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America's Oldest City
There are many reasons why St.
Augustine feels like a European city, and that European aura and
influence dates back 200 years. The story begins in 1513 when
Juan Ponce de Léon came to these shores and claimed St.
Augustine as the property of Spain.
In the age of the conquistadores
when the Spanish began discovering (and pillaging) silver and
gold in Mexico and Peru, there were many ships filled with those
treasures that stopped off the coast of Florida before making
the daunting return voyage across the Atlantic. As a result, the
Spanish needed to protect these fleets that sailed along the
shores; to assure they had at least a temporary safe haven.
Pedro Menéndez, known as the founding
father of St. Augustine, was therefore sent by King Phillip of
Spain to drive out the French garrisons that had recently
established a foothold in this part of “The New World”. Along
with more than 700 colonists and troops he landed on these
southern shores with the purpose of building a fort and a
settlement to protect Spain’s investments. Like so many other
early American colonists, these people faced starvation, harsh
conditions, and pirate attacks; but they managed to create a
successful settlement.
It was the Spanish admiral Pedro
Menéndez de Avilés who on August 28, 1565 (the feast day of St.
Augustine de Hippo) officially founded the city, naming it in
honor of the saint. This achievement has earned St. Augustine
the title of “America’s Oldest City”; this nation’s oldest and
continually occupied European settlement. There were other
settlements in the area before this but they all failed.
This city has no shortage of battle
scars. In 1586, Englishmen Francis Drake burned the town to the
ground, but it was soon rebuilt. In 1668 St. Augustine was
nearly destroyed again by a pirate named John Davis. Yet again
there were no quitters here, and by order of Queen Regent
Mariana of Spain, construction on a new stone fort called
Castillo de San Marcos began in 1672; the construction continued
for over 23 years. The fort was built of
coquina, a locally quarried shell-rock which was
ideal because it did not crumble under cannon fire. The fort
still stands today and is the oldest man-made National Monument
in the United States.
Like a tattered and battered veteran of
war, St. Augustine was sacked again in 1702 when English troops
laid siege to the new fort. For 50 days, the fort was fired
upon, and 1500 citizens fled their settlement to the security
offered by the new coquina fort. Eventually, the
British gave up, but before they left they burned the rest of
the town to the ground. This is why there are no buildings in
the city today that have been around longer than 1702.
Once again the Spanish refused to give
up, and began reconstructing their settlement. Again in 1740,
the English attacked and a 27-day siege ensued. Another
stalemate followed, and eventually the English once more gave up
trying to break through the formidable defenses of the newly
fortified walls and fort. With their powerful cannons, the
English had launched a heavy attack on the fort but the coquina
simply absorbed the cannon balls without breaking apart.
However Spain’s fight for dominance in
this part of the Americas would again be forestalled. In Europe,
the Seven Years War ended in the defeat of Spain by the British,
and in 1763 the Treaty of Paris (often referred to as the Peace
of Paris or simply the Treaty of 1763) determined that it would
be England’s flag that flew over St. Augustine.
England divided the territory into two
segments and St. Augustine became the new capital of East
Florida. The latter geographically strategic area remained loyal
to the British Crown throughout the American Revolution.
But England’s occupation only lasted 21
years; and St. Augustine was then returned to Spain as part of
the negotiations that concluded the American Revolution. By the
second Treaty of Paris in 1783, the United States was recognized
as an independent nation, with British Canada to the north and
Spanish Florida to the south. The western boundary was the
Mississippi River.
For the next 37 years, Spain ruled
Florida. However there was a great reluctance on the part of
Spanish settlers to leave Spain to battle the unknown,
especially since a chaotic state of affairs existed in the area.
Violent clashes were occurring between American-born settlers,
Spanish citizens, British agents, and Native American people in
West Florida. This was followed by the arrival of Andrew Jackson
who, ignoring the international border, burned native villages
and executed two British subjects. He then proceeded to capture
St. Marks and Pensacola. The whole situation was finally sorted
out in 1821 when Florida was transferred from Spain to the
United States by the Adams-Onis Treaty. Jackson became the
Governor of this new U.S. Territory.
