North Eastern Coastal Florida - Jacksonville & St. Augustine

[scifan57]

Is the lighthouse built of brick or stone?

 

[J. A.]

One of the photos shows that it was built with Alabama brick, Pennsylvania iron and Georgia granite.

 

[scifan57]

One of the photos shows that it was built with Alabama brick, Pennsylvania iron and Georgia granite.

Thanks. The foundation is granite and the tower is brick.

 

[scifan57]

At the present time, Boston Lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the United States still manned by a keeper who manually turns the light on at night and off in the morning. This is mandated by Congress as the Boston Light is the oldest in the nation.

 

[giradman]

Hi Johanna & Scifan.. - today was our travel back home, a 10 hr ordeal despite being 'in the air' on 2 planes only, 45 mins each (Jacksonville-Atlanta-Greensboro) - more exhausting than my workouts at the Ponte Vedra Gym -

Johanna has already given the answer, i.e. a brick lighthouse painted (actually similar to the Hatteras Lighthouse in one of my other travelogues) - nice short video below; more information in the quotes (LINK) - the second lighthouse was made of coquina, a limestone sedimentary rock of varied softness/hardness (pic below) - much of the Castillo de San Marcos and many walls seen in St. Augustine are made of this 'stone' - but the stuff does last, as noted in the information below about the second lighthouse. Dave

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum serves as a scenic and educational maritime museum. It stands 165 feet above sea level, overlooking the Matanzas Bay and the Atlantic Ocean from Anastasia Island. Visitors can climb the 219 steps to the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse for a spectacular view of the city and ocean.

St. Augustine became an important port following the discovery of the Gulf Stream by Ponce de Leon. The original lighthouse of St. Augustine was a wooden watchtower built by Spaniards in the late 1500s in order to protect their settlement from seafaring invaders and to direct other Spanish ships and traders to their bustling port. A flame sat atop the watchtower, but was far too weak to effectively signal ships, and served more to accompany the soldier on watch. Unfortunately, the watchtower was burned to the ground by Sir Francis Drake during an attack in 1586. Following this, a coquina tower was built on the site in 1683 from the ruins of a stone chapel. This lighthouse lasted 200 years, but fell to shoreline erosion in 1880.

As a result of the threat of erosion, the current tower was built further inland in 1874, 6 years before the first lighthouse fell to the sea. The lighthouse is St. Augustine's oldest surviving brick structure. The first order Fresnel lens first installed in 1874 is 12 feet tall, 6 feet across, and is composed of 370 hand-cut prisms arranged in a beehive formation. The Keeper’s House that sits next to the lighthouse was built in 1876 to provide living quarters for the families of those who kept watch, and now serves as the St. Augustine Lighthouse Museum. The Lighthouse fell into disrepair following World War II, and a fire in 1970 all but destroyed the Keeper’s House. In 1980, after years of neglect and vandalism, the Junior Service League of St. Augustine had the lighthouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. After raising hundreds of thousands of dollars, a restoration effort brought the Lighthouse and the Keeper’s House to their former glory. It opened for the first time to the public in 1988, and the original Fresnel lens was successfully repaired and maintained. During its years of closure, the light still continued to shine through the night, and after 14 years and $1.2 million towards restoration, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is a glistening beacon of Florida’s maritime history. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

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[giradman]

At the present time, Boston Lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the United States still manned by a keeper who manually turns the light on at night and off in the morning. This is mandated by Congress as the Boston Light is the oldest in the nation.

Thanks Scifan.. - I was not aware that the Boston Light was still 'manned' - believed that I've seen it on a harbor cruise of Boston in the past? As to Sandy Hook, my FIL used to have boats on the Jersey shore and would take us into New York Harbor, so would have passed Sandy Hook. Dave

Boston Light is a lighthouse located on Little Brewster Island in outer Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. The first lighthouse to be built on the site dates back to 1716, and was the first lighthouse to be built in what is now the United States. The current lighthouse dates from 1783, is the second oldest working lighthouse in the United States (after Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey), and is the only lighthouse to still be actively staffed by the United States Coast Guard, being automated in 1998 though there is still a keeper acting as tour guide. The structure was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

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[suenc]

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!







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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!







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Pinte Veda Inn is a keeper! I’ve never had a room that was virtually on the beach!

 

[suenc]

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


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Nice museum. Coincidentally, it was National Museum Day, so we got in free. When we visited a room of etchings and lithographs, Sonic knew about all the techniques and taught me how each picture was created. I was impressed--but that’s not unusual.

 

[suenc]

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


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Spanish food is one of my favorites and relatively hard to find in our part of the country. Columbia did not disappoint, even with my red sangria.

