St. Augustine Report

Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida May 31 2011

City Manager John Regan set the tenor at last Monday's City Commission meeting.

He proposed an operational mode "to do great things.

"Your city staff is excited that this is an opportunity for us to make lasting, positive changes for our community," he said, and commissioners responded to a new energy in executing four years of commemorations.

The story of

St. Augustine

From the Carnegie Institu-tion's St. Augustine Historical Restoration in the 1930s, to the restoration area of north St. George Street in the 1950s and 60s, to today's partnership of the city with the University of Florida, it's always been about the St. Augustine Story.

The Carnegie program was "undertaken in the interest of the people of the United States in the hope that its achievement will present objectively a great panorama of history."

The St. Augustine Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission was created in 1959 "to acquire, restore, pre-serve, maintain, reconstruct, reproduce, and operate for the use, benefit, education, recrea-tion, enjoyment, and general welfare" St. Augustine's "his-torical and antiquarian sites."

The city prepares for its 450th anniversary today with a Heritage Business Plan to create "fresh and viable programs that respond to visitor preferences while maintaining authenticity and an accurate historic storyline."

City Gates woodcut

by Henry Fenn, 1872, from wyomingtalesandtrails.com

The commemorations

Ø 2012 - The 200^th anniversary of the 1812 Constitution of Spain, recognized by the monument in the Plaza de la Constitución, believed to be the only surviving monument after citizens refused orders by King Ferdinand, who regained the throne in1814, to destroy all such monuments.

Ø 2013 - The 500^th anniversary of Ponce de Leon's discovery of new lands he thought were the rumored Island of Bimini, named La Florida for the abundance of foliage and for the Easter season, and claimed for Spain.

Ø 2014 - The 50^th anniversary of St. Augustine's most recent event to "change America and inspire the world," the civil rights movement of 1963-64 which led to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Ø 2015 - The 450^th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European city in America.

The logos

City Manager Regan noted that major events, such as Atlanta's 1996 Olympic Games, can produce multiple logos, but there should be one "iconic logo" for St. Augustine's commemoration.

450 Community Corps logo "We can have a competition of graphic artists to produce that official iconic logo which will be licensed for all city-related materials.

Maritime Foundation logo "Products seeking city sanction would go through an approval process and pay a fee for authorized use of the approved logo," Regan says.

"The product benefits from official authorization, and the city benefits from a share of sales revenue." Romanza logo

Many organizations will want to develop logos specific to their efforts. If they seek official recognition, the official logo can be available.

First America Foundation logo Among current logos are the 450 Community Corps, Romanza, St. Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation, and First America Foundation.

The players

Currently four major players are in the field, having developed over the past several years for both the commemoration period and as legacies for St. Augustine's future:

Ø The 450 Community Corps - A 501.c.3 non-profit originated in 2007 to encourage a formal start to planning the commemorations, to develop program and project ideas, enroll volunteers, and assist community organizations in producing programs and projects. Its website is www.oldcity450.com.

Ø The St. Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation - A 501.c.3 non-profit evolved from a 450 Corps Ship Committee created to build a 16th century Caravel tall ship, now expanded to all water-related activities. Ship-building will be at the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

Ø Romanza, Where the Arts Embrace the Sea - A 501.c.3 non-profit dedicated to "cultural offerings that enhance both the quality of life for residents and the lasting impression of The Nation's Oldest City for visitors." Its website is http://www.romanzafl.org/

Ø First America Foundation - Designated by the City Commission in August, 2010, to manage the four commemoration periods. Its website is www.myfirstamerica.org.

Each organization welcomes volunteers: the 450 Corps to continue engaging the community in developing programs and projects; the Maritime Heritage Foundation for its expanded role from ship-building to other maritime activities, Romanza to draw together the music, arts, and culture of St. Augustine, and First America Foundation for commemoration program development.

And each is pledged to cooperate with other initiatives which may have been started or are planned.

One event at a time

Constitution Monument City Manager Regan said major events should be planned one event at a time. He offered two examples:

Ø 2012 - This will celebrate the Spanish Constitution of 1812, but embrace such constitutions worldwide: the United States, France, and others recognizing the rights to liberty and its freedoms. "A Hispanic fashion show is being developed, and would fit well into this period, demonstrating the freedom of choice only possible through constitutional guarantees."

