View allAll Photos Tagged CastillodeSanMarcos
Scanned from Fuji Superia 100
(expired Jun-2002)
St Augustine, FL
Oct 2018
Follow on Instagram @dpsager
"The third Battle of St. Augustine took place in
1702 during the War of the Spanish
Succession. British forces led by Gov. James
Moore of South Carolina attacked the city and
attempted to bombard the Castillo into
submission. The residents of the city fled into the fortress and for 52 days the two sides
battled. Unable to conquer the huge fort,
Moore and his forces ultimately withdrew,
burning the town to the ground as they
retreated. Following the 1702 battle, the Spanish rebuilt the city and surrounded it with strong walls and redoubts. It never fell to an enemy force again." (exploresouthernhistory)
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Fort Castillo de San Marcos - Masonry Fortress
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2024 - 7/4/24
St. Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2024 - July 4th, 2024
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabal_palmetto
The sabal palmetto (also known as cabbage palm),
is the state tree of both South Carolina and Florida.
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - SW Tower - SW Corner]
*[each of the four towers were once painted bright red, long
gone with the centuries of beach 'sandblasting' salt, wind &
pelting rain. Although, some of the original 'red paint' is still
visible (here) tucked into the 'furthest corner' away from the
beach onshore winds. The walls were once plastered white]
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
History of St. Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas.) Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Some Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
Our 11th-consecutive-year visiting this magnificent city on the
4th of July. A great city with so much Florida and U.S. History!
You really should visit. Well worth the trip. Thanks for looking.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightner_Museum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Flagler
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Monica_Hotel
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. It is located on the shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. The fort was designed by the Spanish engineer Ignacio Daza and is a fine example of Spanish Colonial architecture.
*I am surprised nobody asked.
At Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, FL
A shot from the archives... I just got back from LA this morning and headed straight to work and am still trying to wake up... hope to have something new by tomorrow.
Two couples were still enjoying the evening and didn't seem to be too bothered by the huge clouds.
*This is in reference to one of my previous "not-really-a-sunset" shots. Pretty much every time people see me hanging out with a camera around sunset I get asked "Will we have a sunset tonight" and I am sitting there thinking "I am sure there WILL be a sunset, I am just not sure yet if we gonna SEE it."
View this "not-a-sunset" shot large on black.
The San Pablo Bastion at the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida. The Castillo is the oldest masonry fort in America, with building beginning in 1672 (already a hundred years after the founding of St. Augustine!). Here you can see the sentry box (or garita) topping a ravelin protecting an entryway. The ravelin is a triangular fortification that causes invading forces to split up and makes it harder to batter an entry into the wall.
Hundreds of years have gone by, but this beautiful, old fort remains a testament to the beginning of the United States. Though there have been arguments over which city is the oldest, the general consensus is that St. Augustine was the nation's first established city, and this place has been a hotbed ever since, as both the Spanish and the English fought over who would claim it.
Twice a year, the city holds an event locals know as the Lighting of St. Augustine, though I believe it's now called the Illumination. Held in June and January, each ceremony features a parade in full historic costumes, with everything from bagpipes to fife and drums, and ends with the firing of a musket at the governor's mansion, and a proclamation in either English or Spanish. The parade marchers carry torches through the streets, from the original city gates to the governor's house. It is quite exciting to see, and you really get a sense of history. It's like stepping back in time for a while, walking along the cobblestones. Many of the marchers belong to historic re-enactment groups that actually camp in authentic tents. Their clothing is about as true to period as you can get, too. It's quite a sight to see if you're ever in this area during those times.
Here, the southeastern watchtower is in view, looking over the Matanzas River. A tiny fort, Fort Matanzas, is south of here, and would alert the main fort when they saw ships entering the area. The soldiers would prepare for battle to defend the city.
The walls of the fort are made of coquina stone, which is compressed shells. When the canon balls from the ships hit the walls, they would either bounce off, or embed in the wall of the fort, and didn't do any major damage. Some are still in there!