Peace in the area, however, was not to
last all that long. During the 1830s, the federal government and
the Seminole Indians began to clash in what has come to be known
as
The Seminole War. The Seminoles were eventually
defeated and Florida became the 27th state of the Union in 1845.
Sadly, from 1875-1887, Native Americans
from the Southwest and Great Plains regions were captured and
imprisoned in the fort in St. Augustine. The government sought
to educate them, granting certain freedoms which some historians
and other observers have deemed actions that led to progressive
Native American governmental policies. Despite this dark period
in St. Augustine’s history, the city continued to flourish.
Over 200 years St. Augustine has
endured fire, turmoil, and strife. Five different flags have
flown over the city, and today you can still see each flag
flying in St. Augustine, a symbol of each part of the tale.
Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, St.
Augustine took hundreds of years to become what it is today. It
is a city of many contrasts and cultural richness. Everyone from
Spanish colonists, British rulers, Native Americans, freed
slaves, and people just passing through have had a dramatic
impact on this place. In fact, as I reflect on what I have
learned about St. Augustine, I find it incredible that the
beautiful 200-year-old buildings for which the city is so well
known, are still standing. This is a city that seems to be able
to withstand anything. Its stormy and turbulent past is in part
what gives it its grand presence today. And this presence is in
every historic home, museum, shop, restaurant, bed and
breakfast, and monument. Each part of St. Augustine expresses
its own piece of the history of this city.
Since so many of St. Augustine’s early
buildings still stand, you can experience a much richer, older
history (through architecture, art, stories, and people) than
you would in other cities of the United States. The Spanish
colonial influence is still much in evidence as you walk through
the streets of this town.
For a short time during my visit, I
almost forgot that I was in the the United States. It was as if
I was in a European town with cobbled streets, stunning
architecture, exotic culinary treats, tempting boutiques, a
serene natural setting — and most importantly, illuminating
stories from the past.
Historical sites in St.
Augustine that stimulated my imagination
Understanding the who, what, where, and
when of history is important to gaining a perspective on an
archival destination such as St. Augustine. However in my
experience, the imagination also plays an important role. In
such experiential and life-long learning destinations, I find
that I inevitably experience a need to see through my mind's eye
the events that occurred here; and to sense the people who
inhabited the place in centuries past. In St. Augustine, this
kind of full integration of the senses and the mind is very much
a part of the travel experience.
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
The Colonial Spanish Quarter
The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in the United States
The Oldest House in the United States
St. George Street (shops, restaurants, and all the
history of the Spanish quarter
Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth
The evocative architecture
of St. Augustine
Henry Flagler had a profound impact on
the architecture of St. Augustine. The co-founder of Standard
Oil (along with John D. Rockefeller), he was of course
incredibly wealthy and first visited the city during the winter
of 1888-84.
He was immediately charmed by the area
and thought the city had enormous potential. However, he found
the hotels and public transportation inadequate for what he
recognized as a potential travel destination. He was so
passionate about his ideas that he ultimately gave up his
day-to-day responsibilities at Standard Oil to pursue his
projects in St. Augustine. He built the 540-room Ponce de Léon
hotel and then purchased the Jacksonville, St. Augustine &
Halifax Railroad, the first section of what would eventually
become the Florida East Coast Railway. Although he has been
called the “Father of Miami” and was involved in many other
aspects of Florida’s history, I believe his influence can best
be seen in St. Augustine.
