The square was laid out in 1847 and named to celebrate a notable victory of the Mexican-American War, the capture of the city of Monterrey, Mexico, in 1846.

• Pulaski Monument – The center of the square is home to a monument built for Count Casimir Pulaski, who lost his life fighting during the Siege of Savannah in 1779.
• Mercer-Williams House – (To the left or west side of square) – Monterey Square is probably most famous these days as the home of the Mercer-Williams House, owned by Jim Williams, lead character in the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” which later became a major motion picture starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. The book chronicled the true story of an infamous Savannah murder trial and mentioned the real names of many Savannah citizens who were involved in the case. Much of the action in the book, including the killing of Danny Hansford in May 1981, took place in a home on the west side of Monterey Square, at 429 Bull Street. Construction began on the Mercer-Williams House in 1860 but was not completed until 1871. Hugh Mercer, the original builder, was the uncle of the composer Johnny Mercer, but none of the family ever occupied the home. Jim Williams’ sister currently owns the home and has turned it into a museum that offers daily tours. To the immediate right of the Mercer-Williams House stands the home of Lee and Emma Adler, who were also featured in the book.
• Temple Mickve Israel – This magnificent synagogue was designed by nationally known New York architect Henry G. Harrison and built in the 1870s in the Neogothic style. Although the building itself dates back to the Victorian Era, the congregation can trace its roots to 42 Jews who arrived in Savannah on July 11, 1733, just five months after Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe established the colony of Georgia. This was the largest group of Jews to settle anywhere in North America during Colonial times. Today, Temple Mickve Israel stands as a tribute to the hard work and perseverance of the early Jewish colonists who established the first synagogue in Georgia. It is also the only synagogue in the United States to have been built in the Neogothic style and is an outstanding example of that architectural movement. Content composed with the HTML code editor with live preview . Get a subscription to remove promotional messages or browse our directory for the best free online tools.