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City’s
Past and Present Coexist in Timeless Framework
Travel Excursion
Flagler College – St. Augustine
By Patrice Raplee
A small city cast
aglow off the Atlantic Ocean revels in the layered and mystifying
history that infuses it. The thin veil of the past is visible, sheltering
within the splendid Spanish architecture and the old stone gates
that once cosseted the town. These stone gates now lead to vibrant
avenues where extraordinary restaurants, boutiques, sparkling beaches
and museums all coexist in a timeless framework that is St. Augustine,
Fla.
Located on Florida’s northeast coast, St. Augustine is the
oldest European-occupied city in the U.S. Founded by Spain in 1565,
the town’s beautiful and predominately classic buildings, landscape
and street layouts reflect their Spanish origins. From Spanish rule
to a brief British rule, back to Spanish and then finally a U.S.
territory in 1821, St. Augustine echoes elements of all these interesting
periods.
There are no towering monolith buildings marring the city
and an almost zero crime rate. The small residential population and
strict limited building laws keep St. Augustine a historical and
picturesque haven, inviting for locals and visitors. Due to the original
street design configurations, the city is one of the most walkable
in the U.S. with the downtown corridor offset by Matanzas Bay on
one side and the cool, Sebastian inlet opposite. The city’s temperate
climate is idyllic. The ocean breeze mixes with the semi-tropical
air to form a unique atmosphere that is perfect for outdoor pursuits.
However, summers tend toward humid, so wear loose clothing.
Activities
St. George Street is the epicenter of downtown St. Augustine.
Thick Sable palm trees line the cobbled brick avenue and private,
Spanish gardens peek from behind wrought iron gates. The pedestrian
thoroughfare meanders past fabulous art galleries, charming boutiques
(such as The Pirate and His Lady), the delicious Whetstone Chocolates
shop, restaurants, aromatic cafes and bakeries, as well as a host
of specialty apparel and gift shops. On warm lazy evenings, music
drifts from club balconies and visitors wander the avenue browsing
in shop windows, while savoring buttery ice cream cones. The side
streets off St. George lead to excellent bistros on quiet lanes and
enchanting bed and breakfasts. Take the time to explore these little
avenues, as they also lead to some of the city’s remarkable attractions
and museums.
A great and inexpensive way to see St. Augustine and discover
the wondrous history, monuments, museums and captivating churches
is to take Old Town Trolley Tours. The tours are conducted in open-air
trolleys with on-and-off boarding at 19 different sites, such as
Flagler College and the Fountain of Youth. The tour operators are
humorous, yet provide a bevy of fascinating history and town news
items.
If you prefer to walk to your attractions, here are several
must-see locations. Castillo de San Marcos, located on the bay front,
South Castillo Drive. Built in 1672, the Castillo was constructed
to secure and guard Spain’s assertions in the new world. This magnificent
bastion, constructed of Coquina, a marine-mined sedimentary rock
made of seashells, survived massive enemy bombardment. Today, the
Castillo draws large numbers of visitors to walk its battlements
and photograph a monument of living history.
St. Augustine was once the vacationing playground for the
wealthy at the turn of the 19th century. In 1887, real
estate promoter and railroad tycoon Henry Flagler built the upscale
and famous Ponce De Leon Hotel; its lovely exterior is reminiscent
of the Riviera. Celebrities and presidents such as Grover Cleveland,
Teddy Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller, John Jacob Astor and Will Rogers
all frequented the hotel.
St. Augustine Lighthouse – Photo
By Patrice Raplee
The beautiful Spanish renaissance buildings accented with
terracotta and 79 Tiffany stained glass windows are now the home
of the exquisite Flagler College. The interior was designed by Louis
Tiffany and reflects an era of luxuriousness with ornate murals,
imported marbles, crystal chandeliers, posh antique furnishings,
an oak-carved and stained glass dome ceiling and numerous paintings
by esteemed artists. Tours run twice daily.
With 443 years of history, there are bound to be ghosts and
odd occurrences lurking throughout the city. St. Augustine, considered
by many to be a veritable hotbed of paranormal activity, features
eight different tours by land and sea. Most of these tours are great
for families and provide an interesting look into the city’s (at
times) gruesome past.
The Ghosts and Gravestones Night Tour begins on a haunted
trolley with theme-dressed tour guides providing a wonderful tongue-in-cheek
theatrical presentation. The trolley stops at different historical
locations such as the Spanish Military Hospital, where medical staff
would bury the limbs of the deceased in the adjacent alley. And,
the spine-tingling Old Drug Store was conjointly used as the town
mortuary. Oddly enough, the use of these pre-Victorian drugstore
medications often resulted in the patients returning to the drugstore/mortuary
permanently! The night tour is creepy but fun and visits several
more infamous and hair-raising locations. For additional information
and other scary ghost tours, visit http://www.ghosttoursofstaugustine.com
For serious paranormal seekers, the old Huguenot Cemetery,
located off Castillo Drive, is notorious for the photographic abundance
of orbs, light-streamers and fog. Professional and amateur photographers
with point-and-shoots have captured countless unexplained phenomena
in their images. Another fascinating and incredible location is the
St. Augustine Lighthouse. Twice the TAPS team from the TV program Ghost
Hunters visited the 165-foot lighthouse and caught some of their
first moving apparitions. The footage is startling and is viewable
on TAPS show repeats or the internet site YouTube. In addition, the
lighthouse offers a Dark of the Moon Tour several times a month,
as well as many other wonderful events, programs and tours.
The black and white spiral tower St. Augustine Lighthouse
is much more than a paranormal curiosity. Constructed in 1871, the
lighthouse took three years to complete and has a captivating history.
A lighthouse keeper climbs the 219 stairs each day to make sure the
original French Fresnel lens is clean and operational. The working
lighthouse is worth the climb with amazing panorama views to the
ocean and inlets. Make sure to bring your camera for stellar photo
ops.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is a definite must on your visit
list and offers some great opportunities to experience different
activities including the Sunset Moonrise Champagne Toast; the area
supports several hiking trails as well. For additional information,
visit http://www.staugustinelighthouse.com
Join us next month for exciting activities, restaurants, bed
and breakfasts and a look into the gritty pirate past and present
of St. Augustine, Florida.
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