Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida July 19 2011 |
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Federal 450 commission organizes
Jay Kislak, President of Kislak Mortgage Corporation and member of the National Park Foundation Board, was elected chairman of the federal St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission Monday in its inaugural meeting before some 400 at Flagler College auditorium.
St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles and Historic Preservationist Katharine Dickenson were elected co-vice chairs, nominating Commissioner Bruce Smathers n oting St. Augustine's resources, and Dickinson's extensive state contacts as values to the commission's work.
U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar, Florida Senator Bill Nelson, and Congressman John Mica were among speakers at the two-hour meeting, which accepted questions and comments from the public but left no time to schedule a follow-up meeting or establish committees.
"The commission will discuss these over lunch," Kislak promised. "For now, yes, there will be another meeting."
Public comments can be sent to 450@ios.doi.gov | |
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Rethinking
After seven months of recycling boxes like this one on St. George Street, Public Works Director Martha Graham says her team is "reconsidering the design which will help reduce contamination."
Too many food containers spoiling the effort to improve the city's recycling numbers, she says.
Recycle boxes in the historic district, a cardboard recycling program with area merchants, and recycling drop off at the Solid Waste Division at the end of Riberia Street are all part of the recycling effort. |
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'What a jewel' | |
Interior Secretary Salazar, of eighth generation Spanish descent, gave his initial impression of St. Augustine.
"What a jewel. It tells the story of the founding of America, but the history of this place is not very well known. Telling the story of America in all its parts is very important."
Senator Bill Nelson said, "The history of our country is our Spanish heritage." Speaking occasionally in Spanish, Nelson said, "This is not only a celebration of St. Augustine but of La Florida."
Congressman John Mica commented on a middle schooler visiting Washington D.C. who, when Mica asked if his visit was exciting, replied, "Yes, and visiting St. Augustine."
Mica delivered a charge to the commission to help push for a Castillo visitor orientation center in the Colonial Spanish Quarter.
"There are 1.4 million visitors to the Castillo and Fort Matanzas, and no orientation center to set the stage," Mica said.
Emilio Sanchez of the Spain Florida Foundation, representing the Spanish Embassy, , said, "The Spanish government is deeply committed to the celebrations of St. Augustine and Florida."
David Vela, southeast regional director for the National Park Service, said, "We recognize the passion in this community to tell your story."
And Kathy Deagan, distinguished research curator emeriti at the University of Florida, whose archaeological teams have probed the original settlement areas in the Fountain of Youth Park and Mission of Nombre de Dios, noted the earliest influences of Europeans, Africans, and native Americans, said, "(St. Augustine) is the original and only true American melting pot." |
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History ornamental to modern building? | |
Both the city's Historic Architectural Review (HARB) and Planning and Zoning (PZB) boards will review historic architectural guidelines following a plea to city commissioners from Robert Hall, who said "overscale building" adjacent to the City Gate "makes it look like a decorative Disney lawn ornament."
 "Changes to the Architectural Guidelines for Historic Preservation (AGHP) related to architectural styles in HP-1 and zoning changes to HP-1 and HP-3, and a change to the definition of 'Height' as it relates to buildings in the HP-3 zoning district," will be discussed by HARB Thursday and by PZB August 2.
Both meetings are at 2 p.m.in the Alcazar room at City Hall. The HP-1 changes would relate to recent City Commission authorization for styles other than Spanish Colonial in the Historic Preservation zone south of the Plaza.
Hall, retired head of Flagler College's Art Department and co-founder of the Historic Florida Militia, suggested to commissioners "the true function of the city gate seems to have been forgotten."
He's long battled possible height and scale element abuses in the historic preservation districts, calling among other things for a strict limit of 27 feet to roof peaks.
His plea to the City Commission came after approval of a second floor hotel addition across St. George Street from another recent hotel development. |
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A1A - Documentary of 'a true American oasis' | |
Nine months in development, assisted by a grant from VISIT FLORIDA, the Friends of A1A have completed a documentary of "Our 72-mile segment of A1A (that) really encompasses the story of America."
 One of four versions of the video is now posted on the Florida Scenic Highways website , and the A1A website .
"From the earliest continuous settlement in what became the United States of America, St. Augustine, to the still unspoiled miles of Atlantic beachfront; this section of A1A is a true American oasis," Sallie O'Hara, Friends' Byway Program Administrator, says.
The 25-minute documentary travelogue was written by University of North Florida Communications Professor Robert Holtzman, and narrated by local storyteller Wayne Sims, with original music by St. Augustine musician/composer Sam Pacetti. Local videographer Joshua Singletary, from IT Center for Excellence, directed and filmed the work.
"This is a regionally significant win-win for everyone," O'Hara said. "We're planning to have links on multiple websites for the video in both short and full-length versions in hopes to gain international exposure." |
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Exhibit depicts Florida chain gang era | |
As owners of a 1916 Manly Portable Convict Car, it was only natural for Historic Tours of America at the Old Jail to explore its history and develop an exhibit of a dark period in Florida and southern history, the convict leasing system of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Seven figures in concrete, finished in white powdered stone, echo the post-Reconstruction, early 20th century leasing and road-building period, when Florida sought funds and workers to build more prisons and develop a paved road system for its growing tourist population.
"It began with a search for the history of the prison car," Historic Tours' Ed Swift IV says. "Incredibly we found the Manly Company in Dalton GA still in business, today as Manly Steel."
The exhibit, along San Marco Avenue in front of the Old Jail attraction, is a work in progress; chains, lighting and a descriptive marker are yet to be added. |
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History's Highlight
Convict Leasing in the postwar South
4 years, 1 month, 21 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary | |
After the reconstruction period following the civil war, the state of Florida found itself in debt. As a way to offset some of the state's expenditures, newly elected governor George Drew put into practice the convict leasing system in 1877.
Prisoners were leased out to individuals and large companies to do various jobs from building railroads to working in turpentine camps.
The person leasing the prisoner paid the state a fee of $26 per prisoner per year. They were also to provide clothing, shelter, food, and medical care for the prisoner. The price per prisoner rose to $150 per year in the 1920s.
Conditions in the camps were very harsh. Prisoners were flogged for not performing enough work or other minor infractions. They slept chained together by the ankles in wooden buildings where fires were a common occurrence, or in jail wagons that were infested with parasitic bugs and vermin.
In 1919 chain gangs were introduced as demands for more and better roads increased due to the booming tourism industry in Florida. The conditions for prisoners working on the chain gangs were no better than those who were leased. Men accused of petty crimes worked side by side with those whose offenses were more serious.
Chain gangs were segregated according to race and also by whether or not the inmates had tuberculosis. Not all the prisoners were chained together while working. Those who were considered escape risks wore heavy shackles that cut into their skin and their chains were never removed.
While the practice of prisoner leasing was popular with county officials, the general public was opposed to it. Escaped convicts knew that if they were able to reach rural homes, the residents would often aid them in their escape. This is the origin of the term, "home free."
In 1923, Governor Cary Hardee signed a bill that abolished the convict leasing system and provided money to build prisons.
Photo: Florida Archives. An account of convict leasing by Matthew J. Mancini is on the Economic History Association website |
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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 |
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