Inside the fort, you can get a feel for what life there was like. You can still see the bunks the soldiers slept in, and some of the canons and cannonballs that remain. The walls of the fort are something like 12 feet thick. Along the top, there are wide walkways, where the soldiers could get to their posts to shoot, and the watchtowers had holes in which they could shoot through, as well. Canons are still lined up on those walls, and they fire them up occasionally for tourists! I have a video below. This was taken along the top wall of the fort. Just click on the pic to watch the video!
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - EARLY Tuesday
Vilano Beach - Atlantic Ocean - First Light - July 4th, 2023
Choppy Sea - Sunrise drama at the Inlet - Summer 2023
4th of July Holiday - Northern Florida - Treasure Coast
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - inlet jetty - dramatic up light]
*[Atlantic Ocean - warm-morning-light - active ocean-inlet]
*[Start of the Day - Gorgeous Day! - Independance Day!]
Empty - Spanish Street - Late - Night Photography
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - July 4th, 2024
Oldest City in the U.S.A. - 1513 - 11:19 PM - quiet
------Fourth of July Celebration 2024-------U.S.A.!
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - city back-ally]
*[very slight curve - narrow side-streets - pretty dimly lit]
*{notice slight-bend in the street - if a cannonball was shot
down the street it 'wouldn't make it' into the center of town]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
TWILIGHT - from Bridge of Lions - St. Augustine, FL USA
Saint Augustine Harbor - Oldest City in the U.S.A. - 1513
Fourth of July Bridge Celebration 2024 - July 4th, 2024
----------Independence Day 2024----------U.S.A.!-----U.S.A.!------
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - moored yacht - water colors]
*[Busy Shoreline - Sunset City Skyline - Western Sky Windows!]
*[waiting - anticipation - fireworks barge - START the Fireworks!]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - October 31st, 2021
*[left-double-click for a closer look]
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
History of Saint Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas). Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
Menendez successfully destroyed the French Fort Caroline at the mouth of the Saint John's River 40 miles north of St. Augustine and ended the French incursion into Florida.
St. Augustine settlers, isolated and often near starvation, lived in constant fear of attacks by pirates who roamed the coast. Diminishing supplies and increasing hostility of the Indians made life treacherous for the early settlers.
Englishman Francis Drake burned the village and wooden fort to the ground in 1586. The town was sacked again in 1668 by pirate John Davis.
Spain's Queen Regent Mariana realized that St.Augustine was the keystone in the defense of the Florida coast, so she ordered the construction of a new fort made of stone. In 1672, the Castillo de San Marcos was begun and took 23 years to complete. Originally the fort was covered with white plaster, some of which can be seen today. The towers in the four corners were plastered red.
The fort was built of coquina, a locally quarried soft shellrock. Coquina was easily shaped by artisans and did not become brittle and crumble under cannon fire. The fort, the city gate, and many homes in St. Augustine were made of coquina which is still evident today.
In 1702, seven years after its completion, English troops from South Carolina besieged the Castillo for fifty days. Fiffteen hundred Spanish citizens fled into the security of the fort and refused to surrender. The British finally gave up the siege and burned the town. This event is why there are no buildings older than 1702 in St. Augustine today.
The Spaniards rebuilt their settlement and erected a defensive earthwork on on its northern limit, fortified the walls around the city and strengthened the walls of the Castillo.
The English attacked again in 1740, this time by General James Oglethorpe of Georgia. He bombarded the Castillo and town for twenty-seven days before he also gave up and left. The coquina walls held firm, absorbing the cannon balls without breaking apart.
England defeated Spain in the Seven Years War, and Florida was transferred to English control by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. England then divided Florida into two colonies, and St. Augustine became the capital of East Florida. During the American Revolution St. Augustine remained loyal to the crown. The entire Florida peninsula was returned to Spain as part of the negotiations ending the American Revolution in 1783.