Ø 2013 - "University of St. Augustine President Stanley Paris is preparing to launch a state-of-the-art yacht to sail around the world in 2013," Regan said. "He plans to make it in the fastest time - 110 days - and perhaps be the oldest mariner to do it. Stanley is a local resident. Here's an opportunity to negotiate recognition of the city to an international audience."

Exhibit space for commemorations

The City Commission decided retrofitting existing spaces for exhibits would make more sense than building new venues. Consultants looked at familiar areas, praising particularly the Visitor Information Center, Government House and Lightner Museum.

4th floor parking facility City Commissioner Bill Leary pointed out that several potential venues were left out. Among them, the fourth floor of the Visitor Center parking facility, the former Bozard Ford lot on US 1, the Ice House on Riberia Street, and the former CVS location on San Marco Avenue.

To which could be added the former Firestone Tire building on San Marco at Locust Street. Owners of private properties for sale could consider beneficial publicity through their property's exposure.

Two exhibits have been suggested so far: a Pablo Picasso exhibit discussed with Cadiz Spain officials during a visit by Commissioner Errol Jones, and the Kinsey Collection of African-Americana promoted by Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline after seeing it in Tallahassee last spring.

Most traveling exhibits require specific climate control and security, add-on costs that make use of existing properties at a good rent practical.

History's Highlight

Carnegie's St. Augustine Story

4 years, 3 months, 9 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary

A major focus of the University of Florida, now managing 34 state-owned historic properties here, is developing the St. Augustine Story.

"Why visitors come here, what they're doing here are questions we want to address for the visitor experience," UF Vice President Ed Poppell said during an annual status report to the city.

The framework for that story was developed 75 years ago in the Carnegie Institution's ambitious St. Augustine Historical Restoration, "dedicated to the purpose of preserving and redeveloping the Andrew Carnegie physical remains of the centuries of history of this region, site of the first permanent white settlement on the Atlantic seaboard, thereby creating a beautiful national shrine where the meaning of the great events embodied in these monuments will be understandable."

Former City Heritage Tourism Director Bill Adams, summarizing the city's preservation efforts through the years for the Colonial St. Augustine Foundation, wrote:

"By the advent of the Great Depression, there existed evident concern about the ultimate fate of the city's remaining colonial resources. There was also much economic misery in St. Augustine, like elsewhere in America.

"Looking for a solution to the two problems, St. Augustine discovered a role model in Williamsburg, Virginia, where the highly publicized restor-ation of that colonial capital was proceeding under the financial auspices of John D. Rockefeller.

"In 1935, St. Augustine Mayor Walter B. Fraser mobilized support for organization of a national committee to formulate plans for a similar effort in the Ancient City. He approached the Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C., a rich and powerful national foundation, to underwrite the effort.

A preliminary meeting of a national committee was held in Washington on October 26, 1936.

Restoration publicist Eleanor Beeson wrote in the Florida Historical Quarterly Vol. 16, No. 2, October 1937:

"To this end anachronistic buildings, poles and wires which hurt the beauty of old things will be removed. The motley assortment of signs will be eliminated. Traffic will be so controlled that both resident and visitor may traverse the narrow ancient streets and experience again that peace and quiet which is so much a part of their original character."

She quoted Dr. Verne E. Chatelain, Staff Member of Carnegie Institution of Washington and Director of the St. Augustine Restoration program:

"The plan will result in making St. Augustine a great laboratory of history, as well as of the fine arts and democracy, useful not only in understanding more fully how life progresses but effective because of its objective realism, far more than books and classrooms can be, in educating all classes of citizens to what may be termed historical-mindedness."

Ms. Beeson's complete report is here. Future History's Highlights will summarize the Restoration efforts and aftermath.

The St. Augustine Report is published by the Department of Public Affairs of the City of St. Augustine each Tuesday and on Fridays previewing City Commission meetings. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, former St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a longtime newspaper reporter and editor. Contact The Report at gardner@aug.com