Having visited Our Lady of La Leche Shrine and on my way to making a stop at each of St. Augustine’s illustrious churches on the trolley tour, it should be no surprise to anyone that I would seek out a small Greek Orthodox Shrine in the heart of the historic district.
Although I knew that this shrine was dedicated to Saint Photios the Great (Feast Day February 6), the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (middle of the ninth century) and to the first colony of Greek people who came to America in 1768, I was not sure what I was going to find on St. George Street. I wandered inside, finding no entrance fee and a small courtyard. Following the walkway to a pair of plain grey doors, I heaved one open and stepped inside.
At first glance, I was a bit underwhelmed. A large sterile room with glass cases housing ornaments filled the room and photographs graced the walls. But as I turned right, color caught my eye.
An archway led to a little chapel decorated in the most magnificent manner. Each of its interior arches was trimmed intricately in gold leaf and the ceilings and alcoves contained Byzantine style frescoes of Greek apostles and saints. Unlike anything I have ever seen, even during my travels abroad, it was no surprise that it has been described as the “Jewel of St. George Street.”
Thankfully, I was alone for quite some time and I was able to absorb every little detail including an altar and a lectern and inspect each of the stunning frescoes before making way for other visitors.
Exhibits within the museum depict the life of early Greeks in America and the development of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. The displays tell the story of the First Greek colony in the New World through various artifacts, photographs and historical documents. Of particular interest was a black and white photographic exhibit on the inhabitants of Mount Athos by Nikos Vatopoulos. There was also another smaller photographic collection by Peter C. Yalanis detailing Greek ruins just before heading the gift shop filled with religious treasures.
Although I had been excited to seek out the numerous churches in the city, this shrine took me by surprise. Much to my delight, I found a stunning piece of architecture hidden away in the center of the historic district. Now that my religious interest had been sparked by Our Lady of La Leche shrine and this amazing chapel, I was excited to set out and see the city’s other holy sites!
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.com.
Many years ago, I remember sitting in my first-grade Catholic-school classroom listening to Sister Mary Marshall play songs to help us recall vocabulary, spelling and mathematics. Sitting next to my friend, Nina, we watched our teacher write on the giant chalkboards in her neat “nun” handwriting and cowered from her wrath when we were caught misbehaving!
Although our school was relatively small, it was gigantic compared to the some of the first schools established in the United States.
After the first settlements were founded, eventually, the need arose for the children’s education. Small one-room schoolhouses were built and a teacher was brought in to deliver instruction. Since there was a small number of children, all ages were taught together.
Although the Oldest Wooden School House, located in St. Augustine’s historic district, only dates back to the early 18th century and was by no means the first, it does hold the title of the “oldest” as it is the only one still standing. No other wooden structures in the city, built prior to 1702, remain as the British burned St. Augustine to the ground during that year.
The Oldest Wooden School House was built for the Genopoly family in the Minorcan Quarter. It was a single-story building made of cypress and red cedar and had a detached kitchen and a privy. The first schoolteacher, Juan Genopoly, eventually commissioned a second story to guarantee privacy for himself and his family.
Today, visitors enter through the gift shop and pay the admission fee. From the gift shop they step into the quaint walled-in garden and observe the many statues of international educators, the old school bell in the corner of the courtyard and a 250-year-old pecan tree which still bears fruit.
After my walk through the garden, I took a peek inside of the kitchen and learned that it was not used as a cafeteria, but as the location where the teachers whipped up their own meals for themselves and their family. Students brought their own “lunch pails” and the kitchen was built as a separate entity to avoid unnecessarily heating the schoolhouse or catching it on fire.
Turning to find the entrance to the schoolhouse, I stepped inside, taking care to monitor the uneven floorboards. The two rooms on either side were decorated in the style of the time and it was evident that one was used as an office for Teacher Genopoly.
Passing into the main room, I observed the small, narrow stairway leading up to the family’s main living and sleeping quarters and the small space underneath the stairs which demonstrated “the dungeon” where unruly students were placed for punishment. To the right was the main space where instruction took place around the fireplace.
In long showcases along the back wall, there are many artifacts, including old textbooks and school supplies from the eighteenth century and a list of the last class which attended school there in 1864.
As I ventured closer to the students, I wondered how they were segregated for learning purposes and observed how the dunce cap was used not on the head of the ill-behaved child, as I had thought, but the head of the slow learner. Although it was a common practice, it was not one that I thought was fair.
And with that, my time visiting the Oldest Wooden School House was complete.