They came back to an impossible situation. The border problems of earlier times were multiplied as runaway slaves from Georgia found welcome among the Seminole Indians, and ruffians from both land and sea made Florida their habitat.
Spain ruled for another 37 years known as the Second Spanish Period 1784-1821. During this time, the Spaniards had difficulty luring settlers from the mother country and other colonies to repopulate this area.
On July 10th, 1821, the Americans took over from the Spanish. In the1830's, hostilities rose between Seminole Indians and the Federal Government. In October 1837 one hundred Seminole Indians, including Osceola, were captured under a white flag of truce just south of St. Augustine. The end of the Seminole War made Florida safe again for visitors who came to take advantage of the fine climate. In 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the Union.
From 1875 to1887, Indians from the Great Plains and the Southwest were exiled to Florida and imprisoned in the fort. The government sought to educate the Indians and allowed them some freedom of movement. These activities led to more progressive Federal Indian policies.
During the winter of 1883-84 Henry M. Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil Co., visited the city and was impressed with the charm and possibilities of the area. He later made a major impact on the architecture and economy of this historic city by building the Hotel Ponce de Leon, Hotel Alcazar, the Memorial church and more.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
(1565-1763 ~ 1st Spanish) - (1763-1784 ~ British Period)
(1784-1821 ~ 2nd Spanish) - (1821-Present ~ American)
Day 7 of our vacation trip (continued)
St. Augustine, FL
After our visit of the St. Augustine Lighthouse we enjoyed a walk through St. Augustine. It's a place of many "firsts" and "oldest". So if you have some time have a look at some of the sights or even read a little bit about the history of the Castillo de San Marcos.
St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest continuously occupied European established city, and the oldest port, in the continental United States. It lies in a region of Florida known as The First Coast, was founded by the Spanish under Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565 (who named the settlement San AgustÃn). and the first Christian worship service held in a permanent settlement in the continental United States was a Catholic Mass celebrated there. In 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and gave Florida and St. Augustine to the British, an acquisition the British had been unable to take by force and keep due to the strong force there. Florida was under Spanish control again from 1784 to 1821. During this time, Spain was being invaded by Napoleon and was struggling to retain its colonies. Florida no longer held its past importance to Spain. The expanding United States, however, regarded Florida as vital to its interests. In 1821, the Adams-OnÃs Treaty peaceably turned the Spanish colonies in Florida and, with them, St. Augustine, over to the United States.
The Castillo de San Marcos is a Spanish built fort located in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, United States. It was known as Fort Marion from 1821 until 1942, and Fort St. Mark from 1763 until 1784 while under British control. The city of St. Augustine was founded by the Spanish in 1565. Over the next one hundred years, the city was defended by nine wooden forts. Following the 1668 attack of the English pirate Robert Searle, it was decided by the Queen Regent of Spain, Mariana, that a masonry fortification be constructed to protect the city. In October 1672 construction began on the fort that would become the Castillo de San Marcos. The Castillo is a masonry star fort made of a stone called "coquina", literally "little shells", made of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a type of stone similar to limestone. Construction lasted twenty-three years, being completed in 1695.
In 1670, Charles Town (modern-day Charleston, South Carolina) was founded by the British. Being just two days sail from St. Augustine, this was one of the events that spurred the fort's construction. In November 1702, forces under orders from Governor James Moore of Charles Town, set sail from Carolina in an attempt to capture the city.
Upon their arrival at St. Augustine, the British laid siege to the city. All of the city's residents, some 1,200 people, along with all of the fort's soldiers, some 300, remained protected inside the wall of the fort for the next two months during the attack.
The British cannon had little effect on the walls of the fort. The coquina was very effective at absorbing the impact of the shells, allowing very little damage to the walls themselves. The siege was broken when the Spanish fleet from Havana, Cuba arrived, trapping the British in the bay. The British were forced to burn their ships to prevent them from falling into the Spaniards' hands, and march overland back to Carolina. As they withdrew, they set fire to the city of St. Augustine, burning much of it to the ground.
