Saint Augustine Florida Condos

In the next half century, the government of Spain launched no less than six expeditions attempting to inhabit Florida, but all failed. In 1565, the French succeeded in establishing a fort and a colony near the mouth of the St. Johns River, and in doing so threatened Spain's treasure fleets which sailed along Florida's shoreline. As a result of this incursion into Florida, King Philip II named Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Spain's most experienced admiral, governor of Florida and instructed Menendez to explore and colonize the territory. King Philip also instructed him to drive out any corsairs or settlers of other nations, if they should be found in Florida.

Maintaining St. Augustine as a enduring colony and military base, however, was a mighty task. Without the courage, perseverance and tenacity of the early pioneers, it is very doubtful that the colony would have survived. Sir Francis Drake, the English corsair, pillaged and burned the town in 1586. Then in 1668, another pirate, Captain John Davis and his buccaneers plundered the homes and left 60 persons dead in the streets.

Clashes between the Spaniards and the British became more frequent when the English colonies were established in Georgia and the Carolinas. The Castillo de San Marcos The year 1672 saw work begin on the stone citadel now called the Castillo de San Marcos. The fort was almost completed in 1696, but not formally dedicated until 1756. Attesting to the strength of the fort, in 1702 Governor James Moore of Carolina led a two month siege without success, and in 1740 an even stronger attack by James Oglethorpe of Georgia was beaten off.

In 1763 the stroke of a pen accomplished what pitched battles had failed to do. Spain gave Florida to Great Britain in exchange for newly conquered Havana, and St. Augustine came under British law for the first time. England ruled over the city and territory for 20 years which included the period of the American Revolution. The citizens of the city remained loyal to the crown throughout the time. In 1783, under the terms of a treaty signed by England, France and Spain, East Florida and St. Augustine returned to the rule of Spain, which lasted for 37 years.

In this period of the world's history, many changes were taking place in Europe and as a result, Spain sold Florida to the United States. At a colorful military ceremony on July 10, 1821, troops of the United States took possession of the territory and the Spanish soldiers departed, never to return again. In the Seminole War, the Indians made a desperate attempt to regain control of Florida from the Americans.

In 1837 two prominent Seminole leaders, Osceola and Coacoochee, with a number of warriors were captured just south of St. Augustine where they had come under a white flag for a parley with the Americans. All were imprisoned in the Castillo, from which Coacoochee and 20 of his companions managed to escape. Osceola, however, was transferred to Fort Moultrie at Charleston, SC where he died.

The end of the Seminole war made Florida safe once again for visitors, who came to take advantage of the fine climate. In 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the Union with Tallahassee selected as the state capitol. This was a compromise between St. Augustine and Pensacola, both of which were difficult to reach from most parts of the state. St. Augustine continued to prosper until it was interrupted by another conflict, the Civil War. Slaves in this area played a small role in the economy as compared with the rest of the state, and there was substantial Union sentiment in the city due to the number of northern-born residents. Florida, however, seceded from the Union, and according to letters, "It was announced here by the firing of cannon and musketry, and much shooting. A large flag made by the ladies waved on the square. By order of the Governor of the state, the fort, barracks and Federal property were taken possession of. Cannons were mounted on the ramparts of the fort to defend it if any attempt should be made to try to retake it."

The temporary joy of the inhabitants was quickly replaced with sadness. Many of the young men from the city served in the Confederate armies, while the majority of the northern-born citizens returned north for the duration of the war. In March of 1862, a Union blockade squadron appeared off the inlet and demanded the city's surrender. During the night the small Confederate garrison withdrew, and the city was then occupied by Union forces that remained until after the conflict. At the conclusion of the war in 1865 St. Augustine was three centuries old. The effects of the war and the privation it had caused took some time to wear off, but the winter visitors began their return almost immediately. Facilities were bad to say the least, so work was begun on improving the travel arrangements and accommodations.

In 1883 the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River railway was completed, giving the city a link with its neighbor to the north, Jacksonville. During the winter of 1883-84, Henry M. Flagler, one of the co-founders of the Standard Oil Company, visited the city and was impressed with the charm and possibilities of the area. As a result of his interest, he built the magnificent Ponce de Leon and Alcazar hotels. Flagler also purchased the newly constructed Casa Monica Hotel, renaming it the Hotel Cordova. With these openings, the wealthy and fashionable flocked to St. Augustine, soon to become known as the "Southern Newport." Flagler purchased the surrounding railroads at the same time as he started his hotels, marking the beginning of the Florida East Coast Railroad. Eventually, he extended it down the east coast of Florida, first reaching Palm Beach, and then Miami in 1896.