Short and sweet, yet very educational…for me and for those who came before me…both visitors and students…I really enjoyed this American Treasure, such an important part of St. Augustine’s past.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse
Address: 14 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida, 32084
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 1000-1700, Friday and Saturday, 1000-1900
Admission: Adult, $5.00, Students (ages 6-12), $4.00, Children (under 5), free
Sitting on a bench in a plaza, far, far away, I enjoy watching the citizens of the city come together. Older people sit on benches watching the children run and play. Patrons sip their lattes in outdoor cafes and sample the local cuisine. Vendors sell their wares and the old cathedral keeps watch over the entire setting, marking the hour with the tone of a mighty bell.
This scene can be found throughout many cities in the world. A few U.S. cities have town squares but being such a young country and one that tried to set itself apart, town squares are just not as prevalent.
Although everyone is familiar with the landing at Jamestown in 1607, many don’t realize that the oldest city in the United States had already been in existence since 1565, when the Jamestown settlers made their way ashore.
St. Augustine.
Plaza de la Constitution, the heart of St. Augustine, was established in 1573 by the Spanish Royal Ordinances and is the oldest public park in the United States.
When designed, the requirement was put in place that the plaza be oriented toward the primary compass points with a length equal to one and one-half times its width. Public and government buildings and churches were constructed facing the plaza and it was the place where the citizens of St. Augustine came to do business and meet their neighbors.
As I made a plan to see all of St. Augustine’s sights, one of the first things I noticed was Plaza de la Constitution. Thinking fondly of all the time I had spent abroad, enjoying the architecture and action of many plazas, piazzas, squares and parks (Piazza Navona in Rome, St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Trafalgar Square in London…just to name a few!) I knew that it would be the best place to start my explorations of the landmarks in the Old Town.
Among some of the sites within the park that I discovered were the old public well, which dates back to the 1600s, a pavilion used for city events and live entertainment, a monument to Confederate veterans, a 19th century monument to the Spanish Constitution of 1812 and the historic marketplace structure where the citizens of St. Augustine went to purchase their food and much needed items. Today, the market is no longer in operation, but the square is surrounded by numerous restaurants and shops. I was even offered a free banana as I walked into the park…by a PETA group hoping to bring awareness to pet cruelty!
After I walked through the park, languishing in the shade of the mossy oaks, I made my way to the front of the park and the spot that Juan Ponce de Leon landed near in 1513, marked by a statue on Ponce de Leon Circle at the entrance to the Bridge of Lions. Not only did I have a great view of the statue and of the old marketplace building, but of the mighty oak trees that stand at attention in the park.
The Public Market
There are many historic structures that surround the plaza, including the historic Government House, built from 1706-1713, which served as the home of the Florida’s Spanish governors and as the capitol of the Florida Territory in 1823.
The Government House
The exchange of flags took place in the plaza when Florida was transferred from Spain to the United States. Meetings were held in this location on the eve of the Civil War and Union Navy Officers crossed the park in 1862 when they reclaimed the city from the Confederates.
The Treasury on the Plaza
Also sitting on the plaza are two churches, Trinity Parish Episcopal Church, (established 1763-1783) and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine (constructed 1793-1797), which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and is the oldest Catholic Church in the city and the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine. The basilica’s awe-inspiring mission architecture is hard to miss, towering over the plaza.
Trinity Episcopal ChurchThe Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
Although it would have been easy to grab a seat on one of the plaza’s benches and watch the world go by, there was just too much to see and do.
How could I see it all?
I exited the park, picked a street and started walking!
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Plaza de la Constitution
Address: 170 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
When I am traveling, if there is a religious shrine, graveyard or church, I will find it.
It’s even easier if it’s across the street from my hotel!
When I arrived in St. Augustine, the weather was less than optimum. Foggy and rainy, it just wasn’t the way I wanted to start my trip. As the day wore on, however, there was some improvement.
As I walked out of my hotel, I could see the top of an extremely large cross amidst the fog in the distance; the Mission Nombre de Dios (Name of God) and the Shrine of Our Lady de La Leche. Though I really wanted to start my explorations of this historic mission, I decided to temporarily put it on hold, praying for a nicer day.
The next morning, it was still a bit foggy but much better than the previous day. Crossing San Marco Avenue, I entered the gates and headed to the far end of the property to where the immense cross soars over the waters of the Matanzas River. The Great Cross, a 208-foot-high structure constructed of stainless steel, was built in 1965 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first parish Catholic Mass and is fronted by an 11-foot statue which depicts Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza, the first parish priest of St. Augustine.