After the siege of 1702, the Castillo underwent a period of reconstruction. Beginning in 1738, under the supervision of Spanish engineer Pedro Ruiz de Olano, the interior of the fort was redesigned and rebuilt. Interior rooms were made deeper, and vaulted ceilings replaced the original wooden ones. The vaulted ceilings allowed for better protection from bombardments and allowed for cannon to be placed along the gun deck, not just at the corner bastions. The new ceilings required the height of the exterior wall to be increased from 26 to 33 feet
Tensions between Great Britain and Spain had been on the rise for years, and in 1739 Great Britain declared war on Spain. As part of the war, British General James Oglethorpe laid siege to the Castillo and the city of St. Augustine.
General Oglethorpe landed his troops on Anastasia Island across the inlet from the Castillo and the city. He began firing on the Castillo in hopes that a sustained bombardment and blockade would force the governor of Florida to surrender. The coquina walls of the Castillo once again withstood British bombardment, and on the morning of the 38th day of the siege the British withdrew their forces from the area.
In 1763, the British finally managed to take the Castillo, but not by force. As a provision of the Treaty of Paris (1763), Britain gained all of Florida in exchange for returning Havana and Manila to Spain, captured during the Seven Years' War. On July 21, 1763, the Spanish governor turned the Castillo over to the British.
The British would make a few changes to the fort, most notably its name, becoming Fort St. Mark. With Britain being the dominating power in North America, it was not felt that the fort was needed to be kept in first rate condition. This attitude was prevalent until the outbreak of the American Revolution.
During the war, St. Augustine became the capital of the British colony of East Florida. Improvements were begun on the fort, in keeping with its new role as a base of operations for the British in the south. The gates and walls were repaired and several rooms had second floors added to increase the housing capacity of the fort. The Castillo saw action during the American Revolution mainly as a prison, holding several revolutionary fighters captured in Charleston when it was taken by the British. Major operations from St. Augustine were kept under control by the actions of the Spanish, who had declared war on Britain in 1779. Bernardo de Gálvez, governor of Spanish Louisiana, attacked several British held cities, capturing all of them. His actions kept the British occupied in the south, never letting them organize any major actions against the Americans from the Castillo.
At the end of the war, the Second Treaty of Paris returned Florida to Spain. On July 12, 1784, Spanish troops returned to St. Augustine.
When Florida was returned to Spanish control, they found a much changed territory. Many Spaniards had left Florida after the hand over to Britain, and many British citizens stayed after the hand over back to Spain. Many border problems arose between Spanish Florida and the new United States. Spain had changed the name of the fort back to the Castillo de San Marcos, and continued to build upon the improvements that Britain had made to the fort in an effort to strengthen Spain’s hold on the territory. However, due to increased pressure from the United States and several other factors, in 1819, Spain signed the Adams-OnÃs Treaty, ceding Florida to the United States.
Upon the hand over to the United States, the Americans changed the name of the Castillo to Fort Marion. Structurally, little was changed to the fort during this time. Many storerooms were converted to prison cells, due to their heavy doors and barred windows. Also, part of the moat was transformed into a battery as part of the American Coastal Defense System.
In January, 1861, Florida seceded from the United States in the opening months of the American Civil War. Union troops had withdrawn from the fort, leaving only one man behind as caretaker of the fort. In January 1861, Confederate troops marched on the fort. The Union soldier manning the fort refused to surrender it unless he was given a receipt for it from the Confederacy. He was given the receipt and the fort was taken by the Confederacy without a shot. Most of the artillery in the fort was then sent to other forts, leaving the fort nearly defenseless.
The fort was taken back by Union forces on March 11, 1862, when the USS Wabash entered the bay, finding the city evacuated by Confederate troops. The city leaders were willing to surrender in order to preserve the town, and the city and the fort were retaken without firing a shot. Throughout the rest of the fort's operational history, it was used as a military prison.
