#17, Lousia Fatio's House

 February 21, 2024

In "Margaret's Story", the third book of Eugenia Price's Florida trilogy, Margaret Fleming has a dear friend named Louisa Fatio.  She's also her husband's cousin.  At one time Louisa lived across the St John's River from Hibernia, which was home to Lewis and Margaret and their family.  Louisa's plantation, known as  Switzerland, was burned by Seminole Indians so she and her sister Sophia fled to St Augustine.  Eventually they opened a boarding house.  

Near the south end of the historical St Augustine, on Aviles Street, is that boarding house, beautifully preserved as a museum.  Louisa ran this as a genteel boarding house for those who were in need of Florida's restorative climate during the winter months, from about 1855-1875.  

When I arrived in the late afternoon I was told that they weren't giving anymore tours that day.  They did, however, have an audio tour that could be done at my own pace.  I was the only one there so I was able to take my time and just turn up the volume on the little narration device so that I didn't have to hold it to my ear.  

 

Each of the many rooms was set up with original or period furnishings.  Below, the dining table with its large punkahs over the table.  An enslaved child would likely have kept them moving throughout the meal to keep the flies away.

Above, the guest parlor, and below, one of the guest rooms

It is likely that Eugenia Price fictionalized a bit as there are some discrepancies between her story and the information provided at the museum.  Here it is indicated that Louisa raised her nieces and nephew.  Whoever it was that made up her family, they would have lived in the family parlor, above.  Below, their beautiful square grand piano.

The guestrooms were on both the first and second floor.  Then, up a long flight of stairs was an attic room that was for enslaved and free servants.  I somehow didn't take many pictures of guest rooms, and none of the upstairs.  However, it was a long, simple room, piled with leftover furniture and so on, with a few mats to roll out for sleeping.  When guests brought their servants and slaves, they would likely have shared this room.

Out back was a separate kitchen.  Separated to protect the main house from the possibility of fire, as well as to keep from heating it up in the warmer months.

A lush garden filled in the back of the lot, providing fresh produce for the family as well as for the boarder's meals.  A fig tree provides a shady spot to sit on a warm afternoon.

All the laundry was done outdoors in a big pot over a fire, but the separate "wash house" out back was for ironing, mending and other like chores.

Louisa Fatio lived from 1797 - 1875.  She is buried in the family graveyard back at the plantation, Switzerland, but lives on as one of the many who graced this beautiful home, as well as in "Margaret's Story".

#16, The Castillo de San Marcos, St Augustine

 February 22, 2024

Sprawling over twenty acres and constructed of more than 400,000 blocks of native coquina stone, the Castillo is an imposing structure.  Built by the Spanish between 1672 and 1695, with walls 14 feet thick and around 30 feet tall, the fort endured heavy fighting but never fell. 

The fort has a long and complicated history.  It changed hands six times, and was in the possession of four different governments; the Spanish, the British, the Confederate States, and the United States.  At the beginning of "Maria", the first book in Eugenia Price's Florida trilogy, Maria and her British soldier husband, David, have just arrived at the Castillo in St. Augustine.  The year is 1763.  Spain has relinquished Florida in exchange for Havana so the Spanish are leaving by the shipload every day.  British soldiers occupy the dank rooms at the fort, but as David is ill, Maria, a strong and enterprising woman goes into the town of St Augustine and arranges to rent a house there so she can better care for David.  Below you can see one of the rooms where the soldiers would have slept, ate and relaxed between their duties.

The arched ceiling of these rooms called casements), provided more support for the floor above, so that heavy cannons could be mounted above. 

In addition to being used as guardrooms for the soldiers, these were also used to store provisions.  From food to ammunition, these supplies were for both those in the Castillo as well as in the city.  In the various rooms they were able to store up to 20,000 cannonballs! 

Guns of all sizes seemed to be mounted everywhere.  There was some explanation about mortars, cannons and howitzers and their various uses, but I perceived them all as cannons.  Even though I don't know a lot about them, I still find them impressive. 

The inner portions of the Castillo were accessed by crossing over two draw bridges.  This larger, second drawbridge took three soldiers 15 minutes to close.  It was left open unless there was a threat of danger, but the first drawbridge, which was shorter, was closed each evening.

On the two water-side points of this ancient star-shaped fortress are round towers.  Depending on the source, they are either unnamed, or referred to as bell towers or watch towers.  The first one is low enough that one can see out of the opening, making it likely that it was a watch tower.

The second one doesn't have a bell, but also doesn't have steps or a raised floor.  The large openings would seem to point to its use as a bell tower. 

In the above pictures you can see the coquina, the unique building material that was used on the fort, as well as on a large majority of the buildings in Colonial St Augustine.  Coquina was made up tiny shells and other organic debris, pressed together.  It was mined in block form.  Often the builder, or a subsequent owner of a building would plaster over the coquina to make a smooth surface.  In time the plaster begins to come off, taking much of the coquina with it.  Portions of  the fort are beginning to fall apart because of that, as well as from people handling it.  Below, a closeup of coquina.

