St Augustine
Most of Florida is virtually devoid of attractions dating back to before the late 19th century, but St Augustine is a major exception. It is the oldest permanent European settlement in what became the United States. In 1564 the French set up a garrison in the area which threatened the route of the treasure ships returning to Spain and had potential to be used as a base for colonisation. In 1565 the Spanish responded by setting up a the fortified village of San Augustín and they used it as a base to destroy the French garrison. The English also had ambitions to establish colonies in North America and in 1586 Sir Francis Drake attacked and burned St Augustine. Although the English colonies were established further north, St Augustine remained a flashpoint until the British took over Florida in 1763. Today the city is renowned for its mixture of Spanish Colonial buildings and Victorian architecture.
Government House
The Old Plaza in the centre of the city was laid out way back in the early days of St Augustine. It was overlooked by the residence of the colonial Governor until it was destroyed by the English in 1702. A new Governor’s residence built around 1710 was used under both Spanish and British rule. It was where in 1821 the Spanish Governor handed control of East Florida to the USA. It then became derelict and soon only the walls remained standing. It was rebuilt to become a US court house and customs house. During the Civil War it was used as a military hospital. In 1937 it was enlarged for use by the US Postal Service. The walls of the east wing (on left in the picture) are from the original 1710 structure. It is now a museum with displays of Spanish and British colonial artefacts and military items.
St George Street
St George Street is the main tourist street in the historic centre of the city. It is lined with original historic houses from various periods plus some modern reconstructions on their original sites. The pedestrianised section from the city gates near Castillo de San Marcos down to Cathedral Place is most popular with its many shops and bars, but it is worth continuing south as far as St Francis Street to see more fine old buildings with fewer crowds. Near the northern end of the street is the oldest wooden school house in the USA which was built as a house in the early 18th century under Spanish rule. It became a school house in 1788. Click Tab 2 to see a picture of the oldest wooden school house.
Downtown St Augustine from top of St Augustine Lighthouse
St Augustine remains a a low rise city so several of the major historical sites are clearly visible from the top of the lighthouse on Anastasia Island. On the left are the towers of Flagler College and City Hall. In the centre is the Bridge of Lions linking the island to St Augustine, while the long, low grey structure on the right is Castillo de San Marcos.
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Castillo de San Marcos, St Augustine
In 1668 the English pirate Robert Searle attacked and plundered St Augustine. In 1670 the English founded Charleston in the Carolinas, little more than 320 kilometres (200 miles) from St Augustine by sea. This prompted Spain to improve the defences of the city with a stone fort called Castillo de San Marcos built between 1672 and 1695. The fort soon proved its worth as in 1702 the English sailed from Carolina in an attempt to capture St Augustine. They burned much of the city but the fort kept the people of St Augustine safe for 2 months until the Spanish fleet arrived from Cuba. In 1740 during the War of Jenkins Ear, British ships laid siege for 27 days, again without success. The fort is now preserved as Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.
Gonzalez Alvarez House
The oldest part of this house was erected as a two room single story coquina structure in the early 1700s soon after the English destroyed St Augustine. Its present appearance dates back to the period of British rule in Florida when it was extended and altered resulting in a mixture of Spanish and British architecture. The house in St Francis Street is owned by the St. Augustine Historical Society and is open for public tours as part of the Oldest House Museum Complex which also includes the Manucy Museum and the Page L. Edwards Gallery.
Flagler College (former Ponce de León Hotel)
Railway magnate Henry M. Flagler arrived in the 1880's and saw the potential to develop the city into a major resort for leisure travellers. He built two sumptuous hotels, the Ponce de León Hotel and the Alcazar Hotel both of which opened in 1888. The Alcazar closed during the Great Depression. Chicago publisher Otto C. Lightner, purchased the building in 1946 and set up a museum of Victoriana. He gave the museum to the city and the building is now both the Lightner Museum and the City Hall. The Ponce de León Hotel closed in 1967 and is now the Flagler College. Click Tab 2 to see the Lightner Museum & City Hall.
St Augustine Lighthouse from Boat Works
When the Spanish founded St Augustine the settlement was supplied mainly by sea, so a watchtower was built on Anastasia Island in the late 1500’s to aid navigation. In 1824 a lighthouse was built on the site of the watchtower, the first in Florida. By 1870 the lighthouse was threatened by coastal erosion so work began to build a new lighthouse. The new lighthouse was 50 metres (165 feet) tall and was constructed of Alabama brick and Philadelphia iron. It opened in 1874 and is now the oldest surviving brick structure in St Augustine. The old lighthouse collapsed into the sea in 1880. St Augustine Lighthouse was automated in 1955. It still operates as a lighthouse, but the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage are now primarily a museum. Both the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage are reputed to be haunted.
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© Mike Elsden 1981 - 2025
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