In 1924, the fort was designated a National Monument and in 1933 it was transferred to the National Park Service from the War Department. In 1942, in honor of its Spanish heritage and construction, the fort was once again given its original name of Castillo de San Marcos. As a historic property of the National Park Service, the National Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on October 15, 1966. The National Park Service manages the Castillo with Fort Matanzas National Monument. In 1975, the Castillo was designated an Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
(From wikipedia)
SUNSET - Bridge of Lions - 1924 - St. Augustine, FL USA
Saint Augustine Harbor - Oldest City in the U.S.A. - 1513
Fourth of July Bridge Celebration 2024 - July 4th, 2024
----------Independence Day 2024----------U.S.A.!
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Sunset City Skyline]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
SUNSET - Bridge of Lions - 1924 - St. Augustine, FL USA
Saint Augustine Harbor - Oldest City in the U.S.A. - 1513
Fourth of July Bridge Celebration 2024 - July 4th, 2024
----------Independence Day 2024----------U.S.A.!
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Sunset City Skyline]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Johns_County,_Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagler_College
Group Cover Photo - Quarta Sunset Group - 11/5/24
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/5/19
*[At extreme low-tide the growing inlet sand-bar is visible.]
Summer SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
[fisherman surf-fishing in the waves at sunrise]
Summer SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
*[fisherman surf-fishing in the waves at sunrise]
Summer SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - EARLY Wednesday
Vilano Beach - Atlantic Ocean - First Light - July 5th, 2023
Choppy Sea - Sunrise drama at the Inlet - Summer 2023
4th of July Holiday - Northern Florida - Treasure Coast
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - surf-fisherman family]
*[inlet jetty - dramatic up light - blue fucia dawn cast - rocks]
*[Atlantic Ocean - warm-morning-light - active ocean-inlet]
*[Start of the Day - Gorgeous Day - Post-Independance Day]
SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/5/19
*[A group heads-out early to fish; at sun-up.]
Fort Castillo de San Marcos - Masonry Fortress
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2024 - 7/4/24
St. Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2024 - July 4th, 2024
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - NW Tower - NW Corner]
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
History of St. Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas.) Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Some Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
Our 11th-consecutive-year visiting this magnificent city on the
4th of July. A great city with so much Florida and U.S. History!
You really should visit. Well worth the trip. Thanks for looking.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightner_Museum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Flagler
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Monica_Hotel
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
Fort Castillo de San Marcos - Masonry Fortress
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2024 - 7/4/24
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2024 - July 4th, 2024
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabal_palmetto
The sabal palmetto (also known as cabbage palm),
is the state tree of both South Carolina and Florida.
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - SW Tower - SW Corner]
*[each of the four towers were once painted bright red, long
gone with the centuries of beach 'sandblasting' salt, wind &
pelting rain. Although, some of the original 'red paint' is still
visible (here) tucked into the 'furthest corner' away from the
beach onshore winds. The walls were once plastered white]
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
History of Saint Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas.) Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Some Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
Our 11th-consecutive-year visiting this magnificent city on the
4th of July. A great city with so much Florida and U.S. History!
You really should visit. Well worth the trip. Thanks for looking.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightner_Museum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Flagler
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Monica_Hotel
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
Fort Castillo de San Marcos - Masonry Fortress
Saint Augustine, Florida - 7/3/23 - Summer 2023
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - SW star-point-corner]
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
History of Saint Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas). Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
SUNRISE blocked ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/5/19
SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - EARLY Tuesday
Vilano Beach - Atlantic Ocean - First Light - July 4th, 2023
Choppy Sea - Sunrise drama at the Inlet - Summer 2023
4th of July Holiday - Northern Florida - Treasure Coast
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - inlet jetty - dramatic up light]
*[Atlantic Ocean - warm-morning-light - active ocean-inlet]
*[Start of the Day - Gorgeous Day! - Independance Day!]
