Ray Charles Robinson was born n 1930 in Albany, GA, but as an infant moved to Greenfield, FL. At the age of five, Charles began to lose his sight and by the age of 7 was completely blind. It is thought cause of his blindness was due to an infection caused by soapy water. From 1937 to 1945 Charles was a student at the Florida School For the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, just located down the street from Old Town Trolley Tours. It was while at the Florida School For the Deaf and Blind that his musical talent began to develop. At school Ray was taught classical music, but it was the jazz he heard on the radio that he really wanted to play and established his first group, RC Robinson and the Shop Boys. (more…)

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While not a native of Boston, Dr. George Franklin spent most of his adult life there. He was born in 1846 in Oswego, NY and at the age of 22 entered the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, graduating in just two years. A year later, Dr. Grant became the first African American falculty member of America’s most prestigious university. While at Harvard Dr. Grant invented the oblate palate, a prosthetic used for the treatment of cleft palate and something he is probably even more famous for, the invention of the wooden golf tee.

Dr. Grant was elected president of the Harvard Alumni Association in 1881. He died of liver disease at his vacation home in New Hampshire in 1910.

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Congratulations to our conductor Alexandria “Denise” Coleman who won the Savannah Morning News Scavenger Hunt and a $1000 prize. A Savannah, native, Denise has been a conductor with Old Town Trolley Tours for over six years. . Knowing the city and showing it each day to the visitors of Savannah has really paid off! Read all about it here.

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Given San Diego is a sports mad town, we thought it would be timely and appropriate that we feature a member of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints and San Diego native, Reginald Alfred Bush, our as he is known to his millions of fans, Reggie Bush. (more…)

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The crew at OTT Savannah tours has many artist listed in its ranks.  Calvin Thomas, Hotel Concierge, is a wonderful artist who has an up coming show to display his beautiful abstract art.  For more information on the upcoming show click here.

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Joyce Ellis, Groups and Charters Rep, was a finalist for the TLC’s service award.  She had a rooting section that evening as all the finalists took the stage.  Sadly she did not win, but at least she was honored and recognized for her service to the industry and her community.  Go Joycee!

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Denise Coleman, OTT Savannah Conductor, won the Savannah Morning News Savanager Hunt.  Go to http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-02-13/tour-guide-wins-scavenger-hunt to read about Denise’s big day.  Our Conductors not only talk the talk but they can back it up too. Go OTT Savannah!

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Irish families abound in Savannah for our annual Irish Festival.  This small venue with music, dancers, and arts and crafts is a precursor to things green in March.  Did I mention 31 days till the St. Patty Day Parade!  Go to http://www.savannahsaintpatricksday.com/ for the highlights.

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How beautiful is Savannah despite the snow elsewhere!  Not to mention, it is a long weekend because of Presidents Day.  There are a lot of couples in Savannah this weekend taking advantage of our romantic side!

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Washington, DC native Charles Drew was born on June 3, 1904. An excellent student and athlete, Drew won a scholarship to Amherst College where he was captain of the track team and an All American. After graduation, Drew taught biology at Morgan State University and served as its athletic director. In 1928 Drew enrolled at McGill University to study medicine. He was drawn to medicine after his sister Elsie succumbed to influenza in 1920. He graduated in 1933 with two degrees, Master of Surgery and Doctor of Medicine. Dr. Drew did his residency at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. While at Columbia that he began his research into blood and blood transfusions and wrote a dissertation called Banked Blood, which described his technique for long term blood plasma preservation. Drew had discovered that by separating the plasma (the liquid part of blood) from the whole blood (in which the red blood cells exist) and then refrigerating them separately, they could be combined up to a week later for a blood transfusion. With the outbreak of World War II, Dr. Drew’s research and discovery of the blood banking and typing saved countless lives and continues to do so today. On April 1, 1950 Charles Drew died in car accident, a great scientific life cut short.

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