In 1565, General Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles was sent by Spain to drive out the French Huguenots and establish the oldest permanent European settlement in what is now the United States. Father Mendoza, the chaplain of Menendez’ ship, offered a Mass of Thanksgiving on September 8, 1565, the day the Spanish arrived, with a roughly constructed altar and observed by the native Timucuans. Following mass, Pedro Menendez hosted a feast for his companions and the natives, an act that many describe as being the first Thanksgiving, contrary to what we have been taught. Today, on the site of the original altar, you will spot a newer recreation.
Dating back to the establishment of our great nation, these grounds are often described as America’s Most Sacred Acre. The Shrine is the oldest Marian Shrine in the United States and was recently elevated to a National Shrine by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
I moved slowly, relishing in the serenity of the area and walked the well-maintained paths and walkways of the mission grounds. Passing the modest cemetery, I made my way to the small chapel. A beautiful vine-covered, stone and masonry sanctuary, it was built in 1967 by St. Augustine Governor Hita Y Salazar and housed an exquisitely detailed carved statue of Mary nursing the baby Jesus. It was the first devotion to Mary in the United States and was brought from Spain in the early 1600s. This chapel was bombed by the Spanish troops in 1728, during a battle with British soldiers who were attempting the seizure of St. Augustine, rebuilt in 1875 and restored after an especially turbulent storm season in 1914.
Other items of interest are the gravesites of six of the Sisters of St. Joseph who came to St. Augustine to teach the liberated slaves, the Stations of the Cross, an unknown formation (most likely the base for a religious monument), a bell tower, and statues of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Joseph.
After my exploration of the grounds was complete, I headed across the bridge to the front of the property. Finding the museum still closed, I ventured into the larger shrine church. Housing a replica of the original statue, I found the church to be quaint, yet modern, with its interestingly arranged colorful stained-glass windows. In the front of the church, a small room, devoted to Our Lady of Fatima, offers a modest place of prayer.
Finally, I made my way back to the now open Gift Shop/Museum and began making my way through the museum. The woman working behind the desk came and joined me and gave me a brief overview of the items in the small gallery.
Items of interest include an interesting diorama of the celebration of the first mass, important documents including a letter written by Pedro Menendez de Aviles, dated October 15, 1565, liturgical vestments and a statue of St. Francis Borgia. The most important artifact, however, is the original outer coffin in which Pedro Menedez de Aviles was buried. The coffin, encased and protected by glass, was presented to the Mission by the city of Aviles, where the remains of Menendez are still interred.
If I had had more time, I would have liked to have returned for mass at noon, however, since there were so many other places to visit within the city, I had to be content to offer up some early prayers and continue on my way. Stepping out of the museum, I realized that the fog had burned off and the sun was now shining brightly. Yes, there were other things I needed to see that day, however, I took one last stroll across the mission’s lake for another glimpse at Father Mendoza and the Great Cross.
Truly one of the most historic and meaningful temples that I have ever visited in the United States and possibly the world, it is recommended that all visitors to St. Augustine take some time to visit this holy site.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche and Mission Nombre de Dios
Although visitors to St. Augustine today are free to drive through or walk around the oldest part of the city, it wasn’t always this way.
In the beginning, there was only one way in.
After a devastating attack by the British in 1702, the city of St. Augustine made the decision to fortify its outer rims. One hundred and fifty years old at the time, the city began constructing earthen walls from the Castillo to the San Sebastián river, completely surrounding the city. Several large redoubts were added and supplied with artillery and ammunition. Still not satisfied with their own safety, an additional wall, the Rosario Line, was added on the western part of town.
Although some deterioration has taken place over time, as you approach the North end of St. George Street, you can still spy the Santo Domingo redoubt and the earthen walls.
The most striking part of that approach, however, is the old city gates, still standing strong. Built of almost indestructible coquina, they once marked the only entrance into St. Augustine. Today, you can access the old city from many points, however, this rough and weathered entryway still welcomes visitors who come to shop, dine and see the old city, with a picturesque approach.
If ghost stories are of interest to you, one you might hear is that of Elizabeth, a young girl who succumbed to the one adversary that the city’s fortifications could not keep out…a murderer…yellow fever.
Elizabeth’s body was found abandoned at the very spot tourists today pose for selfies, the city gates.
As the deadly plague spread throughout the city, residents cowered while watching relatives and neighbors succumb in great numbers, fearing that this scourge would claim them as well. These bodies were removed from the city’s boundaries and buried in the Huguenot cemetery across the street from the city’s entry point. This Protestant burial ground, in use from 1821 until 1884, was where the unclaimed body of Elizabeth was taken and interred.
