We are sitting in the RV in the rain at 7 pm on Thursday, our time in St. Augustine drawing to a close. Other than the past few nights of rain, the weather has been great, so we can't complain.
We took the trolley ride yesterday, and as a result have changed our tune about St. Augustine being "run down." Yes, there are parts that are, but the historic area and the environs around Flagler College are upscale and drop-dead gorgeous!
Speaking of Flagler, we learned quite a bit about Henry Flagler, who is responsible for much of the development of Florida's east coast. He had plenty of resources for this development, having co-founded Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller.
As you would expect, his legacy is everywhere in St. Augustine. He built railways and hotels, investing millions in the state. His hotels are magnificent, as you can see in the photos. The buildings have survived in part because many of them are built of poured concrete from the late 1880s and have been rehabbed --his Ponce de Leon Hotel is now part of Flagler College.
Some photos from our day, including the trolley tour and visits to the Castillo San Marcos (the country's oldest masonry fort, which the Spanish began building in 1672), the Old Jail, and the St. Augustine History Museum:
 |
| In front of the fort with Buddy |
 |
| Beau at Castillo de San Marcos (the fort); in the distance, St. Augustine Inlet, and the open Atlantic |
 |
| More photos of the fort... |
 |
| Laura in the corner guard post |
 |
| Have no clue why I took this, but guess I thought it was funny cause Beau hates horses! We were in the little St. Augustine History Museum. |
 |
| Beau and Buddy at the oldest school house |
A couple of photos of Flagler's buildings:
Off to Flagler Beach tomorrow, where we have a site practically overhanging the beach.The weather is going to cool down, though. We will suffer through the high 60s!
Till next time,
Tanks, Panky
No comments:
Post a Comment