North Eastern Coastal Florida - Jacksonville & St. Augustine

[giradman]

Well, we are off on another trip to Florida - this time to the far northeast corner just 25 miles from the Georgia border (see maps below) - flew into Jacksonville, 4th largest city in Florida (after Miami, Tampa, & Orlando) - some historic information below (all from the link given). This is at least our fourth visit to the area (over 3+ decades) and we are staying for a second time at the Ponte Vedra Resort (more pics below), which is located south of the city and on the Atlantic Ocean - our room is beautiful and the patio views the ocean - not sure yet about our activities, but will likely relax in the mornings and tour in the afternoon, except for a full day visit to St. Augustine, the oldest European settlement in the United States, founded in 1565. Dave

P.S. dined last night at the Seahorse Grill - seated by the window w/ a beautiful view of the ocean - had steamed oysters and fresh Florida fish - nice start!

Historical affiliations
Kingdom of France 1562–1565
Spanish Empire 1565–1763
Great Britain 1763–1783
Spanish Empire 1783–1821
United States 1821–1861
Confederate States of America 1861–1862
United States 1862–present

Jacksonville is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Florida and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968. Consolidation gave Jacksonville its great size and placed most of its metropolitan population within the city limits. With an estimated population of 892,062 as of 2017, Jacksonville is also the most populous city in the southeastern United States. The Jacksonville metropolitan area has a population of 1,631,488 and is the fourth largest in Florida.

Jacksonville is centered on the banks of the St. Johns River in the First Coast region of northeast Florida, about 25 miles south of the Georgia state line and 340 miles (550 km) north of Miami. The Jacksonville Beachescommunities are along the adjacent Atlantic coast. The area was originally inhabited by the Timucua people, and in 1564 was the site of the French colony of Fort Caroline, one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the continental United States. Under British rule, settlement grew at the narrow point in the river where cattle crossed, known as Wacca Pilatka to the Seminole and the Cow Ford to the British. A platted town was established there in 1822, a year after the United States gained Florida from Spain; it was named after Andrew Jackson, the first military governor of the Florida Territory and seventh President of the United States.

Harbor improvements since the late 19th century have made Jacksonville a major military and civilian deep-water port. Its riverine location facilitates Naval Station Mayport, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the U.S. Marine CorpsBlount Island Command, and the Port of Jacksonville, Florida's third largest seaport. Jacksonville's military bases and the nearby Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay form the third largest military presence in the United States.[15]Significant factors in the local economy include services such as banking, insurance, healthcare and logistics. As with much of Florida, tourism is also important to the Jacksonville area, particularly tourism related to golf.

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[giradman]

Jacksonville & Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

Relaxed Saturday morning - I went to the excellent fitness center and then we headed into Jacksonville to visit the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens located on the St. Johns River - see quote below for some history; unfortunately the Gardens were devastated by Hurricane Irma last year (a pic below & the gardens before the storm) - a relief fund is in progress for restoration. Although there is MUCH to see in Jacksonville, the Cummer Museum is the only GEM attraction in the AAA guide, so worth a visit!

Pics below all from the web - many show the Gardens before the destruction by Hurricane Irma - inside images of many of the varied galleries devoted to different eras of European and American Art and that of other more ancient cultures, such as the Greeks and Romans - a small but fascinating exhibit on Japanese woodcuts is just beautiful (last 2 pics) and worth a visit - we really enjoyed - our 2nd visit there and the place seems to have expanded in size and number of pieces on display. Dave

The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens is a museum located in Jacksonville, Florida. It was founded in 1961 after the death of Ninah Cummer, who bequeathed her gardens and personal art collection to the new museum. The Cummer Museum has since expanded to include the property owned by Ninah's brother-in-law, but it still includes her original garden designs and a portion of her home with its historic furnishing. The museum and gardens attract 130,000 visitors annually.

The permanent collection of the museum currently includes over five thousand works of art dating from 2100 BCE to the twenty-first century. The museum's collection is especially strong in European and American paintings and also includes substantial holdings of Meissen porcelain. The museum also has an award-winning education center, Art Connections, which possesses a number of interactive educational installations and serves underprivileged and special education students with its programs.