While during the day, wandering near the gates and the cemetery might seem harmless enough, you might think otherwise when the fog rolls in from the bay during the darkest hours of night.
Ghost tours, a popular attraction, sometimes lead their customers near these gates after dark, but beware.
Perhaps you will spot the clientele and their guide.
But if you see a lone visitor…one in a simple white dress…you might have to wonder if its Elizabeth trying to find her way back in.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.com.
As I ventured north on San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, after viewing the Old Senator, my intention had been to quickly check out the old jail site before heading to the historic downtown. What I found, however, was an attraction called Old Town which encompasses the Old Jail, the Oldest Museum Store and the Old Town Trolley depot.
Sensing that this was going to be a longer than anticipated visit, I headed over to the ticket booth to purchase admission for the attractions. With tickets in hand, not only for the jail and the store, but for the St. Augustine History Museum and the Old Town Trolley (for two days), I pondered what I would encounter.
Making my way to a marked area in front of the old jail building, I was intrigued by two “prisoners” who engaged those of us waiting. As they robbed us of information…where we were from…they also gave us an overview of what we could expect on our tour.
The Old Jail
Bringing us back to the year 1891, we were versed on Henry Flagler, the founder of the Florida East Coast Railway (which ironically was built through convict leasing), who had just opened the Ponce de Leon Hotel. Although he desired a secure place for the criminals of the city, it was important to him that this building not detract from the majestic atmosphere of the city. A jailhouse, designed by P.J. Pauley Jail Company who built Alcatraz, was designed to appear as a Victorian house from the outside…the inside was a different matter. This jail was built away from the downtown area and served the city until 1953.
At the rear of the building, we first encountered the gallows, the menacing site of the hangings of numerous violent criminals. Entering the jailhouse, we experienced both women’s and men’s cells as well as the maximum security area. The jailhouse also encompasses the sheriff’s office and living quarters…a little too close for comfort (to the inmates) in my opinion!
The Gallows
While it was interesting to see the interior of this beautiful structure, what made the tour special was our guide Bobalew. His exuberant tales of life behind bars as well the inmates’ stories were intriguing and he was wonderful in character, truly one of the most wonderful tour guides I have ever encountered! After the tour, we spoke and I learned that being a “convict” is his retirement job. I don’t know what he did before retirement, however, I think that Bobalew finally found his calling!
After taking a peek at the historic Mary Peck House, adjacent to the jail, I headed over to the St. Augustine History Museum. While not an extensive space, it is tightly packed with a great number of artifacts and declares St. Augustine’s long and rich history.
Finishing up in the adjoining gift shop, I perused the large number of city specific souvenirs. Walking out with a beer koozie and a hat, I crossed the courtyard and took a seat, waiting for the next tour of the Old Store Museum to begin.
While I don’t normally like to be in the last tour group of the day, in this instance, the last tour was the one to aspire to. After greeting the wooden Indian at the door, the tour guide led me (and only me) through the old general store, staying in character and using her charm to sell me the goods that were once peddled here during its heydey…think coffee grinders, seeds, spices and fabrics. Dimly lit and filled to capacity, it was an excellent recreation where one can almost feel like they have been transported back to the turn of the century.
The Wiles Houses, dating back to 1899, were moved to Old Town from their current location in St. Augustine and connected. Though this was not the original general store, it is a recreation of what a general store looked like during the time and filled with a large collection of early American antiques salvaged from the Oldest Store attraction, once located on Artillery Street. While the front was filled with the most basic necessities, the rear building had a huge display of small machinery and had it not been the end of the day, I could have stayed and perused every nook and corner!
Finally, with attractions closing up for the day, I walked across the parking lot to the Hildreth House (1870) which houses The Spice and Tea Exchange and the 1910 Cracker House which is being restored as a historic house museum in which Cracker life in early Florida will be interpreted. Neither building was open, however, I was led to History Walk path, a boardwalk which chronicles St. Augustine’s settlement history through signage along the way. There was a convict train car on display as well as convict statues along the avenue. Displayed here to attract passersby attention, they are great for photo opportunities!
While I did not make it to the historic district on this afternoon, I was glad that I had stumbled upon the Old Town attraction. For first time visitors to St. Augustine, it is a great place to start your exploration of the old city’s history!
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Florida is known for its large population of seniors. Not high schoolers mind you…
Senior citizens!
The sunny days and warm weather offer good health and vitality, so many opt to move to the golden state their during their “golden” years.
I would imagine that even with the most outstanding weather, most residents don’t make it past their 100th birthday, however, so if I told you that St. Augustine has a resident much older than that, you probably would not believe me, right?
Would you believe 600 years old?