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. ~ Independence Day 2020
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - one-hour before-sunset]
*[Each year when we visit I try to capture this historic Florida
fortress with just the right sky-color, mood, and composition.
After seven years...I'm still trying! Thank you for looking.]
History of Saint Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas.) Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
Menendez successfully destroyed the French Fort Caroline at the mouth of the Saint John's River 40 miles north of St. Augustine and ended the French incursion into Florida.
St. Augustine settlers, isolated and often near starvation, lived in constant fear of attacks by pirates who roamed the coast. Diminishing supplies and increasing hostility of the Indians made life treacherous for the early settlers.
Englishman Francis Drake burned the village and wooden fort to the ground in 1586. The town was sacked again in 1668 by pirate John Davis.
Spain's Queen Regent Mariana realized that St.Augustine was the keystone in the defense of the Florida coast, so she ordered the construction of a new fort made of stone. In 1672, the Castillo de San Marcos was begun and took 23 years to complete. Originally the fort was covered with white plaster, some of which can be seen today. The towers in the four corners were plastered red.
The fort was built of coquina, a locally quarried soft shellrock. Coquina was easily shaped by artisans and did not become brittle and crumble under cannon fire. The fort, the city gate, and many homes in St. Augustine were made of coquina which is still evident today.
In 1702, seven years after its completion, English troops from South Carolina besieged the Castillo for fifty days. Fiffteen hundred Spanish citizens fled into the security of the fort and refused to surrender. The British finally gave up the siege and burned the town. This event is why there are no buildings older than 1702 in St. Augustine today.
The Spaniards rebuilt their settlement and erected a defensive earthwork on its northern limit, fortified the walls around the city and strengthened the walls of the Castillo.
The English attacked again in 1740, this time by General James Oglethorpe of Georgia. He bombarded the Castillo and town for twenty-seven days before he also gave up and left. The coquina walls held firm, absorbing the cannon balls without breaking apart.
England defeated Spain in the Seven Years War, and Florida was transferred to English control by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. England then divided Florida into two colonies, and St. Augustine became the capital of East Florida. During the American Revolution St. Augustine remained loyal to the crown. The entire Florida peninsula was returned to Spain as part of the negotiations ending the American Revolution in 1783.
They came back to an impossible situation. The border problems of earlier times were multiplied as runaway slaves from Georgia found welcome among the Seminole Indians, and ruffians from both land and sea made Florida their habitat.
Spain ruled for another 37 years known as the Second Spanish Period 1784-1821. During this time, the Spaniards had difficulty luring settlers from the mother country and other colonies to repopulate this area.
On July 10th, 1821, the Americans took over from the Spanish. In the 1830's, hostilities rose between Seminole Indians and the Federal Government. In October 1837 one hundred Seminole Indians, including Osceola, were captured under a white flag of truce just south of St. Augustine. The end of the Seminole War made Florida safe again for visitors who came to take advantage of the fine climate. In 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the Union.
From 1875 to1887, Indians from the Great Plains and the Southwest were exiled to Florida and imprisoned in the fort. The government sought to educate the Indians and allowed them some freedom of movement. These activities led to more progressive Federal Indian policies.
During the winter of 1883-84 Henry M. Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil Co., visited the city and was impressed with the charm and possibilities of the area. He later made a major impact on the architecture and economy of this historic city by building the Hotel Ponce de Leon, Hotel Alcazar, the Memorial church and more.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County
(1565-1763 ~ 1st Spanish) - (1763-1784 ~ British Period)
(1784-1821 ~ 2nd Spanish) - (1821-Present ~ American)
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - EARLY
Vilano Beach - Atlantic Ocean - First Light - 7/5/22
Choppy Sea - Sunrise drama at the Inlet - Summer 2022
4th of July Holiday - Northern Florida - Treasure Coast
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Call of the Sea - Let's Go!]