 

[suenc]

Ft. Caroline (continued w/ more pics)
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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



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


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I look forward to another visit to St. Augustine. Yes, some of it is a bit touristy, but it’s genuinely historical. I also want more tapas!

 

[giradman]

Spanish food is one of my favorites and relatively hard to find in our part of the country. Columbia did not disappoint, even with my red sangria.

Well, Susan has 'chimed in' about our recent trip - she did love the room and the food - I'm about to put together a post on our 'dinner' restaurants, but we did have some light and excellent lunches - one in particular was at the Golf Club Restaurant (pic of the outside dining below - we ate inside, i.e. a hot day) which looks out onto the water and a beautiful island green - we both had the Mayport Salad, described below - just outstanding! Dave
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[scifan57]

At the present time, Boston Lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the United States still manned by a keeper who manually turns the light on at night and off in the morning. This is mandated by Congress as the Boston Light is the oldest in the nation.

Canada still has 50 manned lighthouses, 27 on the east coast and 23 on the west coast.

 

[giradman]

Canada still has 50 manned lighthouses, 27 on the east coast and 23 on the west coast.

WOW - I had no idea! So, a young 'Canuck' could aspire to a lighthouse keeper's job? Curious what the requirements may be - the job description at the St. Augustine lighthouse was arduous, e.g. when oil lamps were used, the keeper had to tote heavy containers of oil up the 200+ steps to the top (pic below of a 5 gallon 30 pound can - assume took one in each hand) - Dave
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[giradman]

World Golf Hall of Fame

On our last day after the lunch described above, we did a short 30 minute drive to the World Golf Hall of Fame which is just off I-95 - more information in the quotes below plus at the link. The building is located in the World Golf Village adjacent to the large Renaissance Hotel, a variety of shops, and a LOT of parking (see first pics below). The Village is 6,300 acres in size and is expected to have 18,000 residents eventually (much housing construction was in progress) - there are two championship golf courses on site and a Golf Academy among other attractions, including an IMAX theater at the Hall of Fame (showing non-golf related movies).

Pics below show just some of the many exhibits within the Hall of Fame (most my own) - there are two putting greens, one w/ old wood putters and the other w/ modern ones and balls - I putted both and occasionally dropped a few long putts. The two statues outside are of the famed Tom Morris, Sr. a Scottish golfer, course designer, etc. and Francis Ouimet w/ his 10 y/o caddie, Eddie Lowery - Ouiment was just 20 years old and a golf amateur when he won the 1913 US Open in a playoff w/ Harry Vardon and Ted Ray - the event is told in the 2005 film, The Greatest Game Ever Played (which I own on BD - recommended if a fan of this sport). Dave

The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, and is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world. The Hall of Fame Museum Building is designed by the museum architecture specialist firm of E. Verner Johnson and Associates of Boston, Massachusetts. They also produced the museum master plan that established the overall size, mission and qualities of the overall museum and the surrounding facilities and site. The Hall of Fame Museum features a permanent exhibition and a rolling program of temporary exhibitions. Designed by museum design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates, the Hall of Fame and exhibition area contains exhibits on the game's history, heritage, and techniques; major players and organizations; golf course design, equipment, and dress; and new directions, such as ecological concerns in course management. (Source)

The World Golf Hall of Fame was originally located in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and was privately operated by Diamondhead Corp., then owners of the Pinehurst Resort. It opened in September 1974 with an initial class of 13 members. Initially it was a local project, but the PGA of America took over management in 1983 and acquired full ownership in 1986. Two other halls of fame have been merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The PGA of America established one in 1940, which was merged into the Pinehurst Hall in the 1980s. The Hall of Fame of Women's Golf was established by the LPGA in 1951, with four charter members: Patty Berg, Betty Jameson, Louise Suggs, and Babe Zaharias. It was inactive for some years, but in 1967 it moved into its first physical premises, which were in Augusta, Georgia and was renamed the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. In 1998 it merged into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 1994 the global golf industry established a non-profit making body called the World Golf Foundation to promote the sport, with the creation of an enhanced Hall of Fame as one of its main objectives. Construction at the new site in St. Johns County began in 1996 and the new facility opened on May 19, 1998. (Source)

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[giradman]

Food - Our Dinners

Listed below are our 5 dinner places listed alphabetically - brief comments and all excellent - SO for those viewing this travelogue and plan a visit to the Jacksonville-St. Augustine area, then all are recommended. Dave

Aqua Grill - started w/ oysters and I had the whole red snapper.
Columbia Restaurant - early dinner in St. Augustine - delicious tapas (already posted).
Palm Valley Fish Camp - oysters, shrimp & grits, and tuna.
Roy's Restaurant - last night; sushi, swordfish, prawns, & excellent pineapple cake.
Seahorse Grille - at the resort first night - beautiful ocean view and good food.
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