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450 Years Young St. Augustine, Florida
INSIDE
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Check Out The Alligator Farm Visit The Distillery
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VACATION & TRAVEL • JANUARY 6 - 12, 2016
World Renowned Golf Communities #11 Fastest Growing County in U.S. Top 10 Best Beaches in U.S.
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St. Augustine:
450 Years Of Living History 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, FL. The year 2015 marked its 450th anniversary, making it the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the contiguous United States. 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 10 most notable dates in St. Augustine history. April 2, 1513— 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. The very next day he came ashore (we do not know exactly where) and claimed La Florida (as it was originally called) for Spain. 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 St. Augustine. 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. Under the cover of night, they slipped into the harbor and attacked the sleeping town, killing 60 people and pillaging government buildings, churches and homes. The devastation wrought by these pirates prompted Spain’s Council of the Indies to
issue money to build a massive stone fortress on Matanzas Bay to protect the city. The Castillo de San Marcos still stands as an enduring reminder of Florida’s gripping heritage. This event is reenacted every year on the first Saturday in March.
these people sought sanctuary from the cruel conditions under which they had labored on Dr. Turnbull’s indigo plantation at New Smyrna, FL. Recruited from Spain’s Baleric Islands, Italy and Greece, they had come to New Smyrna in 1768 to work as indentured servants. The mistreatment they suffered at the hands of Turnbull and his overseers convinced them to escape from the plantation and walk 60 miles to St. Augustine. Thanks to the work of their parish priest, Father Pedro Camps, the Menorcans were granted asylum. Fortu-
A city of firsts
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.
& oldests
1738—The establishment of Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose Fort Mose (pronounced “Moh-say”) 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. Anticipating Oglethorpe’s attack, Governor Manuel de Montiano had earlier sent a courier to Havana asking for supplies since there were only enough for three weeks. 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,
The Castillo de San Marcos
nately, the booming economic conditions of the times meant that instead of the Menorcans becoming a burden on the town, their labor was in great demand and they were able to quickly become an important addition to the community. 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. St. Augustine—still under Spanish rule—did so. In 1814, King Ferdinand VII abolished the constitution and ordered all monuments to be torn down. The Constitution Obelisk in Saint Augustine survived. The constitution was reinstated during the Trienio Liberal (1820–23) and again briefly from 1836-37 while the Progressives prepared the Constitution of 1837. St. Augustine has the only lasting Spanish Constitutional monument in the world.
see ST. AUGUSTINE on page 4B
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ST. AUGUSTINE from page 3B 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. In 1883, access to St. Augustine improved dramatically when the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railroad opened a line that carried visitors directly from a steamboat landing on Jacksonville’s south side to the oldest city. Jan. 10, 1888— Henry Flagler’s Hotel Ponce de Leon began hosting America’s elite for winter vacations. Called Spanish Renaissance in style, the hotel rose above the surrounding orange groves and its massive twin towers dominated the skyline of the ancient city. Its interior, designed by
Bernard Maybeck, captured the opulence of America’s Gilded Age, and the windows created by Louis Comfort Tiffany provided an almost-mystical aura to the building and its 540 guest rooms. Flagler also commissioned the former Hotel Alcazar, which currently has its spa, Turkish bath and three-story ballroom being used to house the Lightner Museum. 1961 to 1964—Civil Rights movement in St. Augustine— As with many southern cities in
One of the rooms inside the Castillo 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.
Published by Anton Media Group KARL V. ANTON, JR. Publisher, 1984–2000 ANGELA SUSAN ANTON Editor and Publisher FRANK A. VIRGA President IRIS PICONE Operations Manager CHRISTY HINKO Managing Editor, Special Sections DAVE GIL DE RUBIO Editor ALEX NUÑEZ Art Director KAREN MENGEL Director of Production SHARI EGNASKO Executive Assistant JOY DIDONATO Circulation Director
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. (Photos by Dave Gil de Rubio)
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The Castillo de San Marcos
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6970 A1A South, St.Augustine, FL 32080 • 800-527-8849
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Florida’s Wild Kingdom
to see every recognized species of crocodilian in the world. Here you’ll see toothy residents from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia ranging from the Nile crocodile to the Indian gharial. Realm of The Saltie
Alluding to Australia’s ferocious saltwater crocodile, this exhibit features fellow denizens including the Komodo Dragon, the world’s largest living lizard and the southern cassowary, the planet’s most dangerous bird. Lemurs of Madagascar
Red-ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs straight from the rainforest of Madagascar inhabit this exhibit where you can watch them playing and swinging through branches.
