View allAll Photos Tagged CastillodeSanMarcos
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.
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...
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!]
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]
SUNRISE blocked ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/5/19
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
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]
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
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...
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!]
Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, FL
HDR of three hand-held exposures (-2, 0 and +2EV), merged and tone-mapped in Photomatix.
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?)
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
at SUNSET - Saint Augustine, Florida - U.S.A. - July 4th, 2025
Saint Augustine Harbor - looking West from the Bridge of Lions
hectic scene! - Summer '25 - waiting for fireworks over the harbor!
Fourth of July Holiday - North-East Florida - The Treasure Coast
--------------------Independence Day 2025----------------------------
*[left-double-click for a closer look - "Bridge of Lions" - City Center]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Johns_County,_Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine_Light
factoidz.com/beautiful-lighthouses-in-florida-are-great-t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanzas_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagler_College
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/
Beautiful sunrise colors at the Castillo de San Marcos fortress in St Augustine Florida. HDR image created using Photomatix Pro and Topaz software.
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...
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
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)
The CAPT TREY commercial shrimping boat goes out early every morning,
and sometimes she looks a little spooky in the dawn light with her huge nets.
Pastel SUNRISE ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
Local Singing Star - America! - U.S.A.! - Patriotic Concert
Focus on America - Focus on the Flag - Focus on Freedom
Patriotic - Local Star - action vertical - flags - dedication
July 4th Concert - Freedom Trio - 2025 - Wonderful Concert!
Cheryl Choate-Bowen(R) - Pro Singer - from Jacksonville, FL
Patriotic Singer - Two-Hour - Independence Day Serenade
Proud to Be an American - July 4th, 2025 - City Town Square
----------Independence Day 2025----------Born in the U.S.A.!-------
She goes by the name of "That Blonde" on Facebook. She is truly
a fantastic singer that sings all the Patriotic Anthems. She does a great job leading the proceedings each year on the Fourth of July with her two co-singers. They all have been doing it here in Saint Augustine's center square for 30 years with a full orchestra behind them: The All-Star Orchestra. Everyone loves them for their loyal gift to our country through song, and they do a fantastic job with their ever-amazing upbeat enthusiasm as you will see in the pictures that I post of them here. Go check them out if you get a chance, you know when and where they'll be! God Bless the U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
*[BRAVO! Another Brilliant Performance! Thanks, MC Cheryl!]
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Full Patriotic City-Concert]
*[City Town Center Square - Gazebo Stage - Large Orchestra]
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2025
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2025 - July 4th, 2025
Our 12th-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/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
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - 7/4/23
Shoreline Surf - Beach Fishing - EARLY Tuesday Morning
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!]
St. Augustine, FL ~ #97 in Explore 8/23/13
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)
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 - NE+NW star-point-corners]
*[those are seagulls and grackles 'resting' on the taller tower]
*[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...
Patriotic Singer - Two-Hour - Independence Day Serenade
Proud to Be an American - July 4th, 2024 - City Town Square
----------Independence Day 2024----------Born in the U.S.A.!-------
The group has been performing here in Saint Augustine's center square for 30 years with a full orchestra behind them: The All-Star Orchestra. Everyone loves this young lady for her loyal gift to our country through song, and she does a fantastic job with her ever-amazing upbeat enthusiasm. Go check them out if you get a chance, you know when and where they'll be! God Bless the U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Patriotic Colors - nails]
*[BRAVO! Another Brilliant Performance! Thank You Much!]
*[City Town Center Square - Gazebo Stage - Large Orchestra]
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2024
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2024 - July 4th, 2024
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/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
The Castillo De San Marcos is a familiar sight in historic St. Augustine. Its coquina walls guarded the oldest city in the U.S. for centuries. As the most visible symbol in an oft-photographed area its not always that fun to photograph when something new and original is difficult to make, nevertheless I enjoyed my morning shooting there.
SUNRISE - Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - 7/5/23
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 - five fishermen - out at dawn]
*[Vessel Name: "Rock Bottom" - 5 silhouettes - 28ft go-fast boat]
*[inlet jetty - dark jetty rocks - Atlantic Ocean - active ocean inlet]
*[Start of the Day - Calm Gorgeous Day - Post-Independance Day]
San Carlos Bastion/Shot Furnace
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
St. Augustine, Florida
6 Image HDR
Highest Position Explore: #157
The oldest masonry fort and 21st oldest man made structure in the Continental United States the construction of Castillo de San Marcos began in 1672 and was completed in 1695. Considered to be the best preserved example of a Spanish colonial fortification the United States the fort sits along the waterfront near the downtown of the nations oldest surviving European settlement St. Augustine.
In the foreground is the Shot Furnace a structure made by the U.S. Army in the 1840s to heat cannonballs until red hot to be used to shoot at wooden ships to catch them on fire.
Cheryl Choate-Bowen - Pro Singer - from Jacksonville, FL
Patriotic Singer - Two-Hour - Independence Day Serenade
Proud to Be an American - July 4th, 2024 - City Town Square
----------Independence Day 2024----------Born in the U.S.A.!-------
She goes by the name of "That Blonde" on Facebook. She is truly
a fantastic singer that sings all the Patriotic Anthems. She does a great job leading the proceedings each year on the Fourth of July with her two co-singers. They all have been doing it here in Saint Augustine's center square for 30 years with a full orchestra behind them: The All-Star Orchestra. Everyone loves them for their loyal gift to our country through song, and they do a fantastic job with their ever-amazing upbeat enthusiasm as you will see in the pictures that I post of them here. Go check them out if you get a chance, you know when and where they'll be! God Bless the U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
*[BRAVO! Another Brilliant Performance! Thanks, MC Cheryl!]
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Full Patriotic City-Concert]
*[City Town Center Square - Gazebo Stage - Large Orchestra]
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2024
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2024 - July 4th, 2024
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/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
Fort; Castillo de San Marcos - circa 1672
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - 10/31/21
*[left-double-click for a closer look - river on the right]
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)
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)
SUNRISE at the Jetty ~ Independence Day Week
Vilano Beach ~ Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.
Northern Florida ~ Summer 2019 ~ 7/6/19
Independence Day Serenade - Proud to Be an American - 2022
She goes by the name of "That Blonde Lady" on Facebook. She is
a fantastic singer that sings all the Patriotic Anthems. She does a great job leading the proceedings each year on the Fourth of July with her two co-singers. They all have been doing it here in Saint Augustine's center square for 30 years with a full orchestra behind them. Everyone loves them for their loyal gift to our country through song, and they do a fantastic job with their ever-amazing upbeat enthusiasm as you will see in the pictures that I post of them here. Go check them out if you get a chance, you know when and where they'll be! God Bless the U.S.A.! Thanks, "Blonde Lady!" Awesome!
*[BRAVO! BRAVO! Another Brilliant Performance! Thank you!]
Oldest U.S. City - 1513 - Summer 2022
Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A. - NE Florida
Independence Day 2022 - July 4th, 2022
Our 9th-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/Bridge_of_Lions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida