In 1817, the English architect William Jay arrived at the busy port of Savannah, Georgia. In the coming four and a half years, he designed several public buildings and private residences in Savannah and a few structures in Charleston, South Carolina. All of his work was remarkable; yet soon after his departure in 1822, only vague recollections of Jay survived in Savannah, and in Charleston he was forgotten altogether. Early in the 20th century, accounts of his life and labors began to appear.