In the parking lot of the Villa 1565 Hotel, stands St. Augustine’s oldest resident…the Old Senator. No government politician, this senator stands over 56 feet tall, has a girth of over 21 feet and could tell many stories about St. Augustine’s history and people.
While most people are aware of gigantic sequoias of California, some of the largest trees in the world, not all realize how large live oak trees can maturate…well, maybe us southerners do, as we have grown up with them towering over our yards. This one, however, is probably the most impressive I have even laid eyes on.
Crossing paths with this giant while returning from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, I was awed by its enormous size. Its torso is enclosed by a small gate and a wooden frame has been constructed, allowing for pictures with the tree’s trunk. While it is impressive to stand near its base and think about how many arms’ lengths it would take to make it all the way around, I think that it is much more impressive to stand back, inside of the parking lot, and observe how far reaching this behemoth’s limbs stretch.
While it is within the confines of the Villa 1565 Hotel, you will only have to fight for observation rights with the occasional trolley from Old Town Trolley Tours making stop number 21.
Go pay your respects and listen closely when the wind causes its leaves to whisper. You just might learn something.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Facebook, @snappingtheglobe.
The Old Senator
Address: Villa 1565 Hotel, 137 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL, 32084
The oldest continuously inhabited European-establlished settlement in the contiguous United States…what a mouthful!
Do you happen to know what city this is?
St. Augustine!
Many years ago, I resided in the state of Florida. During that year-long stay, I spent a lot of time traveling abroad with my job, but strangely, I didn’t spend a lot of time checking out the state that was my home.
Maybe I just wasn’t as adventurous as I am today.
Maybe I just wasn’t informed.
Maybe I spent most of my time tanning at the pool and the beach or hanging at Disneyworld (yep…).
Had I known then what I know now, I would have spent more time exploring, much like the pioneers that landed on Florida’s shores hundreds of years before. Recently, I had read a bit about the city of St. Augustine and I was enthralled with its history and with the photos of its old town. It appeared to be so charming and a bit like Europe or the Caribbean, both of which I was missing, being unable to travel freely because of Covid.
Tired of being on lockdown at home and feeling the need to venture out to a state that offered fewer restrictions, I packed up and headed to St. Augustine to see if it was as true in life as it was depicted in print.
After arriving in Jacksonville and picking up my rental car, I made the hour-long drive south and checked into my hotel. There appeared to be so many things to do in this small city, I didn’t know where to commence.
I decided to begin where it all began.
Juan Ponce de Leon was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led the first official European expedition to Florida. Born in Spain in 1474, he first arrived in the Americas with Christopher Columbus’ second expedition in 1493. After serving as a top military official in Hispaniola, he then led an expedition to Puerto Rico, a colony in which he served as the first governor. Under the advice of King Ferdinand, he led an expedition to La Florida and landed on the eastern coast of what is now the United States on the feast day of St. Augustine. The city served as the capital of Spanish Florida for over 200 years and was later settled by Pedro Menendez de Aviles.
Though idealized as a great explorer, people always associate Juan Ponce de Leon’s search with the Fountain of Youth, rather than settlement of new lands. This is a widely known story, however, it is one that historians call a myth. Today, the public’s fascination with staying young, leads those to have a bit of faith in the story.
While I wasn’t seeking youth during my visit, I was seeking adventure and education. Heading over to the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, I made my way through the entrance, handing my ticket over as I walked into the Spring House, a 60-year old coquina building, which houses the original spring recorded in a seventeenth century land grant, supposedly associated with Ponce de Leon. Grabbing a cup, I examined the exhibits showing Ponce de Leon’s interaction with Timucua Indians and filled my cup from the aquifer. Taking a sip, I was a bit disappointed. It was not as cold as I would have expected and the minerals gave the clear liquid a strange taste. Thinking I would stick with my bottled Dasani, I headed outside to see what else I could find.
Examining my map and activity schedule, I learned that many of the exhibits were offered at specified times. Since the next presentation at the nearby planetarium was about to begin, I decided that I would snag a seat and relax there for a few minutes. The presentation offered an explanation of how sailors of the past navigated the vast seas by the stars above them. It was actually more interesting that I had anticipated and I learned a great deal.
