Exploring Old St Augustine (1947)

[Music] Augustine on Florida's East Coast was founded in 1565 by Don Pedro menes di AES in the name of Spain The Old City Gates were once a bit of St Augustine's formidable fortification system today they stand always open welcoming visitors to the first permanent white settlement in the United States the town still retains much of its old world Beauty and charm picturesque hacks modern automobiles wind their way through the quaint Old City streets which surround the plaza de la constituo like all Spanish cities the plaza is the center of all activities of the community the monument in the center of the plaza was erected by the Spaniards in 1813 to commemorate a liberal Constitution granted by the Spanish [Music] King ponon landed near this spot on Easter Sunday 153 and took formal possession of the land for Spain finding the land in its array of spring flowers he named his Discovery Florida meaning full of flowers the old slave market is situated at the East End of the plaza but contrary to its name it was once only the town Marketplace fronting the plaza is the post office building which stands on the site of the old Spanish Governor's Mansion the overhanging balconies and narrow streets suggest the Spanish Heritage the strong strain of Spanish individuality has persisted through many generations of change each new possessor of the little town has been possessed by it St Augustine still keeps its Spanish architecture and is proud of it its homes are built flush with the street curbs but in the rear one finds the Shaded patios or Gardens we find an excellent example of this style in the old Spanish treasury which dates back to about 1690 here is the overhanging balcony where Dark Eyed Senoritas dreamed of their gay cavaleros tropical flowers interlace a colorful pattern around these graceful arches overlooking the [Music] patio Emerson called St Augustine the little city of the deep and it seems indeed indeed to belong to the Sea rivers form the west and south boundaries while beautiful matanzas Bay forms a passageway to the Sea The Magnificent Bridge of the Lions spans the matanzas river this bridge derives its name from the Lions of Italian marble at its West End symbolic of Pon de Leon still guarding the entrance from the sea is Castillo de San Marcos now a national mon ument this Grim old fortress was begun by the Spaniards in 1672 and completed 84 years later it is a symmetrical structure with four bastions of the type perfected by Spanish and Italian Engineers its massive ramp parts are from 9 to 16 ft thick the sturdy walls of the fort have weathered the assaults of man and nature for nearly three centuries the Hot Shot furnace pictured here was built by the United States in 1842 Hot Shot were solid iron shot heated to a red glow and fired from Cannon as incendiary projectiles they were in use from about the latter part of the 1500s to 1850 the battle scars on the thick walls are mute evidence of the struggle which early settlers of this country experienced in their new world outposts [Music] surrounded by a moat 40 ft wide the fort's only entrance is by drawbridge within the fort are living quarters for the Garrison store rooms powder magazines a chapel and dungeons the famous seol Indian chief aola was imprisoned here after his capture during the second seol war the fort was built of coina rock the native material consisting of sea shells cemented into a stone of remarkable durability by the action of the elements over hundreds of years Indian laborers carried the great blocks of Kina from across the harbor where the quaries of this unique shell formation are [Music] found the Fountain of Youth situated in a beautiful 21 acre Park is one of St Augustine's popular attractions here are found many relics of Florida's early [Music] history the great Spanish Admiral Juan ponon landed near this site in 1513 while searching for the legendary spring of Eternal youth here the water from a spring sampled by Pon de Leon still WS up for the guest to [Music] drink to this day visitors to the ancient city drink from the spring of miraculous Powers with an inward hope that its fabulous charms might act upon [Music] them believed to have been built by franciscans before 1599 this house is the oldest complete structure in St Augustine four Flags fly from its balcony those of Spain England the Confederacy and the union representing the four changes of government that have taken place during its long existence to a remarkable degree This Old House house and its Garden retain the evidences and spirit of their Spanish [Music] origin a bit of Old Scotland has somehow found its way into the Spanish atmosphere of This Old House visitors leave their calling cards fastened to the growing vine then wait for someone to write to them this quite little clapboard structure of hand hun red cedar planks is the oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in the nation the building has been preserved as a shrine of the vast educational program which we now have in the United States here was truly the birthplace of the public school system as we know it today the Alcazar Hotel was one of the famous Florida hostelries of the 1890s it now houses the Lightner Museum of hobbies an unusual collection which is open to the public a dealer's antique Mar is also held here each year the picturesque Old City naturally attracts many artists who display their work every Saturday afternoon on Ailes Street in the old Spanish quarter [Music] religion has played a major part in the history of the ancient city in a Grove of narl cedar trees stands the shrine of nestra Dee which commemorates the first mass celebrated on this site at the city's founding in September 1565 the cathedral Parish of St Augustine is the oldest in the United States and its records preserved in the cathedral date from 1594 the blessing of St Augustine's shrimp Fleet is an annual event in the spring when the New Year's fishing season opens for several weeks the shrimp boats have been idle during the closed season their owners use this time to good Advantage the damages sustained during the months of work are repaired New Gear is installed lines and Nets are made ready the ships are painted in their new finery decked with flags and buting often carrying the owner his family and crew they are brought in Gator procession to the dock nearest the ancient Cathedral here the pastor of the fisherman waits to receive them and impart the blessing of the church on them and their passengers a shrine of American History St Augustine adds more years to her three centuries of peace and [Music] War