ST. AUGUSTINE’S GROWTH in the 19th century can be largely attributed to Henry Flagler. This was a name I had heard mentioned several times while rolling from Key West to St. Augustine, so now was the time to dig a little deeper. It turns out Flagler was a capitalist who saw Florida as a destination to escape the northern winters. He purchased and improved upon existing railways to bring visitors throughout the eastern side of the state and began to purchase land in St. Augustine to build grand hotels, beginning with the Hotel Ponce de Leon. Today this hotel is part of the Flagler College, founded in 1968. So how did Ohio native Henry Flagler make his fortune? Along with John D. Rockefeller, they founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870. And a short 130 years later, both Jim and I retired from that company…Chevron.
The Civil Rights Movement was active in this seaside town when in 1963, four college students, known as the St. Augustine Four, were arrested for sitting down at the Woolworth’s lunch counter to order a hamburger. The crime? It was a ‘Whites Only’ counter. For this they were sentenced to six months in jail. While the Woolworth’s is now a Wells Fargo Bank, the front door and window display clearly retain the historic nature of the location. In addition, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was arrested here in 1964 for launching a campaign to end racial discrimination in the town. King was moved from home to home to ensure his safety in the Lincolnville section of the city which was settled by freedmen following the Civil War.
We wrapped up our time in this seaport with a stop at the St. Augustine Distillery, maker of fine spirits. This is a small distillery which offers a self-guided tour and samples of their spirits along the tour. From there it was back to camp and a hike with our Camp Dawgs, Boone & Piper, who were waiting patiently for our return.
With its 500 years of history, I found St. Augustine to be a juxtaposition from its natural beauty with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop to battles led to claim the land; from social injustice to tourism and sunshine. If you are in this area, St. Augustine is definitely worthy of your time to discover.
Camp Dawg 