The next stop was the Discovery Globe Theater. Almost a full house, I sat in one of the few vacant seats at the front of the room and was not sure what I was there to witness. A short movie precluded the presentation and I was taken aback when the narrator said that we would be shocked as to how primitive it would be compared to technology of today…he wasn’t lying. The curtain was opened and there was a giant globe (hence the name)! Planet earth. As this giant 30-foot high globe was lighted, it illustrated the routes of the explorers to and from the New World, the lands of La Florida, the Universities that were established in the Americas and the settlements and cities that they founded. Yes, it was certainly nothing like today’s technology, however, back when this was first introduced, it presented to standing room only crowds. Ok…so I liked it a little bit. Actually, I liked it more than I will probably ever will admit. It was kind of like visiting Disneyworld’s Tomorrowland for the first time…you wait for a phenomenal show and it is more like a walk back in time, but a walk that fills you with sentimentality.
Finally, I made my way throughout the remainder of the park. There were exhibits detailing Timucua burials and a Timucua village, with it centerpiece being the Church of Nombre de Dios. This church is a recreation of the original that stood on this location in 1587, built with cypress and palm thatch. Living history interpreters are present in the village to answer questions and help you understand what day to day life was like in the village.
Walking along the pathways, I dodged a plethora of peacocks while admiring the lovely, well-manicured grounds, highlighted by tropical trees, plants and water features. The male peacocks strutted their stuff while the females hung back in the grassy areas, some perched on the antique firearms. Heading toward the back of the park, I took a stroll out on the Historic Landings Riverwalk, past the Peace Memorial and the Ponce de Leon statue and checked out the Spanish Lookout, arriving just in time to witness the shooting of the cannon.
Quite a crowd had gathered to observe the historical firearms presentation but it was the Spanish Lookout that I though to be more interesting. The original watchtower that stood in this location was significant in the settlement’s history as it was what was the undoing of St. Augustine in June of 1568. Because of a light in the watchtower, Sir Francis Drake, with two thousand men and forty-two ships, was guided toward shore. Had they not seen the light, they might have missed the town, however, they made their way inland, sacking, looting and burning the entire settlement and wooden fort. Today’s visitors can ascend the tower, affording themselves a bird’s eye view of the waterways upon which Sir Francis Drake menacingly made his way to St. Augustine.
With ringing ears from the cannon’s discharge, I resumed my walk along the pathways, paying heed to the framework reconstruction in the inner field. When complete, this project will give visitors the ability to experience the First Settlement as previously inhabited by Pedro Menendez de Aviles.
Other items of interest on the premises were the Chalupa of St. Augustine where the settlement’s boats were constructed and a blacksmith shop offering demonstrations on the creation of various tools used during the period.
While the park offers a wide array of experiences, it is not a large scale facility and easily navigated in a couple of hours. It is a great way to start your education and exploration of the historical city of St. Augustine, founded by Ponce de Leon and settled by Pedro Menendez de Aviles. While there are many things to see inside of the park, make sure to pay your respects to Menendez’s statue at the park’s entrance and make sure to not miss the oak tree “tunnel” that fronts the roadway to the park!
As I made my way out of the park and walked along under the canopy of oaks, I couldn’t wait to see what else there was to discover in this historical city!
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Address: 11 Magnolia Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 32084-2827
Hours: 0900-1800, daily
Admission: Adults, $18.00, Seniors (60 years +), $17.00, Children (6-12 years), $10.00, Children (under 5 years), free. Reduced rates for St. John’s County residents.
They can also be a place of beauty and of history.
In my lifetime, I have visited numerous cemeteries throughout the world. Famous cemeteries…like Pere Lachaise in Paris and La Recoleta in Buenos Aires. Sculptural ones…like Monumentale in Milan. Historical ones…like Gettysburg National Cemetery and Arlington National Cemetery.
Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond fits all three categories.
Situated very close to my home, Hollywood Cemetery is a place that I love to visit. While it is a peaceful and beautiful drive throughout, it is also a place for scenic views of the James River and a place to visit the resting places of historic citizens and soldiers.
Designed in 1847, the cemetery was constructed as a garden, steering away from the typical grid-like cemeteries normally seen in cities. This was done to accommodate visitors…to give them a place of solace, serenity and invitation. The landscape design left large stately trees in place including poplars and white oaks. There are over 2,000 trees in the cemetery today, many predating the cemetery, including the holly trees from which the cemetery adopted its name.
While one might think that parking at the entrance gates and making your way on foot is the way to visit, keep in mind that the cemetery encompasses a sprawling one hundred and thirty-five acres characterized by rolling hills and winding paths. Unless you are looking to incorporate some strenuous exercise into your tour, you might want to drive to each general location where parking is available on the side of the drives or in available spaces.
The best course of action is to first drive along Eastvale Avenue, passing the Confederate General Section, marked by an arch and a cannon, and on to Waterview Avenue. Pull over near the Palmer Chapel Mausoleum and President’s Circle for amazing views of the James River.