There are three flower gardens on the museum grounds, the oldest dating back to 1903. These gardens have preserved their original layout for over a century and were designed by landscape designers such as the Olmsted Brothers, Thomas Meehan & Sons, and Ellen Biddle Shipman. The Cummer Gardens are on the National Register of Historic Places. (Source)

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[giradman]

Ft. Caroline - French Colony on the St. Johns River Established in 1564

Our main activity for the day was an afternoon visit to the Ft. Caroline National Memorial on the banks of the St. Johns River - this was an early attempt by the French to establish a colony in Florida dating from the early 1560s (see more in quotes below) - also simultaneously, the French try to place a colony on Parris Island in South Carolina near Beaufort called Santa Elena (see my discussion HERE from an earlier trip this year). In 1565, the Spanish founded St. Augustine and sent a force to Ft. Caroline, killing most of the inhabitants and eliminating the French presence from the area.

Below pics showing the Visitor's Center - not large but exhibits nicely explain the arrival of the Europeans and their interaction w/ the Timucuan Native Americans and further development in the area. A half mile trail includes a partially reconstructed native village and a replica of Ft. Caroline - the site was damaged by last year's Hurricane Irma, but is still in good shape. More pics in the next post. Dave

Fort Caroline was an attempted French colonial settlement in Florida, located on the banks of the St. Johns River in present-day Duval County. It was established under the leadership of René Goulaine de Laudonnière on June 22, 1564, as a new territorial claim in French Florida and a safe haven for Huguenots. The French colony came into conflict with the Spanish, who established St. Augustine in September 1565, and Fort Caroline was sacked by Spanish troops under Pedro Menéndez de Avilés on September 20. The Spanish continued to occupy the site as San Mateo until 1569. (Source)

The exact location where the fort once stood is unknown. In 1953 the National Park Service established the Fort Caroline National Memorial along the southern bank of the St. John's River near the point that commemorates Laudonnière's first landing. This is generally accepted by scholars as being in the vicinity of the original fort, though probably not the exact location. The memorial is now managed as a part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve although it remains a distinct National Park Service entity. (Source)

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[giradman]

Ft. Caroline (continued w/ more pics)
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[scifan57]

Ft. Caroline (continued w/ more pics)
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I didn’t realize that the French established the first European colony in Florida.

 

[giradman]

Hi Scifan.. glad to see you here!

Just was thinking about your question and put together a list of early European attempts to establish towns/colonies along the North American east coast - indeed, the first two attempts were by the French in 1562 (Parris Island) & 1564 (Ft. Caroline) - of course, the Spanish took over both locales and for a brief period Santa Elena became the capital of Spanish Florida (more information below in last two quotes).

Today, we are about to take a 40 minute drive south on A1A to spend a day in St. Augustine (the third entry below) - will be the topic of a number of upcoming posts. Dave

1562 - Charlesfort - Parris Island, SC (French)
1564 - Ft. Caroline, Florida (French)
1565 - St. Augustine, Florida (Spanish)
1566 - Santa Elena, Parris Island, SC (Spanish)
1585 - Roanoke Island, North Carolina (British)
1607 - Jamestown, Virginia (British)
1608 - Quebec City, Quebec (French)
1620 - Plymouth, Massachusetts (British)
1670 - Charleston, SC (British)
1705 - Bath, North Carolina (British)
1713 - Louisbourg, Cape Breton (French)

Santa Elena, a Spanish settlement on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina, was the capital of Spanish Florida from 1566 to 1587. It was established under Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the first governor of Spanish Florida. There had been a number of earlier attempts to establish colonies in the area by both the Spanish and the French, who had been inspired by earlier accounts of the plentiful land of Chicora. Menéndez's Santa Elena settlement was intended as the new capital of the Spanish colony of La Florida, shifting the focus of Spanish colonial efforts north from St. Augustine, which had been established in 1565 to oust the French from their colony of Fort Caroline. Santa Elena was ultimately built at the site of the abandoned French outpost of Charlesfort, founded in 1562 by Jean Ribault. (Source)

Santa Elena was founded following the destruction of the French Fort Caroline by Menéndez in 1565. The settlement housed a sizeable community, and became the base of operations for the Jesuits and military working in the northern zone of Spanish Florida. From this base the Spanish founded a number of other ephemeral forts as far inland as the Appalachian Mountains, but resistance from local Native American tribes and the lack of interest of Spain in the area, caused these to be abandoned, relocated or destroyed. Santa Elena was ultimately abandoned in 1587, with its survivors relocating to St. Augustine. The Spanish never pressed their colonial claims to the area again, focusing on other areas of the American continent. (Source)

 

[giradman]

Jacksonville, Florida & Environs - Things to Do!

