St. Augustine—A Place History Comes Alive

My husband, Chris, and I escaped to America’s oldest city recently and what we found was truly amazing. We were met with rich history and beautiful seascapes which made it the perfect vacation spot.

Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida which sailing from Puerto Rico in 1513. It was 1565 when St. Augustine was established by Don Pedro Menendez. St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in the continental United States.

It’s easy to take a step back in time and meet people from the past. Take the Castillo de San Marcos. We were met with an authentically-uniformed narrator from the 1700s who told us what life was like during that time. We took a leisurely stroll though the fort’s encasements and then took the steps to the gun decks. We were taken aback by the breathtaking views of the waterways of St. Augustine. This has to be one of the most scenic spots in the city.

Ground was broken for the fort in 1672 and it was finished in 1695. The fortress helped protect Spain’s treasure fleets from the English and from pirates. For many years, it was the northern most outpost of Spain’s vast New World Empire and it is the oldest masonry fort and best preserved example of a Spanish colonial fort in the continental United States today and the first designated National Monument.

We toured the fort once but found ourselves on the grounds around the fort as we watched the sailboats with the back drop of the setting sun. When you add the sound of the water crashing against the rocks, well, I can’t think of a better spot to relax in St. Augustine.

Upon our arrival in St. Augustine, it didn’t take long for us to hear the name Henry Flagler, who definitely made his mark on the city. Flagler made his money in the oil business and building railroads. When he came to St. Augustine, he recognized Florida’s potential to attract visitors. Flagler built the Hotel Ponce de Leon, which opened in 1888. He went on to build other lavish hotels in the state of Florida. Flagler made his mark on this city in many ways. Known today as Flagler College, the former hotel is still one of the most beautiful landmarks in the city.

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

No visit to St. Augustine is complete without drinking from the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park. Many believe Ponce de Leon went on his exploration in hopes of finding the fountains described in stories he had heard the people of Bimini speaking about. Chris and I walked into the Spring House where we took a drink of water from the fountain.

The Spring House is made of natural materials and protects the famous fountain, as well as the historical cross believed to have been placed by Ponce de Leon himself to mark the site of his famous landing. The Landmark Cross sits in the exact location where it was found and the Spring House was built around the location. We toured several exhibits and checked out the archeological artifacts that pay tribute to the explorers and Timucuan Indians who lived in the region. With landscapes and seascapes surrounding the area, as well as an array of beautiful animals in the area, this is another scenic spot in the city.

SCHOOL HOUSE & SPANISH QUARTER MUSEUM

Be sure to take a stroll down St. George Street. This is a pedestrian-only street with lots of shops, historic buildings, and restaurants. Here, you’ll find the Oldest Wooden School House that was built 200 years ago. Visitors can stroll through the school looking at artifacts and copies of books the pupils used in that time.

Also, in the area you’ll find the Spanish Quarter. Here, you’ll see costumed historical interpreters, such as a blacksmith or a soldier’s wife, who tell the story of everyday life in 1740s St. Augustine.

SPANISH MILITARY HOSPITAL MUSEUM

I was thankful for medical technology when I left this tour. Our guide, Shannon Beck, gave us a captivating look at how medicine was practiced from 1784-1821. She took us into the surgeon’s office and showed us the tools of the trade, the mourning room where patients were issued their last rites, then on to the apothecary for a presentation on medicines. We finished our tour at the herbarium, where the herbs and plants were grown to create the medicines.

OLD JAIL

Built by Flagler in 1891, the Old Jail served as the county jail until 1953. This was a fun and informative look back at the legal system. Deputy Ralph locked us up as he gave us a grizzly description about what life was like behind bars. Guns, weapons, and courtyard displays are all part of the experience.

LIGHTNER MUSEUM

Relics are elegantly exhibited on the museum's three floors. Costumes, furnishings, mechanical musical instruments and other artifacts give you a glimpse into 19th century daily life. The Lightner collection includes beautiful examples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

WHERE TO STAY

Let’s face it. When you book a reservation in a new place, you are just a tad anxious. My worrying quickly faded as we pulled into the driveway of our home away from home during our recent visit to St. Augustine, Fla.—the Inn on Charlotte.

I opened the car door and proceeded to the front porch of the bed and breakfast when we met a couple from Virginia. “You have come to the right place,” Nettie proclaimed. “I’m telling you this place is phenomenal.” Well, my first guess was, that the couple must own the place. She continued to tell me she’d found the inn on the Internet and just decided to give it a try. Believe me, Nettie was right about the inn.

Chris and I made our way inside the inn that was built in 1918 and restored in 2003. That’s where we met our innkeeper, Lynne Fairfield. A veteran in the hospitality industry, Lynne made our stay what every vacation should be----an adventure to remember.
Did I mention the aroma of fresh flowers when I entered the foyer? Did I mention the wine and snacks that she offers her guests? Did I mention chocolate dipped macaroons or the homemade chocolate chip cookies that were waiting for us after dinner in the evening? And I haven’t even got to the best part!

This is the best bed and breakfast we’ve ever stayed in. Of course, my new friend Nettie assured me of that when I took my first step on the front porch. She said, “I’ve stayed at several B&Bs and this is by far the BEST!” She wasn’t kidding.

Lynne gave us our keys to the house and to our room. We settled into the Diamond Lil’s Suite, named after Louella Day McConnell. Here, we found antiques from the past, but like every other room, we found a whirlpool tub, cable television, and WI-FI.

As with all the rooms, it was named after a character that made her mark on this fine city. McConnell was a colorful character who moved into the city from Canada in 1900. She was known for her adventurous spirit and boundless imagination and the fact that she practiced medicine in Canada. She had huge rings on her fingers and a glistening diamond embedded in her front tooth, and she was turning heads in St. Augustine. By the 1920s, she began selling water from the alleged “fountain of youth” for ten cents a glass. Rumors, myths, or truths, McConnell made her mark on this town.

Speaking of those who made their mark on the city, one of the most popular rooms is the Henry Flagler's Verandah. Here you can people watch from a large balcony which overlooks Charlotte Street. If you’d prefer a suite, Lynne has one to offer her guests.
Lynne has a variety of rooms to offer but there is one thing that comes with them all, a wonderful homemade breakfast at her table every single morning. Each day our meal began on the front porch sipping hot tea or coffee talking with some of the other guests. There was a common theme to the morning conversation: “I wonder what Lynne’s cooking up today.”

Then, we proceeded to the dining room where we started each meal with an array of fresh fruit. Then, she’d bring us our main course that could be anything from pastry-less quiche, new potatoes, and banana bread to her own special recipe for pancakes and decorative bacon. What’s that you may ask? It’s bacon, with a top-notch presentation. It really didn’t matter what was on the menu, we knew the conversation was going to be good, the hospitality divine, and the food was going to be out of this world!

Here’s where we had an opportunity to meet other guests at the Inn on Charlotte. During our stay, we met several other couples and we found a common theme. Many of them were repeat guests. Some lived as close as Ocala, Florida, while others came from other places throughout the United States.

Most of our days ended back on the front porch, conversing with our new-found friends. This was a great experience. It was a little bit like home, with a royal flair.

For more information on the Inn on Charlotte, visit www.innoncharlotte.com or call 1-800-355-5508.

For more information on St. Augustine, visit www. getaway4florida.com or call 1-800-653-2489.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two part-series on St. Augustine, Fla.).