St Augustine Florida History
 While St. Augustine, Florida offers picturesque palm trees, white-sand beaches, and a semi-tropical climate, what really makes this charming city stand out from the crowd is its incredible, rich and celebrated history. St. Augustine is lined with historic sites and monuments attesting to its earliest origins. St. Augustine visitors are often surprised that such "ancient history" exists within the United States. But then again, that helps to explain why St. Augustine can boast as being the oldest city in the entire nation.
In terms of being a continuously occupied settlement with European beginnings, St. Augustine stands as the oldest city in all of America. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by the Spanish- a full forty-two years prior to when British settlers colonized Jamestown; and over half a century before Plymouth Rock was explored by the Pilgrims.
The discovery of Florida is attributed in large part to Juan Ponce de Leon- who, incidentally, was the first governor of the island of Puerto Rico in 1513. Florida was christened by Juan Ponce de Leon due to the fact that he discovered Florida on Easter Sunday. The Easter season in Spanish is called “Pascua Florida”. While Juan Ponce de Leon immediately claimed Florida for the Spanish crown, six subsequent expeditions launched to settle Florida failed miserably. Later, it was French Huguenots who managed to construct a fort in the area that is now Jacksonville. This posed a real and present danger to the Spanish crews carrying treasure back home to Spain.
 Not until 1565 did the Spanish voyager, Menendez, land in Florida and ultimately name the area after St. Augustine- whose feast was celebrated the very day they landed. Following the explicit instructions of the King, Menendez defeated the French army and firmly established a Spanish presence in northeastern Florida. From then on St. Augustine was central both as a strategic military settlement, and as a base for southeastern Catholic evangelistic efforts.
Today there are numerous top historic sites you'll want to visit while in St. Augustine. "The Oldest House" is a building enshrined as a National Historic Landmark dating back to the early 17th century! The walls of the "Oldest House" are made of a material known as "tabby"- which is a mixture of sand, shells, and lime. This landmark site also boasts a large Mulberry Tree that grows in the front yard. This house dates back to a time when a fleeting silk culture dominated the St. Augustine, FL area.
The "Authentic Old Jail" is another much celebrated St. Augustine historic site. A visit to the Authentic Old Jail here will demonstrate that things certainly have changed in the incarceration industry. This dungeon like location contains "delicate" historic artifacts such as ball and chains and heavy duty manacles! One trip here and you'll know that this was no place of luxury for the old-time criminals.
Forts and fortification structures are scattered throughout the greater St. Augustine area. Some of the most popular of these forts include the Castillo de San Marcos and the Mission of Nombre de Dios. Like the names suggest, these structures demonstrate Spanish architecture style seldom seen in North America. This unique architectural heritage is one of the most popular features on display in St. Augustine, Florida.
 Fort Mose is known as America's first fully-free black community. Fort Mose, located just north of the city, was formed in 1738 and pays tribute to a turning of the tide in race relations that the rest of America didn't experience until centuries later. While little remains of the original structures, an exhibit at Ponce De Leon Mall fills visitors on the rich and interesting history of Fort Mose.
An area known as the Old St. Augustine Village Perhaps is perhaps the greatest draw of all the historic attractions featured in St. Augustine. It doesn't take much to notice that "Old" and "Ole" are common names in St. Augustine, Florida! Numerous original building structures still stand in this incredible section of the city. You'll feel like you've stepped back in time in the Old St. Augustine Village. A walled block of houses and other historic structures help creates an historic ethos that is unlike any other North American location.
If history is what you're looking for, St. Augustine, Florida will not only entertain you, it will enthrall! And besides the historic treasures on display here, how many other American destinations can boast St. Augustine's white beaches, year-round sunshine, and tropical surf? Such natural beauty certainly makes your "historic education" in St. Augustine something extraordinary! Speaking of history, some of the most impressive structures on display here are the historic hotels. To experience these ole St. Augustine FL hotels and everything else St. Augustine has to offer, navigate to our St. Augustine hotels page to browse for and book the St. Augustine hotel that suits your particular accommodation needs.
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