You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that speaks more fluently—or frequently—on Savannah’s storied history than Bob Register. As a tour guide with Old Savannah Tours for the last 15 years, he leads over 750 tours annually and has shaped the experiences of literally thousands of visitors with his genteel manners, erudite delivery and homespun Hostess City charm.

The South recently jumped on the trolley with the 65-year-old, fourth-generation Savannhian for a chat about being an ambassador for the city and having more Georgia on his mind than Ray Charles.

The South magazine: Does this job come naturally to you?

Bob Register: I’ve always been a salesman. So what I’m doing now is I’m selling Savannah. I’m still a salesman. My product has just changed.

TSM: How long did it take you to develop your style and approach on the tours?

BR: Oh, about 65 years! And it’s still a work in progress. I work at this every day, and I mean that literally.

TSM: You’re quite a student of Savannah’s history, aren’t you?

BR: When I was young, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it because downtown was [just] a lot of old stuff. But as I got older, I developed a real insatiable thirst for knowledge about the city. That led ultimately into me becoming a tour guide.     > TSM: Savannah is a quirky place. Any strange experiences on your trolley to report?

BR: I had a lady ask me about three years ago—and this woman was in her mid-60s—she told me that she’d come to Savannah to go to Paula Deen’s restaurant. [She explained that] she’s a big fan, and she had a facelift before coming just in case she met Paula Deen.

TSM: What do you want to leave the tourists with?

BR: They’re not going to remember every last thing you’ve told them, but what they are going to remember is how they feel about their experience in Savannah and how they feel about the people. And I think the impression that I make upon these people and the way I present the city is going to determine their impression of the entire community. It gives me a great sense of pride and satisfaction to be part of these people’s lives O