FLORIDA FEATURE ARTICLES : SAINT AUGUSTINE

St Augustine's Attractions Bring History to Life

St Augustine historical attractions


With more than four centuries of colorful local history to draw from, the more than 60 unique, themed attractions in St. Augustine bring to life the history and romance of the Old City making the attractions of St Augustine one of the most popular features of the oldest, continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States.

Travelers can step back in time by walking amidst the authentic coquina walls and hand-hewn cedar beams that are evident in St. Augustine's Oldest House (Gonzalez-Alvarez House, 1727). Guests experience the lifestyles and craftsmanship in the living history Spanish Quarter Museum (1740s).

A stop at the Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archeological Park (1903) takes visitors through Christian Indian burial grounds and provides the opportunity to sip from the legendary Fountain of Youth.




The Ponce de Leon Hotel, a lavish, 18th-century Spanish Renaissance structure, was completed in 1888 by millionaire developer Henry Flagler and is now home to Flagler College.

Other historic attractions include the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse and the authentic Old Jail.

New to the Oldest City is the Old St. Augustine Village is an entire block of restored homes and gardens in the historic district. Nine homes, a country store, formal gardens, and authentically costumed guides tell the story of St. Augustine and its colorful inhabitants dating back to the 16th century.
The first Easter Mass held in the New World was at St. Augustine's Mission of Nombre de Dios. Masses are still held today at this peaceful site along the bay.

Two national monuments remain as guardians over the area of St. Augustine. Castillo de San Marcos (1695) was never conquered and endures as the nation's oldest and only remaining 17th-century stone fort. A small Spanish tower named Fort Matanzas (1742) once protected the inlet from pirates and British vessels approaching St. Augustine from the south.

A collection of museums display the most impressive mementos and historical artifacts that Florida has to offer.

The Government House Museum, on the corner of St. George and King Streets, dates back to the 1600s, when it was the political center of the city. One of the world's most impressive collections of American Brilliant Period cut glass is housed in the Lightner Museum (1888), originally the elaborate $1.5 million Hotel Alcazar built by Henry Flagler.

Other authentic pieces of history can be viewed in the Museum of Weapons and Early American History. Native American artifacts, guns of all types and one of the finest Civil War collections in the United States can be found in this exhibit from the 1500s to the 1900s.

With 219 steps leading up the 165 foot-tower, the candy-striped St. Augustine Lighthouse provides visitors a panoramic view of St. Augustine and the beaches. The Lighthouse Museum displays maritime artifacts and provides visitors with a look at what life was like for lighthouse keepers and their families.





Photo: Visit Florida









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