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Bird Girl statue.

Statue of the Bird Girl

Field review by the editors.

Savannah, Georgia

Sculpted in 1936, "Bird Girl" by Sylvia Shaw Judson stood in obscurity for decades in Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery, where it was named "Little Wendy" by the family that paid for it. That ended in 1994, when a photo of the statue appeared on the cover of the bestselling "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and acquired its new Bird Girl name. Fans flocked to the cemetery. Some began chipping off pieces of the statue's base for souvenirs. The family grabbed their statue and moved it into Savannah's Telfair Museums, where no chipping is allowed.

Sylvia Shaw Judson was dead long before the book was published. She had made several exact duplicates of her statue, so there are a handful of Bird Girls floating around out there, but the one in Savannah is the famous one. Judson isn't buried in Bonaventure Cemetery, but the guy who took the photo is.

Statue of the Bird Girl

Telfair Academy

Address:
121 Barnard St., Savannah, GA
Directions:
Telfair Academy. From I-95: Exit at I-16 East into Historic District. I-16 will turn into Montgomery St. Turn right onto Oglethorpe Ave., turn left on Barnard Street. Follow Barnard to Telfair Square. Proceed 3/4 around the square. Robinson parking garage at State and Jefferson.
Hours:
Daily 10-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
912-790-8800
Admission:
Adults $22.
Save to My Sights

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