During my visit on a Thursday afternoon there were scads of kids in several school groups.  Because of that I skipped some areas and didn't try to read everything, but instead enjoyed the overview of this national treasure, so full of rich history.  

#15, Trinity Episcopal Church, St Augustine

 February 23, 2024

Across the shady plaza from the ornate Catholic Cathedral Basilica of St Augustine is a simple, sandy-colored church, The Trinity Episcopal Church.  

I was greeted at the door by a lovely elderly lady in full 19th century dress.  She eagerly shared with me the church's complex history, connecting back to the time when the British took possession of Florida.  

Since the founding of St Augustine in 1565 the city had been Spanish, so had only known Catholicism.  Steps were taken when British Governor James Grant arrived in 1764, to bring in the Anglican church.  It wasn't easy, but by 1771 services were being held regularly in an unfinished coquina (crushed shell) and wood building named St Peter's Anglican Church.  But in 1783 when Spain again took possession of Florida, the church was demolished.  

In 1821 when Florida became a United States territory, efforts were rekindled to build, not an Anglican, but an Episcopal church in St Augustine.  Various temporary arrangements were made, but in 1827 a lot by the plaza was purchased.  The first services were held in 1831.  Over the next nearly 200 years, many modifications were made.  The church is now cruciform in design.  The original nave has become St Peter's Chapel, and makes up the north transept.  It is a very active congregation now, with three services held each Sunday.

The church is very proud of their 28 stained glass windows.  The one below is a "Tiffany" window and is located in the St Peter's Chapel.

And their other Tiffany window.

The curved beams of the dark-stained ceiling resemble that of a ship upside down.  I've seen this in other churches and it has been explained in different ways.  Whether it is for form, function or both isn't clear. Today I learned that the word nave, or the main body of the church, is derived from "navis", the Latin word for ship.

Back outside, the bell in the wood-shingled bell tower chimes the hours, and plays hymns throughout the day, sweetly blessing the city.

#14, Spanish Street Inn, My Cozy Home in St Augustine

 February 20 - 24, 2024

Running through the heart of the historical district, St George street is where it's all happening.  Closed to vehicle traffic, its cobbled streets are lined with restaurants and shops of all types.  Just one street over is Spanish Street, a narrow street of one way traffic, a few shops and residences.  

Constructed in 1920, 44 Spanish Street Inn is quite small, with only 8 guestrooms.  My room, "The Jasmine", is one of the six found up a long flight of stairs.  It has it's own full bath and a small table where I can eat if I bring back food. 

The views out my windows are interesting.  Very close is this old abandoned house.  I haven't figured out the history, but property prices must be astronomical here so there must be some reason it's not in use.  In the lower edge of the picture, those leaves aren't on the ground, but on a porch roof.  There's a veritable garden growing there.  And on the upper roof there's not only grass growing, but what looks like a wisteria vine.  Fat squirrels scamper up and down the tree, and those huge tropical plants have stems that are attached firmly to the tree trunk.  

At the right window there's some kind of palm pushing against the glass.  It scrapes and chatters as the wind blows it.

Out behind the inn there's a detached breakfast cottage.  They've served a nice little breakfast each day.  Since I booked my room through a travel app, I didn't receive some of the information that the other guests did.  Thus I didn't know when or where to find breakfast.  When I finally arrived, the room was full except a little table in the corner.  One woman said good morning, and then told me that they'd saved me that spot.  Perhaps it will seem unreasonable, but I felt so left out.  Inns are usually "community dining" like on the train.  As they chatted away amongst themselves, I had to choke down tears of loneliness.  

The next day I got there early, and while I still sat in the corner, I introduced myself to the woman who greeted me the day before.  We've chatted across tables each days since. 

This isn't a review, but if it was, the only things I'd say would be an improvement would be the presence of an owner or manager.  Also, there is no gathering room where one might sit and read or chat with others, beyond the one hour for breakfast.  I simply have a code to let myself in the door that goes straight up the stairs.  I think in warmer weather the back courtyard could be a pleasant place to sit. 

The only other downside, and not at all their fault, is that parking is quite a ways down the street.  It wouldn't even be an issue except that the street is all torn up and blocked off.  The construction changes daily, so each time I need to go to my car I have to figure out how to get through.  All in all though, this has been a lovely place to call home.  When I've been out and about in the evening, it's so nice to come home to.

