Have you always wondered: What is the difference between a governor's house and a government house? Why does Florida have a governor's house in St. Augustine and a governor's mansion in Tallahassee? Well, today we are here to answer some of your gubernatorial housing questions. Governor's House vs. Government House To keep this definition simple: …
Brrrr. . . Someone turn up the heat in here. Fiddling with a thermostat offers a fast and easy way to take the chill out of your home. But how did Spanish colonists in early St. Augustine keep warm? After all, north Florida is no stranger to frost. The answer is simple: Brasero. A brasero …
We gather in our kitchens today - drawn by the promise of good food and company. For St. Augustinians, this vital space brought cultures and people from across the world together over the centuries. Let us step back in time and into la cocinas (kitchens) of some of the city's earliest residents. When St. Augustine …
We think the best part about the de la Puente map is that we're able to make connections not only between people and their homes, but between neighbors. On Friday, we explored the Rodriguez family and their home, and today we're heading just a few feet southeast to the Sanchez de Ortigosa family. Jose Sanchez …
Continue reading Vecinos en San Agustin (Neighbors in St. Augustine)
You may have walked up and down St. George Street countless times and never noticed the Rodriguez House, a petite structure unusually set far back from the road. It's nestled between the former Monk's Vineyard and the Spanish Dutch Convoy shop near the intersection of St. George and Cuna Streets. Though it's small in square …
Have you ever been to the Hyppo on St. George Street? Way before they were serving us all deliciously cold pops, it was the home of the Ortega family! If you've been following along this month, you know how vital the de la Puente map is to our understanding of Spanish colonial St. Augustine and …
At first glance, Gallegos House seems like an ordinary St. Augustine casa from the First Spanish Period (1513-1763). Juan Josef Elixio de la Puente on his 1764 map recorded the rectangular home built of ripio. He noted it belonged to Juan Garcia Martínez Gallegos. Almost two centuries later, the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board set …
Continue reading A History Mystery: Who was Juan Garcia Martínez Gallegos?
On January 22, 1764, Juan Josef Elixio de la Puente completed Plano de la RL. Fuerza Baluartes y Linea de la Plaza de SN. Agustin de Florida . . . or Puente map for short. As one of the earliest detailed plans of St. Augustine, we mention this map a lot for its historical value. …
Continue reading Juan Josef Elixio de la Puente: The Man Behind The Map
Did you know that the first free Black town within the present boundaries of the Unites States was founded in Florida? Located two miles north of St. Augustine, Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose stood for a time as the northernmost outpost of the Spanish empire. Today, you might know the community of freedom …
We eat history everyday. We grow traditions in our gardens. And culture simmers in our kitchens. Our culinary and agrarian story in St. Augustine is a unique and complex layering of culture, history, and geography. It is both grounded in our soil, water, seasons, and flora - as well as influenced by the globe. What …
Continue reading Growing St. Augustine’s Story: One Food at a Time
Governor's House Library 