Like the vast majority of southern states, cotton was the dominant force in Savannah. It was among Savannah’s biggest sources of prosperity. Even during wartime Savannah’s cotton production, and the overall economy fell significantly. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that Savannah got back on its feet. Cotton was once again in the spotlight and the economy grew — that is until things began to turn to the negative.
However, this time it was not a war that brought ruin to Savannah it was the beetle. Boll weevils that consume flowers and cotton buds caused the destruction of Savannah’s cotton and economic situation once again. The destruction occurred in the years just before the Great Depression hit. The losses in 1923’s yields pointed at 2.6 million acres. And the cotton industry couldn’t recover. A lot of farmers moved toward the north.