Some “Flagler”architectural
points of interest:
Flagler College (Formerly the Hotel Ponce de Léon
built by Henry Flagler)
Casa Monica Hotel (Formerly the Cordova Hotel built
by Flagler)
Lightner Museum (Formerly the Alcazar Hotel built
by Flagler)
Memorial Presbyterian Church (Built in 1889 as a
memorial to Flagler’s daughter)
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St. Augustine as an
art
lover's mecca
It’s no surprise that a place that is
so rich in culture and beauty has inspired artists over the
years. In fact, from the 1930s through the 1950s, St. Augustine
had a thriving arts community that attracted hundreds of
artists. The city eventually became the largest art colony in
the southern U.S. through the efforts of a small group of
artists who founded the St. Augustine Arts Club in 1931. In
1934, it changed its name to the Arts Club of St. Augustine and
then became the Art Association of St. Augustine in 1948. Local
businessmen and retailers who understood that cultivating the
arts was a way to promote economic development supported the
association. Today, the arts community is still flourishing with
over 25 galleries and studios in the area.
Some arts “destinations” in St.
Augustine
The St. Augustine Art Association (Changing
competitive shows, plus permanent collection gallery)
Butterfield Garage Art Gallery (Contemporary work
by award-winning member artists)
Absolute Americana Art Gallery (Original artworks
from influential 21st century artists; includes a permanent
exhibit of Pierre Henri Matisse)
Carrera Gallery (The art gallery of Flagler
College)
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The culinary culture of
St. Augustine
One of the best ways to discover a
destination's a story is by experiencing its culinary
possibilities. All of the ethnic groups that have passed through
this city have left their mark, and dining in St. Augustine is a
gastronomic experience par excellence. Spanish,
Italian, French, Greek, German, Asian, Swiss, and Southern
Florida Cracker are all represented here. Fine dining, casual
eating, and gourmet bistros are everywhere, and many of feature
world-renowned chefs.
A few that I highly recommend
Palm Café & Bakery (Chef Aaron Miles, features
gourmet dining and a relaxed ambiance.)
Kingfish Grill (Fine cuisine and a beautiful view
of the Intracoastal Waterway)
Claude’s Chocolate (Hand-made chocolate by a
renowned French chef)
Athena Restaurant (St. Augustine’s premier
Greek restaurant)
“Organic” St. Augustine
Enjoying the great outdoors is a part
of the authentic St. Augustine experience: hiking, biking,
kayaking, sailing, shell collecting, parasailing, fishing, and
surfing are just some of the activities available for outdoor
enthusiasts. A quiet walk on the city's pristine beach will
clear your mind. During a sea kayaking excursion, my tour guide
regaled me with tales from St. Augustine’s past. Floating on the
surface of the ocean in a kayak is such a calming and serene
experience; and a welcome break from the intense and thoughtful
sightseeing tours.
For outdoor enthusiasts
Kayak tours (One of my favorite activities)
Nature Boat tours (A great way to see
dolphins)
Schooner Freedom (A romantic sail on a
replica of a 19th -century schooner)
Ghost Tours (A great way to enjoy the night
air and some thrills and chills)
The Red Train (Catch the Red Train and
learn the layout of the land; and a lot about history)
Classic
accommodation
in St. Augustine
There is no shortage of unique places
to stay in St. Augustine. The most fascinating places (in
addition to Henry Flagler’s hotel legacies) are the quaint and
often mysterious bed & breakfasts that are everywhere in the
city. For a more personal experience, I recommend staying at one
of the latter. Almost all of them are stories in themselves, and
their owners have a lot of genuine pride as well as knowledge
about their hometown. Along with beautiful furnishings, quiet
ambiance, and luxury treatment, all of these bed and breakfasts
have something different to offer. The fact that some of them
are haunted only adds to the lure of each place.
Places to stay
Casa de la Paz
St. Francis Inn
Bayfront Marin House
Bayfront Wescott House
Inn on Charlotte Street
Casa de Solana
Casablanca Inn
Enduring St. Augustine
It is no wonder that so many people
choose to return to St. Augustine time and again. There are so
many layers to uncover in this city. St. Augustine is what I
love most about the places I’ve been to in Europe; the elegant
beauty of blending the old with the new; the integration of
history and culture; and the very real effect this meaningful
atmosphere has on the people of St. Augustine. This is a
thoughtful city. How fortunate for me that St. Augustine happens
to be in my part of the world.
For More
Information
The Official Website for the City of St. Augustine
St. Augustine's Old City
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention
Bureau
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