*[Atlantic Ocean - warm-morning-light - active ocean-inlet]
Wandering around the upper level of Castillo de San Marcos, we noticed this inquisitive gull checking things out. (At least I think it's a gull, maybe a juvenile Herring Gull? Anyone know?)
Summer SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
[Professional-model works the grasses, poses,
and the beautiful light at her early sunrise-shoot.]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Johns_County,_Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
Group Cover Photo - Flagship Picture Group - 8/4/19
Bridge of Lions - 1924 - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Saint Augustine Harbor - Oldest City in the U.S.A. - 1513
Fourth of July Celebration 2024 - SUNSET - 7/3/24
Twin Medici Lions guard the harbor at the bridge's entrance.
Amazingly, they were made in Florence, Italy from the same
marble quarry used to sculpt the Statue of David - circa 1924
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Saint Augustine, FL]
*[twin-statues entrance - harbor - blue-hour - river-sunset]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - EARLY Tuesday
Vilano Beach - Atlantic Ocean - First Light - July 4th, 2023
Choppy Sea - Sunrise drama at the Inlet - Summer 2023
4th of July Holiday - Northern Florida - Treasure Coast
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - inlet jetty - dramatic up light]
*[Atlantic Ocean - warm-morning-light - active ocean-inlet]
*[Start of the Day - Gorgeous Day! - Independance Day!]
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - July 4th, 2024
SUNRISE - Vilano Beach - Atlantic Ocean - First Light
Choppy Sea - Sunrise drama at the Inlet - Summer 2024
4th of July Holiday - Northern Florida - Treasure Coast
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Saint Augustine Lighthouse
*[dark - dawn - on the beach - dramatic ocean-inlet - out-to-sea!]
*[a touch 'grainy' and a 'little-noisy' because; it was still DARK! LOL]
*[timed this shot to get the most 'AIR' under the boat. Pretty good!]
St. Augustine Lighthouse is located on the north end of Anastasia Island in Saint Augustine, Florida. Built in 1874 of brick, the Saint Augustine Lighthouse is 163 feet high making it the eighth tallest lighthouse in the United States today. Saint Augustine Lighthouse is run by the non-profit St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum Inc. and is open to the public and visitors can climb the 219 steps to the top for great views from this fun tourist attraction in Northeast Florida.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, FL
HDR of three hand-held exposures (-2, 0 and +2EV), merged and tone-mapped in Photomatix.
She found her perfect spot...probably close to where 'she' was born.
She released her eggs...buried them for safety...and headed home.
Only 1 in 1000 hatch-lings make full maturity...can live to 80 years old.
Very Large Wild Sea-Turtle fresh sand-tracks & nest
After-The-Eggs ~ Beauty of Nature ~ Atlantic Ocean U.S.A.
Got there in the dark. Walked onto the sand. Tracks were the first thing I saw!
It looks to me as if she angled in from the left, dug her hole, laid all her eggs
(all in the cover of darkness), and then with whatever strength she had left
went straight home to mother-ocean. She had to be very large. Didn't see her.
I really love the vanishing point of her exit at the wave-line. Very fresh tracks.
I must have just missed her. Her fin-distance-width shows she was very big!!
SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtle
4th of July fireworks over the Castillo De San Marcos (the fort) in St. Augustine, FL. You can check out the behind the scenes steps on my blog. www.robfutrell.com/blog/
Historic - Ancient City - Fort By The River
Fort; Castillo de San Marcos - circa 1672
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - 10/31/21
From this tower you can 'vividly' see the inlet/harbor
entrance for security reasons (enemies and pirates)
*[left-double-click for a closer look - Pigeon Dome! - 30 pigeons!]
*[harbor-cruise: taken from a moving harbor-cruise vessel]
The fort's 4 four corner-towers were originally plastered
red but the 'red plaster' has 'naturally' been sand-blasted off
with constant strong beach-weather over the last 400 years!
