It would be a daunting task to portray every historical building in St Augustine, but there were several that stood out to me. Henry Flagler, railroad tycoon, certainly left his mark on the city.
What is now known as Flagler College, was constructed between 1885 and 1887 as the Ponce de Leon Hotel. It was one of the first buildings to be constructed of poured concrete and one of the first to have electricity. Only the best would do, so there were light fixtures and stained-glass panels designed by Louis Tiffany himself, as well as other elements by famous artists.
During WWII The Ponce was converted into training space and housing for the US Coast Guard. Following WWII, it was again running as a hotel, until in 1967 it closed. It was then sold by one of Flagler’s descendants to be used as a college.
Across King Street from "the Ponce", Flagler had another, slightly less expensive hotel built called the Alcazar. Though somewhat less elaborate, it nonetheless had many amenities, including what was at that time, the world’s largest swimming pool. The hotel was a favored destination, and did well for many years, but when the depression hit, it began to decline, and in 1932 it closed its doors.
This huge building sat empty until 1947 when it was purchased by a private individual, Otto Lightner. Lightner was a collector in a very big way of art, design, and novelty items.
After buying the building, Lightner donated it to the
city. Half of it has become City Hall,
and the other half is a museum for Lightener’s collections. The swimming pool is now an upscale
restaurant. I didn’t visit the museum or
eat lunch there, but talked with someone who has done both. She felt it was a worthwhile thing to do. Lightner is buried in the museum.
One interesting fact is that in front of what used to be The Alcazar Hotel is a statue, not of either Henry Flagler or Otto Lighter, but of Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the man credited with founding the city of St Augustine in 1565. Despite the ruffle around his face and what could be seen as a frilly skirt, Don Pedro was no sissy. He was, in fact, a rather brutal man.
Born into a privileged lifestyle, at 14 years old he left the confines of home life and ran off to sea. After some years of battle experiences as well as a couple of years in prison, he went, commissioned by King Phillip II of Spain, to deal with a threat of a French settlement on the Florida coast. Arriving with 2,000 men on 11 ships in July 1565, He named the bay of St Augustine and built a fort there. That done, he traveled to the nearby French colony of Fort Caroline. There he and his men killed the entire population. Further atrocities occurred but I can’t bring myself to write them down.
On a brighter note, Henry Flagler built and donated the Grace United Methodist Church. Constructed from 1886 to 1887, it is still in use today. I didn’t go inside.
Another notable building that caught my eye, not for its beauty, but for its connection to Maria, in book one of the trilogy. Maria, a capable midwife, was also a confident business woman and property owner. She took every opportunity to hobnob with those in government positions, whether they be British or Spanish.
A succession of wooden buildings housed the government on
this site from the founding of the city in 1565, but all were burned. In 1702 this coquina building with the
distinct upper patio was built. A series of thick, brown-painted corbels stand out against the sandy plastered
coquina walls.
The tallest building in St Augustine, at 8 stories high, is known as The Treasury. Built in 1929 as the First National Bank, it only lasted three years due to the crash of the stock market. It is now a popular destination wedding venue, providing everything needed for a special wedding.
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