Richmond Hill: the Ogeechee side of the Savannah area

Not Chatham County

Richmond Hill is in Bryan County, on its eastern edge, with the Ogeechee River forming the city's east side. It was settled in 1734 as Ways Station. Henry Ford built a winter estate here in the 1930s, and the city incorporated in 1962. The population grew from 9,281 in 2010 to 16,633 in 2020 and an estimated 20,022 for 2025, helped by nearby Fort Stewart (Wikipedia, read 2 November 2026).

What river flooding looks like

After Debby in August 2024 the Ogeechee and Canoochee Rivers overflowed, and Bryan County Emergency Services said at least 270 homes were affected to some degree. Hard hit areas included Rushing Street, Carter Street, First and Second Streets and the Live Oak subdivision, where there were several feet of water. Some areas were still flooded a week later (The Current GA, 14 August 2024). River flooding also hit in February 2020 near J.F. Gregory Park and Kings Ferry, when rain upstate, the two rivers meeting and high tides left the water nowhere to go (WTOC, 26 February 2020).

Housing is mostly subdivisions

Richmond Hill runs from starter homes to gated golf communities. Whether a particular house has a slab or a crawl space varies, so check yours. After flooding, the foundation questions that follow are soil that stayed soaked for days, cracks that open when it dries, and moisture under raised floors. See the foundation page and the crawl space page.

Permits

Inside the city, Planning and Zoning at 85 Richard R. Davis Drive, (912) 756-3641, handles building permits and inspections. Unincorporated Bryan County uses the county's building and codes office instead, so look up which one you live under. Details are in the permit guide.

Landmarks

Interstate 95 exits 87 (US 17) and 90 (Georgia 144), Ocean Highway, J.F. Gregory Park, Fort McAllister State Park and Kings Ferry on the Ogeechee are the places residents use to describe where they are.

After the water goes down

Houses that stood in river water for days need time to dry before anyone judges the structure. Wood framing, insulation under raised floors and the soil next to a slab all hold water long after the yard looks dry. Cracks that appear weeks later can be the soil drying unevenly. Ask any company whether it measured moisture before recommending anything, and keep photos of the high water mark if there is one, since flood damage may involve insurance and the county floodplain office.

Where these facts come from

Read on 2 November 2026.

• Wikipedia: Richmond Hill, Georgia.
• The Current GA, 14 August 2024; WTOC, 26 February 2020.
• City of Richmond Hill and Bryan County building pages.