St. Augustine, Florida's 5 Best Historical Locations ... - Travel & Leisure

In 1565, the Spanish founded St. Augustine to protect their remote holdings in Florida. Although it was attacked on numerous occasions, the settlement has survived and is now the oldest town in the United States. It is a favored destination for historically minded travelers, not only for its heritage but also for its great location on the coast of Florida.

Here are 5 of the best historical sites to visit in St. Augustine.

5. The Lincolnville Neighborhood
This is St. Augustine?s most historical, predominantly black neighborhood. Founded in 1866, just after the Civil War, it contains many Victorian-era buildings including St. Mary?s Missionary Baptist Church, and St. Paul?s African Methodist Episcopal Church. During the nineteenth century and beyond, these places served as an enclave from the era of Jim Crow.

Later, this area was the center of the local civil rights struggle. Martin Luther King visited in 1964 and helped residents in their battle for equal accommodation in the city?s restaurants and facilities. Later that year, Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act which enshrined these principles in law.

4. The Gonzalez-Alvarez House
St. Augustine was attacked and burned by English colonists in 1702. In the rebuilding process after that event, the Gonzalez-Alvarez house was constructed. It is Florida?s oldest surviving house, and one of the older houses in all of the United States.

For many years, the house belonged to Tomas Gonzalez y Hernandez. This man moved to St. Augustine in his youth, where he served as a soldier. He and his wife lived in the house and raised a family. Tragically, one of their children died in the house in 1727.

After spending most of his life in this house, Gonzalez y Hernandez was forced to leave in 1763. In that year, the town was ceded to the British. Many people owned the home after that, until it passed into the hands of the St. Augustine Historical Society. Tours are readily available.

3. The St. Augustine Cathedral
The Parish of St. Augustine was the first Catholic parish in what is now the United States. Founded in 1594, it oversaw the construction of several hastily built ?cathedrals? out of whatever timber could be found in the area. These either caught fire or were destroyed in various attacks by the English.

A more permanent cathedral was built in 1797. The walls are laid from coquina concrete, which is a very durable substance made from local shells and rocks. Although a large fire gutted the building in 1887, the foundation remained in place. An architect from New York named James Renwick, Jr. restored the building at that time, and even expanded upon it.

The Spanish Colonial style leaves nothing to be desired, with ornate bell towers rising smartly into the air. Tours are available.

2. The former Ponce de Leon Hotel
St. Augustine was one of the first towns that Henry Flagler ?Rockefeller?s right hand man ? visited on his initial trip to Florida in 1876. He was so impressed with the potential of what he saw that he immediately launched a multi-million dollar investment campaign, with the singular goal of turning that state (mostly a jungle at the time) into the vacation capital of America.

Friends said he was crazy, but his plans succeeded beyond his wildest imagination. No man is more responsible for the modernization of Florida than Flagler.

One of his most finest achievements was the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine. Built from the ubiquitous coquina concrete, it immediately drew the highest class of American traveler after its completion in 1888. Some illustrious guests included Somerset Maugham, Babe Didrickson, and Mark Twain.

The building is now part of Flagler College, which maintains the building in its historical condition. It is easily accessible to the public during normal university hours.

1. The Castillo de San Marcos
After several previous forts were burned, the Spaniards spent a full twenty-three years constructing the imposing Castillo de San Marcos. It is the oldest masonry fortification in the United States, and is still in excellent condition.

The first test of the fort came in 1702, when a British invasion force laid siege to St. Augustine. While much of the town was burned, the residents and soldiers found safety within San Marcos, and the British were eventually forced to retreat. The episode set a good precedent, as the fort has never been taken by force.

Visitors are now able to tour the grounds and enter some of the interior rooms. The fort is managed by the National Park Service.

About the Author:

Dan Bryan has received a B.A. in American History from the University of Chicago. His goal is to empower Americans of all backgrounds to appreciate their historical heritage. He has written about Miami and other southern history topics for his website, American History USA.

This guest post was written for Travel & Leisure Group, respected timeshare resellers and members of RDO, TATOC and ARDA. Image credit to mathewingram.

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