Construction on the fortress was from 1672-1695. The native
coquina (soft shell) stone was quarried from a local island.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1.html
History of Saint Augustine: Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain in 1513. (Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 but actually landed in the Bahamas). Other Spanish explorers later found gold and silver in Mexico and Peru. The treasure was sent back to Spain in ships sailing in the Gulf Stream. Spanish settlements needed to be built in Florida to protect the Spanish Treasure fleets. King Phillip II of Spain sent Pedro Menendez to settle in Florida and drive out French garrisons recently established there. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez with 700 soldiers and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.
Menendez successfully destroyed the French Fort Caroline at the mouth of the Saint John's River 40 miles north of St. Augustine and ended the French incursion into Florida.
St. Augustine settlers, isolated and often near starvation, lived in constant fear of attacks by pirates who roamed the coast. Diminishing supplies and increasing hostility of the Indians made life treacherous for the early settlers.
Englishman Francis Drake burned the village and wooden fort to the ground in 1586. The town was sacked again in 1668 by pirate John Davis.
Spain's Queen Regent Mariana realized that St.Augustine was the keystone in the defense of the Florida coast, so she ordered the construction of a new fort made of stone. In 1672, the Castillo de San Marcos was begun and took 23 years to complete. Originally the fort was covered with white plaster, some of which can be seen today. The towers in the four corners were plastered red.
The fort was built of coquina, a locally quarried soft shellrock. Coquina was easily shaped by artisans and did not become brittle and crumble under cannon fire. The fort, the city gate, and many homes in St. Augustine were made of coquina which is still evident today.
In 1702, seven years after its completion, English troops from South Carolina besieged the Castillo for fifty days. Fiffteen hundred Spanish citizens fled into the security of the fort and refused to surrender. The British finally gave up the siege and burned the town. This event is why there are no buildings older than 1702 in St. Augustine today.
The Spaniards rebuilt their settlement and erected a defensive earthwork on on its northern limit, fortified the walls around the city and strengthened the walls of the Castillo.
The English attacked again in 1740, this time by General James Oglethorpe of Georgia. He bombarded the Castillo and town for twenty-seven days before he also gave up and left. The coquina walls held firm, absorbing the cannon balls without breaking apart.
England defeated Spain in the Seven Years War, and Florida was transferred to English control by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. England then divided Florida into two colonies, and St. Augustine became the capital of East Florida. During the American Revolution St. Augustine remained loyal to the crown. The entire Florida peninsula was returned to Spain as part of the negotiations ending the American Revolution in 1783.
They came back to an impossible situation. The border problems of earlier times were multiplied as runaway slaves from Georgia found welcome among the Seminole Indians, and ruffians from both land and sea made Florida their habitat.
Spain ruled for another 37 years known as the Second Spanish Period 1784-1821. During this time, the Spaniards had difficulty luring settlers from the mother country and other colonies to repopulate this area.
On July 10th, 1821, the Americans took over from the Spanish. In the1830's, hostilities rose between Seminole Indians and the Federal Government. In October 1837 one hundred Seminole Indians, including Osceola, were captured under a white flag of truce just south of St. Augustine. The end of the Seminole War made Florida safe again for visitors who came to take advantage of the fine climate. In 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the Union.
From 1875 to1887, Indians from the Great Plains and the Southwest were exiled to Florida and imprisoned in the fort. The government sought to educate the Indians and allowed them some freedom of movement. These activities led to more progressive Federal Indian policies.
During the winter of 1883-84 Henry M. Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil Co., visited the city and was impressed with the charm and possibilities of the area. He later made a major impact on the architecture and economy of this historic city by building the Hotel Ponce de Leon, Hotel Alcazar, the Memorial church and more.
History, plus 43 miles of white sand beaches bring over three
million visitors a year to St. Augustine and St. Johns County.
(1565-1763 ~ 1st Spanish) - (1763-1784 ~ British Period)
(1784-1821 ~ 2nd Spanish) - (1821-Present ~ American)