. The wealth that imported Roman art and built Gilded Age mansions came directly from the expertise and forced labor of West African people whose descendants still fight to remain on their coastal homeland. Their story is inseparable from the story of Savannah’s art, architecture, and identity. And as Jessica prepares for the penultimate episode, she reminds listeners that the history we preserve—or fail to—will shape the legacy we leave behind.
 
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 Introduction: The Bridge to Sapelo
00:04 The Gilded Age and Georgia's Barrier Islands
03:39 The Reynolds Mansion and Sapelo Island
05:11 Exploring Sapelo Island's Gullah Geechee Heritage
11:55 Challenges Facing the Gullah Geechee Community
16:08 Current Efforts and Future Hopes
21:51 Conclusion: The Resilience of Sapelo Island