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In an old town, one expects to find old things.
An old tree, An old jail. An old store.
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.
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!
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!
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Old Town
- https://www.visitstaugustine.com/thing-to-do/old-jail
- Address: 167 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
- Hours: 0900-1630, daily. Tours start every 20 minutes.
- Admission: Adults, $13.83, Children (ages 6-12), $7.44, Children (under 6 years), free. Free parking onsite.