Jacksonville was founded in the early 19th century after the area was ceded by Spain to the United States in 1821 - the city was named after the first governor of the 'new' American Territory, Andrew Jackson, future President of the United States - much more information in the link.

In addition to extraordinary golf, water activities, and food, the Jacksonville area offers plenty of history, sites to visit, and other attractions - below is a short list that I compiled followed by some pics of these attractions. We've done most of these items on this and previous visits, but a few do remain, e.g. we wanted to visit the Catty Shack Ranch - a large cat sanctuary, but tours are given only on Thursdays. The Golf Hall of Fame use to be in Pinehurst, NC (which we had been to in the past), but moved to Florida - might consider a trip tomorrow? BUT for those in the area or planning to visit, google the listings. Dave

P.S. asterisks are the items we've been to in the past and on this trip.

Amelia Island - Luxury Retreat (hour drive)*
Catty Shack Ranch - Wildlife Sanctuary
Cummer Museum Art & Gardens*
Ft. Caroline - early French colony*
Jacksonville Landing - Shops & Restaurants*
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
Museum of Contemporary Art
Museum of Science & History*
Okefenokee Swamp (1.5 hr drive - boat rides)*
St. Augustine - oldest European town (40 min drive)*
World Golf Hall of Fame (30 min drive)

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[giradman]

St. Augustine, Florida - Oldest European Town in the USA - Introduction

Today, we drove south on HW A1A along the Atlantic coast to St. Augustine - a beautiful 40 minute trip. St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European city in the United States, established in 1565. Many of the structures are preserved as houses, museums, converted restaurants, churches, and SO much more - just a brief historic introduction in the second quote below - also, right below a list of the many attractions to see (the ones in bold are GEM items in the AAA guide book) - in upcoming posts, I'll touch on a few of the attractions in the list, just too much to see and do and one day cannot do justice to the town.

Just to mention for those planning to visit - there is a large parking garage next to the Visitor's Center - helpful guides can provide information - also trolley tickets can be purchased which are the typical 'on & off' stops - we decided to park and take the 'Red Train' trolley - includes narration - many of the main attractions have limited parking but others do not, so can be a problem; plus, the 'historic town' is not that large so easy walking. Pics below show maps and just a handful of the places in the list below. BOTTOM LINE - if you're in Florida and near the upper east coast, then St. Augustine should be a MUST stop - Dave

Anastasia State Park
Castillo de San Marcos
Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
Colonial Quarter
Dog Rose Brewing Company
Flagler College & Legacy Tour
Fort Mantanzas National Monument
Fountain of Youth Archeologic Park
Government House Museum
Lightner Museum
Memorial Presbyterian Church
Old City (Many Attractions)
Old Jail Museum & Tour
Oldest House
Ripley’s Believe It or Not
San Sebastian Winery
Spanish Military Hospital Museum
St. Augustine Alligator Farm & Park
St. Augustine Distillery
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum
St. Augustine Wild Reserve
St. George Street (Shops & Eats)
Trolley Tours - Several Companies
Wax Museums (Several)
World Golf Hall of Fame
Ximenez-Fatio House (+ Other Houses)

P.S. please click that first quote for a long list!

St. Augustine was founded on September 8, 1565, by Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, Florida's first governor. He named the settlement "San Agustín", as his ships bearing settlers, troops, and supplies from Spain had first sighted land in Florida on August 28, the feast day of St. Augustine. The city served as the capital of Spanish Florida for over 200 years. It was designated as the capital of British East Florida when the colony was established in 1763 until it was ceded to Spain in 1783. Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1819, and St. Augustine was designated the capital of the Florida Territory upon ratification of the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1821. The Florida National Guard made the city its headquarters that same year. Since the late 19th century, St. Augustine's distinct historical character has made the city a major tourist attraction. (Source)

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[giradman]

