It was on September 8 of 1565 that America’s oldest city came into existence. St. Augustine, Florida was established long before the pilgrims, the war of independence or the statute of liberty. The city is an often overlooked testament to the long and diverse history of the United States.

Juan Ponce De Leon, the famed Spanish explorer, arrived in St. Augustine in 1513 but it wouldn’t be until 1565 that another famous Spanish sea farer, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, took his 600 men onto land and claimed the area for Spain. The name St. Augustine comes from the fact that it was a scant 11 days since the feast day of St. Augustine and the company’s arrival in Florida and the founding of the city took place.

The early history of the St. Augustine includes the building of the Spanish fort four decades before the colony at Jamestown, the sacking of the city by Sir Francis Drake in 1586 and the death of 60 inhabitants by pirates under John Davis in 1668.

The city changed hands a number of times during its lifetime. The Spanish established a military fort on the site in 1672 and for almost a century, it was considered a Spanish town. In 1763, the British captured the city (after sacking it twice in the past) and kept it until 1784. One of the articles of the Treaty of Paris (1783) which ended the American Revolutionary War was that the city be returned to Spanish control. By that time Spanish influence had declined around the globe and St. Augustine never fully returned to its Spanish roots.

In 1821, the area that was to become the state of Florida was sold to the newly formed United States. St. Augustine was already established with roads, commerce and laws and needed only the influence of the pioneer spirit to complete its transformation to an American stronghold.

Henry Flagler came to St. Augustine in 1883 and left a permanent mark on the city. Many of the buildings were constructed under his direction still stand today including the Lightner Museum and Flagler College. Other old buildings in the city include the Governor’s home built in 1713, the basilica of St. Augustine built in 1797 and the oldest building in the town, a Spanish style domestic dwelling built in 1706. The city is a mix of colonial, Spanish revival, Victorian and modern architecture.

Today, St. Augustine is well established as a tourist attraction. The original city walls, the colonial architecture and the European influence make this Florida town a unique slice of American history. Most people are taught that Jamestown or the landing at Plymouth mark the beginning of a truly American way of life yet it was at St. Augustine that the nation first made its way into world history.

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