America's Oldest City: The Heritage of St. Augustine, Florida

St. Augustine, Florida was founded in 1565 and is America's oldest city. In fact, St. Augustine was settled just one year after the birth of William Shakespeare.

It all started when Spanish admiral Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles established St. Augustine in 1565 based on a land grant from King Philip II of Spain. The city takes its name in honor of the Catholic saint, Augustin. As part of the vast Spanish empire of the time, St. Augustine served as a military station for the northeastern frontier. Of course, as with any empire, the settlement was subject to uprisings and invasions over several decades. Britain, in particular, invaded St. Augustine in the early and mid 1700s. It was not until the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), that Spain gave up Florida (and thus St. Augustine) to the British in exchange for Cuba. Then in the 1800s, of course, Florida was annexed to the United States.

The old Spanish and British influences are evident throughout this historic city. Consider the fort, for instance, Castillo de San Marcos, located at Avenida Menendez. It was built of shellstone to protect against pirates invading the Spanish city in the mid 1600s. Every forty minutes past the hour on summer weekends a re-enactment takes place at the fort using a working cannon. And if you look hard enough in the surrounding waters beyond the fortress walls, you may even see some dolphins scurrying about. Beyond the waters you'll also see Anastasia Island and its black and white-striped lighthouse. Climb the 219 steps to the top and you can buy a certificate in the gift shop attesting to your accomplishment for just $1.00.