If you’ve been to St. Augustine at night - walked along the coast to take in the sharp tang of brine and the close sound of ocean waves colliding with the shore - you probably have seen a light in the distance, revolving in mechanical circles as it sweeps over the dark water below. A …
Continue reading A Cartographic History of the St. Augustine Lighthouse
Over 450 years of Black history fill the streets of St. Augustine. From the city's origins in 1565, Black men and women built their lives on the shores of the Matanzas River. The names of their children and grandchildren fill local Catholic parish records as early as the 1590s. Their sweat, skill, and resilience contributed …
Continue reading Presence / Erasure: Black History in St. Augustine | Reading List
Today, Avenida Menendez runs parallel to St. Augustine's seawall and the Matanzas River - from the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument to St. Francis Street. But did you know that Avenida Mendendez was once known as Bay Street? And before it became Bay Street, it was a coastal marsh? European settlement in this area …
Continue reading Walls and Roads: From Bayfront to Avenida Menendez
Have you ever stopped by Tedi's Olde Tyme Ice Cream on St. George Street? Long before serving sweet treats, the site was home to the Benet family and their store. Let us take a scoop into the past of 65 St. George Street. Located on the southeast corner of Cuna and St. George Streets, the …
In 1513, Spain claimed much of today's Southeastearn United States as their own - naming the large area La Florida. Their colony covered an area already home to a wide variety of Indigenous cultures and tribes. To convert the Native Americans to Christianity, control such a large area, and prevent colonization by other countries, Spain …
"Hey do you know about the USA? Do you know about the government? Can you tell me about the Constitution?" Nope, not the United State's Constitution from School House Rock's 1976 song Preamble. Today, we sing about the constitución behind St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitución. Join us as we harmonize over the other revolutionary …
Since 1598, Governor's House has served the city of St. Augustine in many different ways, including as a governor's residence and office, barracks, a courthouse, a post office, a museum, and a library. However, did you know it also housed a school? Let us head back in time together to learn more about this short …
Today, Lake Maria Sanchez is a lake located at the southern end of Lincolnville and St. Augustine's peninsula. We know a lake may not sound too exciting in a state full of waterways, but did you know this lake wasn't always a lake? Also, who was Maria Sanchez? (The answer is not the professional tennis …
Over 100,000 years ago, the St. Johns River formed as Florida's peninsula took shape. Starting as trapped ocean water, the river eventually became over 300 miles long and a vital part of life. Its freshwater flows northwards from marshes in today's Indian River County to the Atlantic Ocean in present-day Jacksonville. Humans began to call …
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: …
Governor's House Library 