# Anna Colquitt Hunter

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

**Anna Habersham Hunter** ([née](/source/Birth_name#Maiden_and_married_names) Colquitt; January 21, 1892 – January 28, 1985) was an American preservationist, and a founder of the [Historic Savannah Foundation](/source/Historic_Savannah_Foundation) in 1955.

## Early life

Hunter was a descendant of [James Habersham](/source/James_Habersham) (1712–1775),[1] a pioneering merchant and statesman in the [British North American](/source/British_North_America) colony of [Georgia](/source/Georgia_Colony).[2] She was born in [Savannah, Georgia](/source/Savannah%2C_Georgia), in 1892, but also grew up in [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina).[3]

She was a graduate of [Agnes Scott College](/source/Agnes_Scott_College), but left to marry George Lewis Cope Hunter, son of James Henry Hunter and Harriet Cope,[4] who was a student of agriculture at the [University of Georgia](/source/University_of_Georgia) in [Athens, Georgia](/source/Athens%2C_Georgia).[3] He was registered as a student in 1908.[5]

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](/source/Savannah_Morning_News)* and the *Savannah Evening Press* as a reporter, columnist and editor.[3]

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), she served as a [Red Cross](/source/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](/source/New_York_City) in addition to dates in the [South](/source/Deep_South).[3]

### Historic Savannah Foundation

Main article: [Historic Savannah Foundation](/source/Historic_Savannah_Foundation)

In 1954, Savannah's popular [City Market](/source/City_Market_(Savannah%2C_Georgia)) in [Ellis Square](/source/Ellis_Square_(Savannah%2C_Georgia)) was demolished to be replaced by a parking garage, prompting a public outcry.[6] The following year, a funeral home was set to purchase the [Isaiah Davenport House](/source/Isaiah_Davenport_House) in [Columbia Square](/source/Columbia_Square%2C_Savannah) and tear it down for a parking lot.[7] This sparked a movement to start a preservation process in the city.[7]

"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](/source/Historic_Savannah_Foundation)[7]

Hunter formed a group with six of her friends to block the demolition of the house and formed the Historic Savannah Foundation. The group managed to raise the $22,500 needed to purchase the property themselves.[7]

## Death

Hunter died in 1985, aged 93.[8][9] She is buried with her husband, whom she survived by 49 years, in Savannah's [Bonaventure Cemetery](/source/Bonaventure_Cemetery).

### Legacy

In 2024, a monument in Columbia Square was commissioned to honor the seven women who began the preservation movement in Savannah. Alongside Hunter's name will be Katherine Judkins Clark, Elinor Adler Dillard, Lucy Barrow McIntire, Dorothy Ripley Roebling, Nola McEvoy Roos and [Jane Adair Wright](/source/Jane_Adair_Wright).[10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [James Habersham](http://ghs.galileo.usg.edu/ghs/search?f1-subject=Habersham,%20James,%201715-1775) – [Georgia Historical Society](/source/Georgia_Historical_Society)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Grey-White, Deborah (2013). *Freedom on My Mind*. Boston, MA.: Mary V. Dougherty. p. 141. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-312-64883-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-312-64883-1).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-gw_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-gw_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-gw_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-gw_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-gw_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-gw_3-5) [Anna Colquitt Hunter](https://www.georgiawomen.org/copy-of-howard-may-dubignon-stiles) – Georgia Women

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *A History of the Glen Family of South Carolina and Georgia* – [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/source/University_of_Wisconsin-Madison), Books on Demand (1923), p. 65 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780608318462](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780608318462)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Announcement: With a Register of Officers & Students* – [University of Georgia](/source/University_of_Georgia) (1908), p. 189

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Savannah Morning News and Evening Press*](https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1124&context=arch_tp) – [Clemson University](/source/Clemson_University), May 1981

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-story_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-story_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-story_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-story_7-3) [Our Story](https://www.myhsf.org/about-us/our-story/) – mhysf.org

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [The Johnson Collection website, *Hunter, Anna (1882–1985)*](https://thejohnsoncollection.org/anna-hunter/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Savannah Morning News website, *Savannah historic preservation movement founder Anna Hunter recognized by new book, opera*, article by Linda Sickler, dated October 28, 2017](https://eu.savannahnow.com/story/news/2017/10/29/savannah-historic-preservation-movement-founder-anna-hunter-recognized-new/13855531007/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Lasseter, Evan. ["Descendents of Savannah's original seven preservationists pave way for monument in Columbia Square"](https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/local/2024/07/03/monument-for-birth-of-savannahs-preservation-movement-set-for-columbia-square/74280672007/). *Savannah Morning News*. Retrieved 2024-07-03.

## External links

- ["Savannah historic preservation movement founder Anna Hunter recognized by new book, opera"](https://www.savannahnow.com/accent/news/2017-10-28/savannah-historic-preservation-movement-founder-anna-hunter-recognized-new) – *Savannah Morning News*, October 28, 2017

- [Obituary](http://www.davenporthousemuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/AnnaHunter.pdf) – *[Savannah Morning News](/source/Savannah_Morning_News)*, January 29, 1985

- [Anna Habersham Hunter Colquitt](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36867022/anna-habersham-hunter) – [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Anna Colquitt Hunter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Colquitt_Hunter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Colquitt_Hunter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.