Castillo de San Marcos - Spanish Masonry Fort - Part 1

Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the United States, construction of coquina stones beginning in 1672 - quite a history as described in the quotes below (plenty more at the link). This was our third visit (free entrance for us w/ our National Park Pass) - the structure is in great shape w/ plenty of canons & mortars - on the lower level are numerous exhibits describing the fort's history and also how the men lived (my pic of the English era) - there are beautiful views of Mantanzas Bay, the bridge to Anastasia island, and St. Augustine - this is the number one MUST see attraction in the town, IMO - most of the pics below are my own - Dave

The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, the fort was designed by the Spanish engineer Ignacio Daza. Construction began in 1672, 107 years after the city's founding by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire. The fort's construction was ordered by Governor Francisco de la Guerra y de la Vega after the destructive raid by the English privateer Robert Searles in 1668. Work proceeded under the administration of Guerra's successor, Manuel de Cendoya in 1671, and the first coquina stones were laid in 1672. The construction of the core of the current fortress was completed in 1695, though it would undergo many alterations and renovations over the centuries. (Source)

When Britain gained control of Florida in 1763 pursuant to the Treaty of Paris, St. Augustine became the capital of British East Florida, and the fort was renamed Fort St. Mark until the Peace of Paris (1783) when Florida was transferred back to Spain and the fort's original name restored. In 1819, Spain signed the Adams–Onís Treaty which ceded Florida to the United States in 1821; consequently the fort was designated a United States Army base and renamed Fort Marion, in honor of American Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. The fort was declared a National Monument in 1924, and after 251 years of continuous military possession, was deactivated in 1933, and subsequently turned over to the United States National Park Service. In 1942 the original name, Castillo de San Marcos, was restored by an Act of Congress.(Source)

Castillo de San Marcos was twice besieged: first by English colonial forces led by Carolina Colony Governor James Moore in 1702, and then by Georgia colonial Governor James Oglethorpe in 1740. Possession of the fort has changed six times, all peaceful, among four different governments: Spain, 1695–1863 and 1783–1821, Kingdom of Great Britain, 1763–1783, and the United States of America), 1821–date (during 1861–1865, under control of the Confederate States of America). Under United States control the fort was used as a military prison to incarcerate members of Native American tribes starting with the Seminole—including the famous war chief, Osceola, in the Second Seminole War—and members of western tribes, including Geronimo's band of Chiricahua Apache. The Native American art form known as Ledger Art had its origins at the fort during the imprisonment of members of the Plains tribes such as Howling Wolf of the southern Cheyenne. (Source)

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[giradman]

Castillo de San Marcos - Spanish Masonry Fort - Part 2

 

[giradman]

St. George Street & Columbia Restaurant

After several 'Red Train' rides w/ narration and stops at the Castillo de San Marcos and the Memorial Presbyterian Church, we headed toward St. George Street about a half dozen or so blocks (closed off to traffic) of shops and restaurants - in the middle of the historic district is the Columbia Restaurant established in 1905 - a beautiful place serving Spanish/Cuban cuisine w/ a lot of seafood - we decided on an early dinner having skipped lunch - Susan had the red sangria and I several glasses of their house Chardonnay (serve two 'house' types, i.e. wines made in Spain and those made in Argentina).

For us on this 3rd visit, we decided to share tapas - had the 6 listed below w/ pics from the web of four items - ended sharing a delicious flan - NOW, there are MANY restaurant options in St. Augustine which we've not explored, SO if you plan a trip consider others - we just love the history and ambience of the Columbia Restaurant - Dave

Pinchos Morunos - chargrilled chicken skewers w/ onions/spices
Croquetas de Langosta - Maine lobster breaded w/ lobster sauce
Gambas ‘Al Ajillo” - sauteed shrimp w/ olive oil, fresh garlic & chili
Mussels y Chorizo ‘Andres’ - simmered w/ basil, spinach, and more!
Calamares Fritos - lightly fried w/ a delicious alioli-like sauce
Cakes de Cangrego - crab cakes grilled w/ passion fruit alioli sauce

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[scifan57]