St. Augustine Alligator Farm is the zoo for you BY DAVE GIL DE RUBIO
DGILDERUBIO@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park was founded in 1893 and more than a century later, there’s plenty to soak up for both the casual and devoted wildlife fan. Not only is it the only place in North America to feature 24 species of crocodilian,
Getting a head-on view of a rare albino alligator. (Photos by Dave Gil de Rubio) but there are other feathered and furry creatures to take in as you stroll throughout the center’s seven acres. And if you’re inclined, you can even climb, clip and hop on a zip line over the premises. The following are some of what you can experience during your trip here: Land of Crocodiles
As you stroll though here, you’ll be able
Birds of Africa
Lorded over by gorgeous West African crowned cranes, this layout is also home to some of the Dark Continent’s largest avian scavengers including hooded vultures, Marabou storks and Cape Griffon vultures, which sport an impressive eight-foot wingspan. Albino Alligators
St. Augustine Alligator Farm is also home to an impressive amount of these rare creatures with separate spaces for babies and more fullgrown living specimens. Originating
A white-crowned hornbill is one of the many aviary species you’ll see here. in the bayous of Louisiana, folklore points to them bringing good luck to whoever happens to catch sight of them. Maximo
The park’s resident big boy, you can either see all 15 feet and 6 inches of Maximo above ground or view him through an underwater viewing window, where his 1,250-pound mass can be seen floating around his much smaller reptilian girlfriend, Sydney. Gomek Forever
Maximo’s predecessor was nearly 18 feet long and weighed around a ton at the time of his passing. Fear not, as his remains were preserved in a room where he is surrounded by a rare and beautiful collection of hand-carved art from his native Papua New Guinea. Native Bird Rookery
Located along the Great Florida Bird Trail, this part of the park allows you to walk along wooden walkways that span the Alligator Swamp where visitors can view native herons, egrets, spoonbills, wood storks and Ibis.
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The St. Augustine Distillery
St. Augustine Distillery Helps Get Your Local Spirits On
Where grassroots entrepreneurship and history meet at St. Augustine Distillery BY DAVE GIL DE RUBIO
DGILDERUBIO@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
On the outskirts of St. Augustine on Riberia Street adjacent to the Lincolnville Historic District, the city’s major black residential subdivision dating back to 1866, sits what was once the former Florida Power & Light electric plant that had also doubled as the local ice plant. Nowadays, the 15,000-square foot space is home to the St. Augustine Distillery and bar/restaurant, The Ice Plant. The distillery’s roots date back to 2010, when Philip McDaniel, Mike Diaz, former St. Augustine Amphitheater general manager Ryan Detra and The Floridian co-founder Patricia McLemore banded together with 28 other local investors to create a local craft distillery. After nearly three years and a roughly $3 million investment that went towards major renovations, the St. Augustine Distillery
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was born. Reflecting the best of what and St. Augustine Distillery New World the surrounding area has to offer, Gin. Visitors wanting to learn more the founders insisted on using local about the process can avail themselves ingredients to produce whiskey, rum, to one of a number of free daily tours, vodka and gin. With the goal being where you’ll clock in out front at the that of distilling super premium, small vintage time clock. From there, after batch spirits, some of the industry’s the screening of a short informational best experts were video about the brought in, (David distillery’s origins, Pickerell, former a short tour ensues VP of operations where you’ll not for Maker’s Mark only get walked consulted in the through the engineering, scaling distilling process, and design of the but wind up at facility as well as a tasting room equipment selection.)Bistro Steak sandwich with homemade where visitors can Further enhancing potato chips and ginger ale made with try samples of the integrity of the real ginger original cocktails distillery’s products was the decision like the Florida Mule (a take on the to partner with farmers growing locally Moscow Mule) and the New World Gin raised sugar cane, wheat, corn and & Tonic. There is also an on-site store citrus. The result is a line of spirits that where you can purchase spirits (be sure includes St. Augustine Cane Vodka to check laws regarding the shipment of
spirits before you buy anything unless you’re intending to check them in your luggage if you flew to Florida), apparel and assorted bar/cocktail products. And if you’re hungry, pop right next door to the Ice Plant, a restaurant that carved out a piece of the original plant space that serves upscale food (green curried Joyce Farm chicken salad; Crispy Ga shrimp cake sandwich) along with hand-crafted cocktails using freshsqueezed juices (the house ginger ale made with fresh ginger is alone worth a visit), house-made syrups and artisanal spirits (supplied by its next-door neighboring distillery). St. Augustine Distillery 112 Riberia St., St. Augustine, FL 32084 904-825-4963 • www.taugustinedistillery. com Ice Plant 110 Riberia St., St. Augustine, FL 32084 904-829-6553 • www.iceplantbar.com
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Signature golf. Plus a couple of incredible water features.
Teeing up at Nicklaus and Watson-designed championship golf courses. Paddling into waves on a pristine pink sand beach. Twisting down a waterslide in a 91,0000 square-foot water park. Not to mention kayaking, swimming with dolphins, carriage rides through historic St. Augustine and more. Filling out your scorecard is just the beginning at Hammock Beach. Rates starting at $159 for a one-bedroom suite & $259 for a three-bedroom suite.
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