The long-awaited return of Anna Hunter’s spirit to Savannah begins on Monday, October 30 with the launch of RESTORING LOST TIMES: Savannah’s Anna Colquitt Hunter, the third biography of award-winning author, A. Louise Staman. The book signing will take place at The Davenport House Museum from 5-7 pm at 324 E. State Street on Monday, October 30. This event will include the opportunity to meet with Anna Hunter’s grandchildren Hetty and Julie Jardine, who collaborated with the author and provided exclusive access to family papers and photographs.  In addition, characters depicting some of the history of Davenport House Museum will be in attendance along with Savannah VOICE Festival singers previewing some of the music from the premiere of the opera slated for later that week at Davenport House Museum.

RESTORING LOST TIMES: Savannah’s Anna Colquitt Hunter is the true story of Anna as she embraced the triumphs and tribulations of her long life with gusto working and playing hard, feeling deeply and participating fully.  In a compelling tale of all the phases of her life as she became a wife, mother, widow and served abroad during the Second World War before her stunning contributions in preserving Savannah's historic homes and landmarks, this beautifully illustrated book will be treasured by both residents and visitors alike.  It was in Savannah during the 1950s that Anna Hunter’s voice became widely heard.  Something terrible was happening to her beloved Savannah.  Historic downtown was largely abandoned and sometimes falling down and the developers were moving in.  Historic structures often fell to the wrecking ball. Anna Colquitt Hunter and her group of six women changed the future, through the past and its preservation. There were many aspects of Anna Hunter that are less widely known. In addition to starting Historic Savannah Foundation, Anna was an avid painter, a writer for the Savannah Morning News, and loved to dance and socialize. 

The launch of A. Louise Staman’s latest biography begins a triumphant return of the spirit of Anna Hunter to Savannah in both music and literature as it coincides with the premiere of the new Anna Hunter opera.   Savannah VOICE Festival will debut their world premiere of Michael Ching’s opera Anna Hunter, The Spirit of Savannah on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at the Davenport House Museum. A series of shows will then be held at the Davenport House Museum every evening throughout the weekend, concluding on November 4.  Louise Staman will be in attendance with copies of her new biography available for purchase at every performance of the opera.  The author has worked closely with Savannah VOICE Festival’s Composer in Residence Michael Ching over the last two years as they shared research, concepts and their visions.

Staman comments “It was fascinating to me to see two people come to a topic with two totally different viewpoints. I really enjoyed how the composer, Michael Ching, thought about it and how I thought about it, and at the end we both came up with a very similar story.”

RESTORING LOST TIMES: Savannah’s Anna Colquitt Hunter will be available at Davenport House Museum’s gift shop from late October 30, 2017 and retails for $29.95.  An enthralling tale lavishly illustrated with photos of Anna Hunter and her paintings, this must read makes a perfect holiday gift for any Savannah enthusiast.