Published by former Mayor George Gardner November 2 2011
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Of myths and realities
Ambassador to discuss colonial Spain/Florida relations
"Five common myths about the presence of Spain in Florida and the U.S." will be discussed by Ambassador Santiago Martinez-Caro next Monday as part of a 3-day Classical Cuba Conference of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, hosted by Flagler College as a part of their Ideas Images program.
Martinez-Caro, currently with the United Nations Office in Vienna, Austria on behalf of the Spanish government, is recognized for his "profound study of Spain's role in colonizing the West and the Fables that are sometimes substituted for history."
Those myths:
1. Spanish pursuit of Florida's riches.
2. Spain's attitude towards Native Americans.
3. The Black Legend.
4. The arrival of the white man in North America; most Americans firmly believe that the British were the first!
5. Foreign support for American independence.
He'll present his views Monday, 7-7:30 pm, in the Flagler Room at Flagler College. Also on that evening's program: Settlements in Colonial Cuba and their ties with St. Augustine.
The conference will explore the relationships between Havana and St. Augustine and their connection through architecture and culture. See the conference program here. | |
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Monuments
need care too
Monuments are meant to be enduring tributes, but time and weather make no distinctions.
Case in point: the Father Camps statue in the west courtyard of the Cathedral Basilica.
"Father Camps' statue, erected in 1975 through the efforts of X.L. Pellicer, Sr. and Fernando Rubio, has become weather-worn over the years," Cathedral Pastor Tom Willis wrote to the Menorcan Cultural Society recently.
"Lack of maintenance is causing corrosion of the actual statue. The overlay coat of wax that originally protected the bronze is completely gone, thus exposing raw metal to the elements of rain, wind and the tropical Florida sun.
"We have estimates that restoration of the statue will cost about $7,000," Willis wrote.
The Society is on its way toward that restoration, raising $2,000 so far.
In his contract for the St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument erected in the Plaza this year, Sculptor Brian R. Owens recommended, "the Sculpture be thoroughly washed and waxed at least twice per year. This schedule may be adjusted, depending on the level of abuse the Sculpture takes from birds and the public." |
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Railway Historical
Society for city? | |
An idea in its infancy is to create a St. Augustine Railway Historical Society to highlight the important role the railroads played in the growth of St, Augustine and plan ways to showcase that importance for 450th commemoration events.
There are many original Florida East Coast locomotives and cars, now in various states of condition from being saved from scrap to museum displays.
One is Henry Flagler's Car 90, featured in the July 6, 2010 Report (See Previous Issues).
Another is Steam locomotive #253, now in a restoration process at Fort Pierce.
It was built in 1924 by The American locomotive Company Richmond Works, and ran on the Florida East Coast line until 1936, then with the Louisiana & Arkansas Railway. In 1956 it was retired and placed on display in Texarkana, TX.
At least five other Florida East Coast steam locomotives are known to exist: two in Miami, two in Georgia, and one in Colorado.
With enough interest, some of these artifacts of FEC history could be returned to St. Augustine, demonstrating the history of Florida's first rail service, developed by Henry Flagler at the turn of the 20th century.
Contact the Report if you're interested in more information on a St. Augustine Railway Historical Society. |
Passenger rail
hopes still alive | |
A plan for passenger rail service along Florida's East Coast, from Jacksonville to West Palm Beach with a station in St. Augustine, was resuscitated in a recent Amtrak report, calling it, "the most promising initiative for expansion."
"We're more than ready for it to return," City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline says. "We have more than six million annual visitors, and as we near our 450th anniversary celebration, we expect that number to grow substantially."
Congressman John Mica, chair of the US House Transportation Committee, agrees that a Jacksonville-St. Augustine service would make sense, but is doubtful ridership would be enough to sustain the full 350-mile coastal stretch.
The Amtrak report projects more than 100,000 new riders and an Amtrak revenue increase of $7.9 million annually, but cautioned, "Significant capital funding would be required for rail infrastructure upgrades on the FEC route."
The passenger rail plan has twice been rejected for federal funding, despite proponents' arguments that use of existing FEC track reduces the cost to $250 million, much lower than other national rail plans. |
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'Gaudy' house actually historic Gaudi |
Mike and Mirtha Murray's house on Fullerwood Drive has drawn more than a few second glances  - and picture-takers (Mike estimates more than 100).
Some might consider the Murrays' creating mosaics on most available wall space kind of gaudy, and in a sense it is - a replication of the Spanish Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), whose highly individual style featured his passions for architecture, nature, and religion.
(No evidence to support the word "gaudy" was derived from Gaudí.)
The Murrays "template" is their Spanish Mission style home, built in 1923, about the time of Gaudí's active creativity - again, historically fitting.
And if you have the time, Mike can give you details on the meaning of each mosaic on, in, and around their home. |
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Marina veteran is city employee of 2011 |
Packard's 1901 Slogan, Ask the Man Who Owns One,can apply to St. Augustine's 2011Employee of the Year, a man trusted with providing dependable service to arriving vessels at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina.
David Snowman, a veteran of 15 years of service with the city, is a man who's been there, done that as a former oceanographer and owner/captain of a 112-foot schooner - experience serving well as he maintains a wide range of marina services.
Flood insurance premiums lowered
Flood insurance rates here are going down.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified the city that a reclassification qualifies property owners in the city for a 15% discount in the premium costs of flood insurance.
"Staff worked diligently with all the related agencies to do everything possible to assist city residents and businesses in lowering their costs," Planning and Building Director Mark Knight said. "This is good news for our community." |
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History's highlight
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3 years, 10 months, 7 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
. . . There is an island about 325 leagues from Espanola. . . in which there is a continual spring of running water of such marvelous virtue that, the water there being drunk, perhaps with some diet, maketh old men young again.
Secretary, Council of the Indies, ca. 1512
There was at this time a resurgence of the legend of a miraculous fountain of youth. For generations it had existed in men's minds. It was embedded in the Hindu religion, and Semitic cultures believed in a river of immortality. Over time, the legend spread through superstitious peoples around the globe. 
In the early 1500s, much of the civilized world was still wrestling with the idea that the world might not be flat, navigators could reckon latitude but not longitude, and mariners returned home with stories of fantastic new lands beyond the horizon.
Tales from natives of these new lands of a fabulous fountain could be believable.
And if he were to find it, Juan Ponce de Leon's fortune and fame would be assured.
A king grateful for his past services granted him commission to explore the northern lands, specifically Bimini at the northern tip of the Bahamas, and to lay claim to the fabled fountain, if found. Bimini best fit the description of an island where Indians suggested it would be.
The very thorough Ponce prepared three ships, stocked them well - as many explorers before and after did not, and set out from the northern tip of Puerto Rico March 4, 1513.
His course was set northwest, an easy setting on land, but one difficult to maintain on the tossing seas. He would sail along the east coast of the Bahamas to the northernmost islands. On Saturday, April 2, Ponce was confident he had traveled far enough northwest, and sure enough, land was spotted off the port bow.
It was not Bimini. He could not identify this island, but thought it so beautiful and peaceful and, prophetically it was sighted during Spain's annual Feast of the Resurrection, or Flowers, that he named it La Florida.
Account from St. Augustine Bedtime Stories. Click for further information on the series.
Image: Ponce de Leon searchs for Fountain of Youth. New York Public Library
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The St. Augustine Report is published weekly, with additional Reports previewing City Commission meetings as well as Special Reports. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com |
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