Modernization creating threat to Savannah's tourist district

Growth eroding original plan for city; National Park Service downgrades landmark status

In this Aug. 31, people stroll through Monterey Square in the historic landmark district of Savannah. Savannah's historic district was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and it remains one of the largest in the U.S. The National Park Service recently announced it has downgraded the Savannah landmark district's condition from "satisfactory" to "threatened." - photo by Associated Press

SAVANNAH — With its time-capsule collection of Victorian mansions and antebellum churches overlooking oak-shaded squares, Savannah has long taken great pride — and built a nearly $3 billion tourism economy — from its standing as a National Historic Landmark, a designation awarded to America's most prized treasures preserved from the past.

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