Castillo de San Marcos - Spanish Masonry Fort - Part 1

Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the United States, construction of coquina stones beginning in 1672 - quite a history as described in the quotes below (plenty more at the link). This was our third visit (free entrance for us w/ our National Park Pass) - the structure is in great shape w/ plenty of canons & mortars - on the lower level are numerous exhibits describing the fort's history and also how the men lived (my pic of the English era) - there are beautiful views of Mantanzas Bay, the bridge to Anastasia island, and St. Augustine - this is the number one MUST see attraction in the town, IMO - most of the pics below are my own - Dave






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If you include Puerto Rico, the oldest masonry fort in the United States is El Morro in San Juan. Construction was started in 1539. Castillo San Felipe del Morro - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

If you include Puerto Rico, the oldest masonry fort in the United States is El Morro in San Juan. Construction was started in 1539. Castillo San Felipe del Morro - Wikipedia

Yep - correct - the first sentence in my quoted material for that post stated "the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States", so the implication of course is that El Morro in San Juan is older. Ponce de León had been stationed in Hispaniola (Haiti-Dominican Republic today) and governor of Puerto Rico, as described below and in the link - he led the first European expedition to Florida in 1513, and on a return visit in 1521 he was seriously wounded and died of his wounds (second quote) - he is buried in San Juan, PR - Susan and I have been to Puerto Rico twice and visit El Morro both times (pics below), an impressive structure, and also saw Ponce's tomb. Dave

In 1513, Ponce de León led the first known European expedition to La Florida, which he named during his first voyage to the area. He landed somewhere along Florida's east coast, then charted the Atlantic coast down to the Florida Keys and north along the Gulf coast, perhaps as far as Charlotte Harbor. Though in popular culture he was supposedly searching for the Fountain of Youth, there is no contemporary evidence to support the story, which all modern historians call a myth. Ponce de León returned to Spain in 1514 and was knighted by King Ferdinand, who also reinstated him as the governor of Puerto Rico and authorized him to settle Florida. (Source)

n 1521, Ponce de León finally returned to southwest Florida with the first large-scale attempt to establish a Spanish colony in what is now the continental United States. However, the native Calusa people fiercely resisted the incursion, and he was seriously wounded in a skirmish. The colonization attempt was abandoned, and its leader died from his wounds soon after returning to Cuba. Ponce de León was interred in Puerto Rico, and his tomb is located inside of the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista in San Juan. (Source)

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[scifan57]

Yep - correct - the first sentence in my quoted material for that post stated "the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States", so the implication of course is that El Morro in San Juan is older. Ponce de León had been stationed in Hispaniola (Haiti-Dominican Republic today) and governor of Puerto Rico, as described below and in the link - he led the first European expedition to Florida in 1513, and on a return visit in 1521 he was seriously wounded and died of his wounds (second quote) - he is buried in San Juan, PR - Susan and I have been to Puerto Rico twice and visit El Morro both times (pics below), an impressive structure, and also saw Ponce's tomb. Dave




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I’ve been there twice, both times before it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

[giradman]

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

Our last stop after lunch was a drive to the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, described in the quotes & link below - beautiful structure just over 160 ft tall w/ 200+ steps - the day was HOT (90º F+) and I was stuffed, so did not do the climb. Admission includes the climb, if desired, plus a visit to the lightkeeper's house, wonderfully preserved - there is also a maritime museum w/ plenty of interesting exhibits - well worth a visit and recommended; pics below are most my own. Dave

The St. Augustine Light Station is a private-aid to navigation and an active, working lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida. The current lighthouse stands at the north end of Anastasia Island and was built between 1871 and 1874. The tower is the second lighthouse tower in St. Augustine, the first being lit officially by the American territorial government in May of 1824 as Florida's first lighthouse. However, both the Spanish and the British governments operated a major aid to navigation here including a series of wooden watch towers and beacons dating from 1565. (Source

The current lighthouse tower, original first-order Fresnel Lens and the Light Station grounds are owned by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, Inc., a not-for-profit maritime museum. The museum is open to the public 360 days a year. Admission fees support continued preservation of the lighthouse and five other historic structures. Admissions and museum memberships also fund programs in maritime archaeology, traditional wooden boatbuilding, and maritime education. The non profit mission is to "discover, preserve, present and keep alive the stories of the nation's oldest port, [5]as symbolized by our working St. Augustine Lighthouse." (Source)

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