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| St Augustine (Downtown) Taken from St. Augustine Lighthouse |
The Spanish influence is apparent throughout the area. Downtown (Old City) especially has the theme. The restaurants feature Spanish cuisine (as well as local seafood and American dishes). Something for everyone.
The 1565 founding of San Agustín (St. Augustine) makes this city the first permanent European settlement in what later became the continental United States. In 1566, Martín de Argüelles was born in San Agustín, the first European child who was recorded as born in the continental United States. Argüelles was born in San Agustín 21 years before the English settlement at Roanoke Island in Virginia Colony, and 42 years before the successful settlements of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Jamestown, Virginia.
At the north end of St. George Street stand the stone gates to the Old City. These ancient pillars were once the only entrance to the enclosed city.
The gates are built of stone, but the rest of the wall was of logs stood on end. On the outer side of this wall was a moat. The approach to the gates was over a drawbridge which was pulled up at night.
Downtown (Old City) has many shops, fine dining and even ghost tours nightly.
The Colonial Era (1500 - 1800) was filled with warfare as European countries vied for wealth in the many "New Worlds". The Castillo de San Marcos, though a remote outpost, weathered many attacks.
Once founded in 1565, the need for defense of St. Augustine was recognized and over the next 100 years, the Spanish built nine wooden forts for the defense of the town in various locations. The Castillo (the 10th fort) is a masonry star shaped fort made of a stone called coquina, Spanish for "small shells", made of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a type of stone similar to limestone. Construction began in October of 1672 and lasted twenty-three years, with completion in 1695.
The National Park Service manages the fort and provides interpreters and volunteers for a great learning experience. It was declared a national monument in 1924 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 (I visited there that year!). A great place to visit!
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| St. Augustine Lighthouse |
The lighthouse is located on Anastasia Island, a barrier island, in St. Augustine, FL. Since it's founding in 1565, it was obvious that a tower was needed for mariners to find St. Augustine. After all, it was "wilderness" in those days. The original wooden tower (as well as the town) were sacked and burned by Sir. Frances Drake (guess he wasn't such a nice guy). In 1683, the Spanish government replaced the wooden tower with a sturdier structure made of coquina stone.
Within six months of Florida becoming a United States territory in 1821, the Spanish coquina guardhouse/watchtower was converted to a true lighthouse. On April 5, 1824, Juan Andreu was named the first lightkeeper of the first lighthouse in the State of Florida. Ten big oil lamps in front of mirrors produced the light. By 1870, it was evident that the sea was encroaching upon the coquina lighthouse and it was in danger of collapse. The new lighthouse was built of brick on a concrete foundation. The first order Fresnel lens was first lit on October 15, 1874. Four years later the old coquina keeper's house fell into the ocean. The tower collapsed in a storm two years later. The location of the old lighthouse is an underwater archaeological site and visible at low tide.
St. Augustine Lighthouse is open to the public daily, and can be climbed (165 ft tall and 219 steps!). Be sure to visit the museum and gift shop! Oh yeah, as the crew from SyFy's "Ghost Hunters" discovered - it's haunted! Many people have lived at the light, two keepers died (consumption, fall) and three children (girls) died during construction when a rail car went out of control and into the water.
Other Attractions in St. Augustine
Ripley's Believe It or Not
Collections that include real shrunken human heads, rosaries made of human bone, and a drum kit featuring two human skulls fused together and covered with human skin. Those and 800 other unique exhibits, artifacts, artwork and so much more inside this museum.
Lightner Museum
Relics of America's Gilded Age are elegantly exhibited on the museum's three floors. Costumes, furnishings, mechanical musical instruments and other artifacts give you a glimpse into 19th century daily life. The Lightner collection includes beautiful examples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in The United States
Located near the City Gates, The Old School House is a surviving expression of another time. Built over 200 years ago, while Florida was under the rule of Imperial Spain, it was constructed of red cedar and cypress and put together with wooden pegs and handmade nails.Contact me for full travel information! 888-895-5255 http://www.harborlightadventures.com/