#13, Historical St Augustine and the Oldest Wooden School House

 February 20 - 22, 2024

That St Augustine is rich in history is obvious.  It is, after all, the oldest city in the United States.  My desire to visit here was birthed in Eugenia Price's "Florida" trilogy.  That series began as the Spanish were leaving for the first time in 1763.  The final book ends well after Florida has become a state.  For me, this series was much more complicated that the series that she wrote about St Simon's Island.  Yet, there are several key people that I want to "find" in St Augustine.  As I visit various places, it's a thrill when their name comes up and I can make a connection.  However, I can tell that there will be fewer, and less personal connections.  

The first property that I visited on a very chilly Wednesday morning, was right in the thick of things on St George Street.  The Oldest Wooden School House. 

There is a large discrepancy on the dates given for the construction of this small building, but as the British burned St Augustine in 1702, it is certain that a wooden structure would not have survived.  City tax records show it to be present in 1716.  In 1780, it was sold by Jesse Fish, a savvy land broker who represented the fleeing Spanish in the sale of their property, to a Juan Genopoly.  Juan was a carpenter from Greece, and now a British citizen.  Jesse Fish was a dear friend and confidant to Maria, (of the first book in the series) who came to St Augustine as a skilled midwife and wife of a British soldier.

The children taught by Mr. Genopoly were Minorcans.  Minorcans and their history have a large presence in St Augustine.  Originally they were brought over as indentured servants by a Dr. Andrew Turnbull, to work on his indigo plantation of New Smyrna.  They (and other Europeans brought with them) were dreaming of the promised land but suffered under harsh conditions and deprivation.  After nine years many of them were able to flee to St. Augustine.  Juan Genopoly invited the children into his home to learn to read and write.

 

Discipline and punishment was much different in those days.  In the brightness of the window, beside the teachers desk, a young boy stands wearing the dunce cap. No doubt he wasn't able to memorize his spelling.  For misbehaviors like fidgeting while sitting for hours on a backless bench, a child might find himself in the closet under the stairs (aka, "the dungeon").  

Originally a one room home, Juan, after marrying a woman in St Augustine, added on a family parlor at the back as well as an upstairs, and an outdoor kitchen.  All made of bald cypress and red cedar, fitted together with hand carved wooden pins and handmade nails.  He and his wife had four children.  Two of them went on to teach in the school.  

The last class to attend the school was in 1864.  The school master of the day, John Genopoly, (presumably a son) is said to have gone off to serve as a sergeant in the Civil War.  Nine members of that last class had a memorable reunion in 1931 that was written up by the local newspaper.  They tell of their days of learning, of watching out for rats in the dungeon and other interesting things.  It was they who, in their advanced years, set up the schoolhouse as a museum the way they remember it looking during their years of attendance. 

In the photo above is the interior of the detached kitchen.  Below, taken while standing in the garden you can see the back of the building.  A heavy chain (also visible in the photo of the front) was placed around the building in the 1930s to hold the building in place in a hurricane.  I wasn't able to take photos of the garden as there was a school group occupying most of it.  

This tiny schoolhouse could be easily missed, situated as it is in the bustle of the shopping district of historic St Augustine, but I'm glad that I took the time to visit, as it's truly a treasure.

#12, Family Time and the Drive South

 February 17 - 20

After a good sleep and excellent breakfast at my hotel just over the border in North Carolina, I turned my little rented Kia towards the south.  My eldest son, Brandon, his wife and two littles moved to South Carolina last summer.  Brandon is a very skilled carpenter and jack-of-all-trades so has been remodeling a house in the little town of Landrum.  

He's been working on this house for many years, bit by bit, making trips back and forth from Washington.  Their daughter is now in kindergarten here in their quaint little town so they are now residents.

I got to spend parts of three days with them, taking in some local sights, having a back yard bonfire, and seeing some of the local birds.  Their resident cardinals were too shy for me to get pictures, but a sweet bluebird couple and a jay posed not too far away. 

On a sunny, but chilly Saturday we drove to visit Campbell's Covered Bridge.  The last remaining bridge in South Carolina, it was built between 1909 and 1911 of pine.  The 12 foot wide, 38 foot long structure was so named for Alexander Lafayette Campbell, who used to run the grist mill nearby.

Though far too cold for wading, the stream below, with its smooth rock shore was a fun place to explore.

In the evening we were treated to brilliant color from their upstairs window.

Sunday afternoon, following their church service, was still chilly but warm enough for a walk through the little town and around the neighborhood. 

On Monday night I said my goodbyes.  Tuesday morning I packed up, and after one last good breakfast, I turned my car towards the south.  Stopping only at rest areas and for gas, I kept on going.  First I-26 E through North and South Carolina, and then I-95 S through Georgia and down to St Augustine, Florida.  

I have never driven so far in one day, or for that matter, so fast.  When I finally arrived in the city I found myself relieved, thankful, and, I admit, a bit surprised that I had safely found my way.  I did have a little trouble finding my lodging, the parking, and then my way back to the inn, due to a street being reconstructed, but eventually I was able to pull the covers over me for the night.  Lots of history to visit in this ancient city.