Confederate Generals
Palmers Chapel Mausoleum
In President’s Circle, you can pay tribute to John Tyler and James Monroe, the fifth and tenth presidents of the United States . President Monroe was laid to rest in Hollywood Cemetery in 1858, twenty-seven years after his death in New York City. His unique tomb is known as “The Birdcage” due to its unique structure. His wife, daughter and son-in-law are buried nearby.
Gravesite of President James Monroe
President Tyler was buried in the cemetery in 1862. Although his death was the only one in presidential history not to be officially recognized in Washington D.C. due his allegiance to the Confederate States of America, the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, hosted a stately affair. Near the end of Waterview Avenue you will find the gravesites of President Jefferson Davis.
Gravesite of President John TylerGravesite of Confederate President, Jefferson Davis
In this general area, you can also find the burial places of six of Virginia’s past governors, including Fitzhugh Lee (1886-1890), Charles T. Offerall (1894-1898), John Garland Pollard (1930-1934), William Smith (1946-1949), Claude A. Swanson (1906-1910) and Henry A. Wise (1856-1860) as well as some beautiful large crypts on Eliptic Avenue and the first burial site.
Crypts of Eliptic Avenue
There are some scattered parking areas near James Monroe’s tomb and there are some other interesting graves in this area.
Uphill from the entrance of the cemetery, further along Idlewood Avenue, stands a grand piece of architecture, a ninety foot granite pyramid completed in 1869. It is a monument dedicated to the 18,000 Confederate enlisted men buried nearby. In the circle at the rear of the monument, there is a marker which honors the memory of those former members of the John Marshall Corps of Cadets who gave their lives in behalf of Duty, Honor and Country. You can also find the gravesite of Raleigh E. Colston (1825-1896), American professor, soldier, cartographer, writer and brigadier general who served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
George E. Pickett’s grave is also in this location. Most remember Pickett’s Charge, the futile and bloody Confederate offensive on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, in which he was one of the commanders. His wife Sallie is buried nearby.
One of my favorite gravesites is not very far from the pyramid. On a corner, you will spot a black, cast-iron Newfoundland dog. This statue stands guard over the grave of a little girl who died in 1862. This gravesite is one sought out regularly by visitors and you can often spot gifts left on her tomb. In fact, dogs are a common theme throughout the cemetery, almost as common as angels!
There is much to occupy your time and explore in Hollywood Cemetery. You can purchase a map at the front office for $1 or load one on your phone, or just wing it and see what you can find on your own.
Hallowed grounds, but truly the most picturesque I have ever visited.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Most people know that Yorktown was the site, after seven years of the American Revolution, that British General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington during the last major land battle which brought an end to the conflict.
After a visit to the battlefield, visitors often head into the town to explore the distinct reminders of Yorktown’s historic past.
Millions of tourists visit Yorktown annually, in conjunction with visits to nearby Jamestown and Williamsburg. All three cities, which form the Historic Triangle, offer interesting experiences to visitors of all ages. Though it has been quiet lately, I think that interest in the origins of our great nation will continue to lure the past crowds back to the area and on this beautiful fall day, it lured me.
Established in 1691, to regulate trade and collect taxes on both imports and exports for Great Britain, Yorktown emerged as a major port and economic center in the early part of the next century. With almost 300 buildings, the waterfront offered wharves, docks, storehouses and business and the city streets contained stately homes, taverns and shops during the mid 1700’s. 1781 saw Cornwallis’ arrival and the subsequent siege by American and French forces. As a result, much of the town was destroyed.
At the end of the war, fewer than seventy buildings remained. A fire in 1814 destroyed much of the surviving waterfront area, many homes and the courthouse on Main Street. More destruction was seen during the Civil War in 1862.
While I would have loved to visit the American Revolution Museum, time was limited after my drive through the battlefield and I was much more interested in taking a stroll to channel what it must have been like before the siege. Parking in a lot in the downtown area, I decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon walking the town streets and seeing what makes it unique.
Yorktown has a colonial atmosphere and while there are some reminders of its historic past, much of it has been reconstructed. There are some sites of importance that I encountered during my stroll along the pedestrian friendly streets. Many historic buildings were not open to the public during my visit, but it was nice to inspect their architectural prominence from the grounds and imagine it as it once was…a thriving tobacco port.
One of the most important homes in Yorktown is the Nelson House on Main Street. This was the home of Thomas Nelson, Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a commander of the Virginia Militia during the Siege of Yorktown. Much of the house has withstood the test of time and is original, including the bricks and most of the mortar in the outer walls. The interior boasts its original wall panels and most of its wooden floors. The home is filled with reproductions and a few period pieces obtained to show visitors how the Nelsons lived.
