St Augustine

Pedro Menéndez founded the city de Avilés in 1565. The city’s population was 14,329 in 2020. Some claim that the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is where Juan Ponce de Leon first landed in Florida in 1513. It has been nicknamed: “Ancient City” and “Old City.” It is the oldest continuously occupied town, and port established by the Europeans in the continental US and serves as the county seat of St. Johns County. It has several historical buildings. For example, the Cathedral Basilica Parish dates back to 1565. St Augustine has the oldest wooden schoolhouse; the world’s oldest Ripley’s Believe It or Not; and the oldest masonry fort in North America – the Castillo de San Marcos. This fort has had three different names and has changed possession six times, but invaders have never taken it by force. It was Henry Flagler who made St Augustine into a modern tourist destination. The weather during the hurricane season can be a concern in Florida. However, a hurricane has directly hit St Augustine only once in modern times.