Virginia Whetstone, whose family operates a chocolate shop in the front building of the property, said in a media release, "This is a great opportunity to continue the long standing tradition that the Adelsperger family started.  The Spanish Bakery is an icon in St. Augustine that tourists seek, locals love and school groups enjoy.

"We are proud to ensure that the Spanish Bakery continues its historical character and service to its many loyal customers.  Gene Adelsperger will continue as the chef of the Spanish Bakery."     

The bakery property is among 34 state-owned historic properties being managed by the University of Florida.

Nature Boardwalk Dedication at Vilano

    Vilano Beach Main Street holds a Nature Boardwalk dedication Thursday, September 5, at 4 pm for the completion of an art appreciation project made possible through a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida students from the Florida School for the Deaf & Blind Clay Club developed nature mosaics to line the Nature Boardwalk renovated this summer.

   The mosaics reflect nature in the coastal habitat of Vilano Beach: snowy white egret; green sea turtle; giant blue heron; blue crab; fish, and signature tiles of students reflecting the Vilano sunrise/sunset.

Lincolnville farmers off to market

   Pedro Menendez had determined a site for his settlement, but the first order of business was removing the French threat. From the memoir of his priest, Father Lopez:

   On Tuesday, the 4th (of September), the fleet left the place of which I have been speaking, and we took a northerly course, keeping all the time close to the coast. Two hours before sunset, we saw four French ships at the mouth of a river.   

   All the ships of our fleet put themselves in good position; and the troops were in the best of spirits, and full of confidence in the great talents of the captain-general.   

   They followed the galley, but as our general is a very clever and artful officer, he did not fire, nor seek to make any attack on the enemy. He went straight to the French galley, and cast anchor about eight paces from her.

   ... Our general inquired of the French galley, which was the vessel nearest his, "Whence does this fleet come?" They answered, "From France."

   "What are you doing here?" said the Adelantado. "This is the territory of King Philip II. I order you to leave directly, for I neither know who you are nor what you want here."

   The French commander then replied, "I am bringing soldiers and supplies to the fort of the King of France."

   He then asked the name of the general of our fleet, and was told, "Pedro Menendez de Avilés, Captain-General of the King of Spain, who have come to hang all Calvinists [viz., Huguenots] I find here." Our general then asked him the name of his commander, and he replied, "Lord Gaston."

   Scarcely had the French made this reply, when they shipped their cables, spread their sails, and passed through our midst.

   Our admiral, seeing this, followed the French commander, and called upon him to lower his sails, in the name of King Philip, to which he received an impertinent answer. Immediately our commander gave an order to discharge a small culverin, the ball from which struck the vessel amidships. I thought she was going to founder.

   We gave chase, and some time after he again called to them to lower their sails. "I would sooner die first than surrender!" replied the French commander.

   The order was given to fire a second shot, which carried off five or six men. But as these miserable devils are very good sailors ... we did not sink one of their ships.

   ... Wednesday morning, September 5th, at sunrise, so great a storm arose that we feared we should be shipwrecked. As our vessels were so small, we did not dare to remain on the open sea, and regained the shore.

   ... That night the pilots of our other ships came on board to consult with the Admiral as to what was to be done. The next morning we decided that as soon as daylight came we would weigh anchor, and withdraw in good order, to a river (Seloy) which was below the French colony, and there disembark, and construct a fort, which we would defend until assistance came to us.

   Image: thinkquest.org