August 14, 2015

Fountain of Youth

This picturesque pond is just one of the many beautiful sights you’ll see at the Fountain of Youth grounds. In the distance is the new Spanish watchtower along with a plethora of palms, and the center path takes you past some interpretive markers. Very near this spot is the reconstructed Timucua Indian village. Also down by the water in the left distance is the site of the original 1565 Spanish colony and the first wooden fort, which was called “San Juan de Piños.”

St. George Street

The pedestrian-friendly St. George Street offers a variety of historic houses; all the better that they’re shops, so you can go inside and look around without trespassing. :-) This particular shop, Casa Rodriguez, is also known as the Rodriguez-Avero-Sanchez House. The bottom level, constructed of native coquina shell-stone, dates from the 1700s, while the upper story and dormers date from the 1800s. A plaque to the right of the front door tells the house’s story and names former owners. This is one of my favorite historic structures along this street.

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

August 07, 2015

An Interesting Tale

 

As you may know, I’m particularly fascinated by the story of the French Protestants who were killed at Matanzas near St. Augustine in 1565 simply because they happened to have the “wrong” faith and nationality. In the same vein, I found a very interesting tale which took place in St. Augustine in 1605. A band of Frenchmen had been trading with Indians along the Savannah River when Spanish ships arrived. To be honest, the French in this case weren’t exactly angels, being considered pirates, but worst of all in the eyes of Spanish Catholics, they were also Huguenots. They were taken to St. Augustine and subjected to a variety of priestly exhortations. The truth was that converting to the Catholic faith wasn’t going to save their lives. They were pirates --- they were going to die. Yet for some reason, these men, who numbered twenty-one, decided to join the Catholic Church, all except for one man.

 

Now, who was this man, and why and how did he remain true to his faith when none others did? He died with the others, yet out of all his companions, he refused to give in. One might say his comrades truly desired to die in the Catholic Church, and while I imagine some did, I would say that it would be unlikely for more than a few to feel a true calling. What did the Spaniards think of this fellow and his stubborn avowal of the Protestant faith? Fascinating stuff. And it perturbs me greatly that I will never know his name and story! Such is the life of a history lover . . .

Castillo de San Marcos

It’s pretty rare to have the Castillo to yourself, and I guarantee that when this photo was taken, someone was about to poke their head in the room. Here we see the first Spanish guardroom from the back of the room, near the fireplace. The entrance that leads into the main hall is to the right. The door to the left leads to the second Spanish guardroom. Before the 1750s, both guardrooms were part of one large chamber. I don’t know the purpose of the hole in the wall (center left) and couldn’t venture a guess. I’m pretty sure it’s not a cannonball hole, though there are indeed such scars on the outside walls.

 (c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

July 31, 2015

Mission Nombre de Dios

The chapel of La Leche at the Mission Nombre de Dios embodies a great many interests: ancient Spanish architecture, a religious retreat for those spiritual-minded, a lovely, peaceful sojourn for any person of any creed, and a setting known for its natural Florida beauty. If you’re lucky enough to have the chapel to yourself, take advantage, and if you have to stand outside for a minute or two while someone else is finishing up their peaceful moment, it’s well worth the wait. Unfortunately, the grayish sky seen on this photo is the sort of sky we often have when we traverse the mission grounds . . . which is fine as long as there’s no accompanying tornado warning :-)

St. George Street

Ah, St. George Street, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This view shows the old City Gate and the street from San Marco Avenue. The gates look pretty good for being over 200 years old. From this angle you can see St. George Inn, Kilwin’s Ice Cream (gotta try this sometime), and an American flag flying in the breeze. You can also see the wooden roof and dormer window of the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, which has stood the test of time since the late 1700s. St. George Street is definitely a mixture of old and new; most of the houses are reconstructions, but some are original and date from the 1700s and 1800s. 

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

July 24, 2015

Castillo de San Marcos 

Whether you’re an American history aficionado or just enjoy exploring cool places, Castillo de San Marcos is the place for you. Even this simple shot of the entrance drawbridge has a lot going on: ancient coquina at right, 17th century walls evoking an era of opulence and piracy, artillery trained on imaginary attackers (who, unfortunately for the Spanish, weren’t imaginary in the 18th century), the old crest above the entrance. (The crest dates from 1756). And check out the dry moat. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t used as a moat by the Spanish, but was rather a place to graze cattle during times of hardship.

Aviles Street

Aviles Street is one of those perky, “artsy” sections of town that you might not have explored as thoroughly as the main tourist attractions. It’s home to art galleries, cafes, stately old homes, an old coquina wall pockmarked with cannonball scars, and the coral pink, impossible-to-miss Spanish Military Hospital. Here we see the Ximenez-Fatio House, dating from 1798. If you can find a place to park or don’t mind walking, you can take tours of the house. Just walking around St. Augustine and knowing that so many things you see date from the days of Spanish occupation is pretty fascinating in its own right.

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays

July 17, 2015

Mission Nombre de Dios

  

This peaceful photo shows off two favorite relaxation spots and photo ops at the Mission Nombre de Dios grounds: the La Leche chapel at left, and the simple but beautiful gazebo at right. Also visible are gravestones, part of a tomb, and a religious monument at far right. I have particularly enjoyed sitting in the gazebo on a humid morning, enjoying the breeze and gazing off toward the mission in the hopes that the other people present would move along so I could have the place to myself by the time I got there :-)

 

Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth is without doubt one of my all-time favorite St. Augustine attractions, and here’s just another reason why: the waterfront. This photo was taken from the newly-opened Spanish watchtower and shows the pier I had the pleasure of enjoying for the first time during my last trip. The pier is not to be missed. Not only can you see the Fountain grounds, part of the Mission Nombre de Dios grounds, the marsh, and the aesthetically-pleasing bridge to Vilano Beach, but the sheer relaxation of being so near the water makes it a great choice.

(c) 2015 St. Augustine Fridays