The Cole Digges House, also on Main Street, is one of mystery. Originally thought to have been constructed by Thomas Pate, a landowner during the period of 1699 to 1703, the house was thought to have been built in 1700, however there is no record of its construction. When Cole Digges, purchased the land in 1713, records show a home on the lot, however, the National Park Service claims that Digges built the home in the 1730s due to its style and tree-ring analysis showing that the wood in the home was harvested around that time. The home has undergone renovations over the years, retaining its characteristics from the alterations made by owners in 1921. Today, it operates as the Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters store.
The Somerwell House is another home, near the Digges and Nelson houses, whose origins are uncertain. Named for Mungo Somerwell, owner of the property in the early 1700s. Purchased by Philip Lightfoot in 1716, and then known as the Lightfoot House, the National Park Service opted to go with the original owner’s name which points to a construction date between 1700 and 1707, making it the oldest house in Yorktown. It was once used as a visitor center and park headquarters, and now used as a rental property.
The Old Custom House, on the corner of Main and Read Streets, was built around 1720 by Customs Agent Richard Ambler, to secure import and export taxes and duties for the Port of Yorktown and is one of only twelve historic Customs Houses still remaining in the United States. This house is open to the public on Sundays from June to October and offers a museum.
A little further down the street, the Yorktown Victory Monument towers on the banks of the York River. Commemorating the American-French victory over the British during the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which ended the American Revolution, the monument was designed by architects R.M. Hunt and Henry Van Brunt, sculpted by J.Q.A. Ward in 1881 and was completed three years later. The monument displays four high relief sculptures which depict military aspects of the American-French alliance. Thirty-eight stars on the column represent the thirty-eight states that were present at the time of the monuments erection, thirteen neoclassical female figures represent the thirteen original colonies and under them can be spied the saying, “One country, one constitution, one destiny.” The monument is crowned by Lady Liberty.
Backtracking to the center of town, I sought out the town’s one religious structure, Grace Episcopal Church. Built in 1697, the church has survived fire and two wars. As I walked among the graves, I witnessed numerous gravesites from some of Virginia’s most prominent families, including Thomas Nelson, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Nicholas Martiau, George and Elizabeth Martiau Read, “Scotch” Tom Nelson and William Nelson.
Breathing in the salty air, I led it lead me down Church Street, finding myself on the waterfront facing Yorktown Beach. The day was relatively warm and I spied many families enjoying the sunny skies and picturesque views. I stopped for a moment, taking off my shoes so I could feel the sand between my toes and looked out over the river and at the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge spanning its width.
Continuing my walk along the Riverwalk, I encountered the Historic Freight Shed which was constructed by the National Park Service in the 1930s to serve as a ferry terminal building between York and Gloucester and as a warehouse for freight being shipped from other ports. Once the Coleman Bridge was completed, the ferry service was suspended and the building was solely used for storage. In 1956, the building was remodeled to be used as a post office, however, the post office was relocated in 2000. The building was transferred from the National Park Service to York County and moved back from the river approximately 300 feet. Today it serves the area as a event venue.
Stopping for a moment, I studied the three statues in front of the Freight Shed. These statues pay tribute to the Marquis de Lafayette and the assistance given by France to General Washington during the Siege of Yorktown.
Though it was tempting to spend more time enjoying this beautiful town, it was getting late. The Riverwalk is a wonderful place to enjoy a meal, visit galleries and boutiques, listen to the sounds of the Fifes and Drums and other live entertainment or rent a bike, kayak or Segway and cruise the waterfront. Sadly, due to Covid, many of these things were not available. In addition to the waterfront area, there are so many things to see and do in Yorktown…a ride on the Schooner Alliance, ghost tours, the York County Historical Museum, the Poor Potter Archaeological Site, the Yorktown Baptist Church among them…if you are planning a visit, make sure to plan accordingly.
Finally, I began the uphill walk back to where I had began, passing the Swan Tavern a reconstruction of the main tavern from 1722 and York Hall, the former courthouse.
It is a great benefit to live so close to so many places that played such a significant part of our country’s history. While I couldn’t see everything in Yorktown on this day, there is nothing stopping me from the hour long drive on another.
I will be back.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
Getting There: From I-95, Take I-64 East to VA-199 East/Colonial Parkway, Follow the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown, Turn left onto Water Street. Yorktown is 160 miles from Washington DC, 62 miles from Richmond and 12 miles from Williamsburg.
