9 11A
VACATION & TRAVEL AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL • JANUARY 4 - 10, 2017
ST. AUGUSTINE: BY DAVE GIL DE RUBIO
DGILDERUBIO@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
There are few cities in the world—much less in the United States—that exude a greater combination of history, art and culture than St. Augustine. Since its inception, St. Augustine has switched hands from the Spanish to the British back to the Spanish and eventually the United States, where it was briefly the capital of the Florida Territory when it became a U.S. possession in 1822. Here are some of the most notable dates in St. Augustine history. April 2, 1513—First sighting—Juan Ponce de Leon sighted land off the coast at 30 degrees 8 minutes longitude; which would have put him off the coast of St. Augustine. Sept. 8, 1565—The Birth of St. Augustine— Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles along with 800 settlers landed here, held the first feast of Thanksgiving with the natives, established the first Catholic Parish on the North American Continent and named their new settlement. March 1668—Captain Robert Searle sacks the City of St. Augustine—Captain Robert Searle and his privateers sailed from Jamaica to loot the silver ingots (metals that can be shaped into various things) held in the royal coffers (small chests) at St. Augustine. 1672 to 1692—The Castillo de San Marcos is built to protect the City of St. Augustine. The Spanish feared Searle would return to St. Augustine; also the British were now inhabiting lands to the North (Jamestown). The Castillo took a bit more than 20 years to build. It is made of coquina rock, a native stone found here. 1738—The establishment of Gracia Real de Santa
450 YEARS OF LIVING HISTORY
Teresa de Mose—Fort Mose became the first legally sanctioned free black town in the present-day United States. June 13, 1740—The Siege on St. Augustine—Georgia Governor James Oglethorpe led the siege of St. Augustine by blockading the city, including the Matanzas Inlet. 1764 to 1784—St. Augustine and all of La Florida becomes British territory and remains so through the American Revolution. In 1777, a group of 600 Menorcans arrived in St. Augustine. Instead of fleeing from rebels, these people sought sanctuary from the cruel conditions under which they had labored on Dr. Turnbull’s indigo plantation at New Smyrna. 1812—The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was established on March 19, 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, Spain’s first national sovereign assembly. Each of the Spanish Colonies was ordered to finance and build a monument to commemorate the new form of government. July 10, 1821—Florida became a United States Territory and St. Augustine became a U.S. Pioneer settlement. Florida became the 27th state on March 3, 1845. 1961 to 1964—Civil Rights movement in St. Augustine—As with many southern cities in the U.S., Blacks in the community challenged the racial status quo. Sit-ins, marches and demonstrations led by Reverend Martin Luther King, Andrew Young and many others began to gain national attention in the summer of 1964. 1965—The Nation’s Oldest City celebrates its 400th Birthday. The oldest city’s culture and history were presented in a week-long celebration featuring parades, re-enactments and speeches that gained national attention.
A statue in downtown St. Augustine erected in honor of Spanish explorer and governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de León, who claimed La Florida for the Spanish crown while sailing as far north of the future site of St. Augustine in 1513. (Photo by Dave Gil de Rubio)
Your Neighborhood Boutique Travel Agency Building a Lifetime of Memories One Vacation at a Time 2890 Hempstead Tpke. Levittown, NY • 516-500-3600
981 Port Washington Blvd. Port Washington, NY • 516-218-4000
11-16 154th St. Whitestone, NY • 718-767-5455
NEW LOCATION: 2300 Nesconset Hwy., Stony Brook • 631-941-0100
MAJORS TRAVEL OF NEW DORP 45 New Dorp Plaza • Staten Island, NY 718-979-3900 161539 C