May 22, 2015

Mission Nombre de Dios

Folks who have visited Mission Nombre de Dios invariably notice that it’s not just a peaceful attraction but also a cemetery of sorts, marked by the more than 100 graves scattered throughout the grounds. Five markers can be seen on this photo. The grave at far left is that of William Andreu (1826 ~ 1891). In the left foreground is the marker of Arthur Blanchard (1890 ~ 1892). The large white cracked stone at left memorializes Rosa L. Snowden (1862 ~ 1889). The middle stone in the background is that of Hattie Snowden (Jan 1889 ~ Aug 1889, daughter of Rosa and her husband J. D.) Not only is this a reverent place, but the lagoon and bridge also provide a beautiful backdrop.

 

St. George Street

This old-fashioned view is actually of a bedroom inside the De Mesa-Sanchez House, part of Colonial Quarter on St. George Street. The house is decorated to look much as it did in the 1830s (the bottom part of the home dates from before the 1760s while the top floor was built and enlarged throughout the 1700s and 1800s).Take note of the rope-bed (“sleep tight” indeed) and the unique wooden door. Out in the hallway is a design painted on the floor to resemble a rug. The De Mesa-Sanchez House is a terrific side trip if you love history, and fascinating even if you don’t.

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

May 15, 2015

Castillo de San Marcos

I love cannon. I love 350-year-old forts constructed during the Golden Age of Piracy. I love blue skies. And of course, I love St. Augustine. So naturally I gravitate toward the Castillo de San Marcos, and in all honesty, if left to my own devices, I could probably spend hours here with no problem. Boredom certainly wouldn’t be a concern. Here we’re standing in a room once used for subsidy supply storage. I can just imagine burly Spaniards heaving supplies off the ships at the harbor and carrying them up hill to the fort where they would be kept in one of many rooms set aside for storage.

Fountain of Youth

As I’ve said before, the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park offers something St. Augustine’s other historical and commercial attractions don’t: peace and relaxation. How can you stand on a bright sunny day and look at an aesthetically-pleasing, rippling pond without feeling your pulse slow and your mind turn to delightful mush? Even without the critters that used to reside in the pond, it’s still a great place to take in nature, to appreciate Florida beauty without any gimmicks. Just in this photo alone, you’ve got palm trees, a reconstructed thatch dwelling, and a replica of a 16th century Spanish mission church. Doesn’t get any better than this. (At least if you’re a history nerd, which I unabashedly consider myself to be . . .)

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

May 08, 2015

Tolomato Cemetery

  

This old cemetery dates from the 1700s and is one of St. Augustine’s fascinating historic burial grounds. Because I really enjoy studying such places, I thought it would be interesting to pick a random handful of people buried at Tolomato and breathe their names to life again. Let’s remember Antonia M. Sabate Arnau (born 20 Sep 1788, died 28 Aug 1829), Lucas Creyon (an Irishman, born 1785, died 21 Oct 1821), Sebastián Étien (French, born 1736, died 09 Dec 1787), Catherina Babbes Llambias (born 1728 in Spain, died 1800), Bartolo A. Masters (born 15 Sep 1825, d. 06 Dec 1865, a Civil War veteran), and Christianna Bradford O’Sullivan (born 18 Mar 1816, died 05 Oct 1841). If you have a moment, maybe you could try and learn something about these folks.

St. George Street

There are so many ways in which old St. Augustine shows it charm; this is just one of them. This beautiful fountain is located at the “back” entrance to St. George Street, near St. George Inn. The old clock in the background is nice too. Imagine just sitting here with some Whetstone’s Chocolates, enjoying the warm sea breeze, listening to the seagulls overhead . . . trust me, even if you’ve just returned from vacation, you’ll want to go again, like, now. And that bench in the left background looks pretty inviting too . . . 

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

May 01, 2015

Castillo de San Marcos 

 

You know that coquina structure that guards the entrance to the old fort? The ravelin doesn’t do much these days (besides being a cool stop-off and a great vantage point for Castillo photos) but in the days of pirates, Englishmen, and other nasty folks (at least nasty to the Spanish) it was pretty important. To get to the fort, you had to get past the men at the ravelin. You can still go inside, and once you clear a span of sturdy wooden steps, you can look out at the Matanzas Bay, the town, or the fort from one of three wooden platforms. (Check out the refurbished coat of arms, too. The Park Service folks did a beautiful job restoring it).

Fountain of Youth

At first glance this picture doesn’t seem to show much. It’s the very new wooden observation tower at the Fountain of Youth Park with some palm trees in the background (but I’m not sure why I felt the need to tell you that . . . I’m sure you know what palm trees are :-)). I like this shot because it embodies a lot of what St. Augustine’s about; preserving and interpreting history and natural Florida beauty. A soldier standing here in the 1500s or 1600s must have had a similar view. (Hopefully everything was peaceful and there wasn’t someone screaming from the top of the tower that ‘the British are coming! The British are coming!’)

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

April 24, 2015

Mission Nombre de Dios

 

The Mission of Nombre de Dios is one of those places where, no matter the weather, you’re sure to enjoy a time of peace and relaxation simply by walking the grounds. (Though don’t get caught in a thunderstorm like I did last year . . . not nice). Even the simple act of waiting for someone to come out of the gift shop is made pleasant by this view of a European-style fountain, a rustic path, and the Lagoon with its pretty arched bridge. The new religious museum can be seen at right. I can easily imagine that I’m sitting somewhere in the Old World and just soaking in the scene. Then again, St. Augustine has an abundance of such moments.

Old City Gate

If you’re a history lover, one of the best things about visiting St. Augustine is that you can discover centuries of history wherever you go. Homes, churches, and landmarks that have stood the test of time can be found around every corner, and the Old City Gate is no exception. Dating from 1808, this impressive coquina complex is located in the old historic district, sprawled across from Castillo de San Marcos and guarding the entrance to St. George Street. Sadly, though the masonry is in decent shape, people have been throwing garbage inside the wooden door slats where sentries once stood.

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays