ST AUGUSTINE FLORIDA-ONE OF THE OLDEST TOWNS IN USA

 ST AUGUSTINE 

FLORIDA

FOUNDED BY THE SPANISH IN 1565

St Augustine was foundered in1565 by Spanish explorers and is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the United States. It was called San Augustin by Pedro Menendez de Aviles as his ships first sighted land on August 28, the feast day of St Augustine. The city served as the capital of Spanish Florida for over 200 years. It was established as the capital of British East Florida when Britain established the colony in 1763 and  twenty years later returned it to Spain. In 1821 Britain handed it back to the USA.

 

                                                       Map Courtesy of Visit St Augustine

The Castillo de San Marco is the oldest stone fort in the US and is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay on the edge of St Augustine. Construction of the fort began in 1672, 107 years after the city was foundered. When Britain gained control of Florida in 1763, the fort was renamed Fort St Mark and in 1783 when Florida was given back to Spain, it took on its original name. In 1819 Spain passed Florida back the US and it was renamed Fort Marion. In 1924 it was declared a National Monument, later passed to the National Parks Service and its original names was restored in 1942.

 

At 14 St George Street is what is claimed to be the oldest wooden school-house in the USA, Built sometime before 1716 it is wrapped in an old steel chain designed to keep it on the ground in a hurricane.

 

 Walk the streest of this interesting town with its historic buildings and gate

St Augustine is 40 miles south of Jacksonville, 314 miles north of Miami and 180 miles from Tampa. We stayed a little out of the old town because of cost and convenienece at COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT St Augustine  I 95