On Thursday February 5, 2026, at 4:00 PM the Historic Site & Monument Commission will review a proposal for a massive mural proposed for the side of the Funky Brunch Café. Measuring 15 feet by 25 feet, this mural has nothing to do with the neighborhood and does not celebrate its rich history. Here’s the proposal:
The hearing will be at 112 East State Street, Savannah, GA 31401. If you object to this proposal, please appear in person to object and/or send an email to historic@thempc.org with a copy to us at opc.preservation@gmail.com. Subject line: Re: Proposed Mural at 304 East Broughton, 26-000082-PA. Please try to send in your emails no later than Tuesday, February 3, 2026. Here is sample language that you can edit as you see fit:
Dear Historic Site and Monument Commission,
Please deny this proposal. The mural is not respectful of the history of Warren Ward, which dates to the period shortly after the Revolutionary War. It does not celebrate our cultural heritage but panders to the tourist industry by recognizing Savannah solely as a place for people from out of town to visit and “celebrate” in a noisy, alcoholic, and public manner. The Forsyth Fountain, which is depicted here in stylized form, has nothing to do with this particular neighborhood and is located at the other side of the historic district.
Moreover, the mural is not visually compatible with the Warren Ward’s many historic homes, several of which date to the eighteenth century. Nor is its commercial art appearance of the same quality as the architecture of those homes.
In the 250th year of the celebration of the Declaration of Independence, it is sad to see that the Revolutionary legacy of the neighborhood is not being respected by this proposal.
[Signature]
[address]
A more detailed explanation of the reasons for the OPC’s objection to this mural can be found further below. Please reach out to us at opc.preservation@gmail.com with your questions and comments.
Statement of the Oglethorpe Coalition
The Oglethorpe Plan Coalition (“OPC”) opposes the mural proposed at 304 East. Broughton St.
Historical Significance of Warren Ward
Warren Ward and its neighbor Washington Ward were established in the early 1790s as the first new wards planned after the American Revolution. Warren Ward was named after General Warren of Bunker Hill. This naming had particular significance to Savannah, because in 1775, Savannah’s Liberty Boys stormed the British ammunition store and sent some of the confiscated gunpowder to Boston to support the Patriots, together with money and rice for the inhabitants of the city.
The Revolutionary War theme continued with the naming of the new north-south streets, which honor General Benjamin Lincoln, Colonel Joseph Habersham, Lieutenant Charles Price and Governor John Houston. Lieutenant Price died at the 1779 Siege of Savannah.
In 1776, 250 years ago, the Continental Congress commissioned a 16-year-old Georgian named John Berrien to serve as an officer in the Continental Army. Major Berrien served under General Lachlan McIntosh and survived the infamous winter at Valley Forge. His last battle was the Battle of Monmouth (famous for the historical figure Molly Pitcher). Major Berrien was severely wounded in the battle.
In 1792, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson appointed Major John Berrien the Inspector of the Port of Savannah. Berrien had built his home at the corner of East Broughton and Habersham, on the very same block that this mural is proposed to be located. A Georgia Historical Society Marker on the Habersham Street side of the house commemorates the Major and his statesman son, Senator John Macpherson Berrien, for whom Berrien Street is named.
The Major’s son, John Macpherson Berrien, served as Attorney General under Andrew Jackson, was a famous litigator, and was dubbed “America’s Cicero.” His close friends in the U.S. Senate included Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, the “great compromiser.” Henry Clay visited Savannah on his 1844 presidential campaign and used the Berrien House as his headquarters, making a speech from the front portico to the cheering crowds in the street upon his arrival to the city.
Warren and Washington Wards are unique in that they include most of Savannah’s earliest houses, with several dating from the eighteenth century.
The site of the mural is also within view of many other historic buildings including the 1823 Gwathney House, the 1820 Davenport House, and the 1819 Owens-Thomas House Slave Quarters.
The Mural Does Not Satisfy the Criteria
The proposed mural fails three criteria—theme, location, and design.
Theme: The theme of the mural is not respectful of the greater context of the community, including historic and socio-cultural contexts.
As explained above, Warren Ward, the location of the proposed mural, was established with the theme of commemorating the Revolution. We also note that this year, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Rather than respect the context of the community this mural does the opposite in two ways.
First, it uses a motif, the Forsyth Fountain, that has nothing to do with this location or its history. The fountain is located on the opposite side of the historic district many blocks away.
Second, rather than paying respect to the ward’s Revolutionary theme, the mural caters to the tourist industry, celebrating Savannah not for its history but rather solely as a place for people who do not live here to visit and get drunk.
There is no attempt to engage the public in a learning experience, which is a lost opportunity given the location’s rich history.
Location: The proposed mural does not enhance or complement the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
The historic 1791 Berrien House, described above, which is located on the same block of East Broughton Steet as the mural, is not enhanced or complemented by this mural. The mural is garish and comic-book in style and is visually incompatible with the restrained Federal architecture of the Berrien House, the most significant building on this block.
By cheapening and commercializing the appearance of the block, the mural hurts the property value of the Berrien House and its owner’s enjoyment of the property.
The mural is also not visually compatible with the other nearby historic structures, such as the Gwathney House, the Davenport House, and the Kennedy Pharmacy.
East Broughton is different from West Broughton in a good way. While the applicant denigrates this part of the street as “not as bustling a corridor as a few blocks west,” the residents and businesses of this neighborhood enjoy its quieter, calmer ambience. Lincoln Street is a street where the commercial nature of Broughton Street subsides, and the street becomes more mixed use as one moves eastward. The eastern portion of Broughton Street includes single-family structures.
As discussed above, the mural does not enhance and complement the historic nature of the remainder of the neighborhood with its significant residential character. Warren Ward features some of the City’s best Federal architecture and low-scale streetscapes. The harshness and crassness of the proposed mural is completely out of place in this ward.
Design: The proposed mural is not appropriate within the context of the surrounding neighborhood.
There are no other murals nearby, for good reason. The location is in one of the oldest parts of the historic district. Purchasers of homes in the district do not want to be confronted with new “art” that clashes with the beauty of the homes they have invested in. A proposed mural a few years ago near Troup Square met with strong public opposition and was denied.
This mural’s design is garish. At best, it is in the style of a comic book or commercial art found in advertising. While opinions may differ, it is hard to call this work “fine art.” By contrast, the historic buildings such as the Davenport House and the Berrien House are fine works of art, reflecting the most sophisticated tastes of their time. The proposed mural is simply not worthy of being place in the context of truly worthy art.
The Applicant Did Not Notify the Adjacent Property Owner or Conduct Public Outreach
The applicant has not reached out to the adjacent property owner or the neighborhood. This proposal has caught the neighborhood by surprise. The MPC has declined to share the owner’s contact information.
