The official travel journal of Jerry & Ann Linebarger
www.linebloggers.com
Construction on Castillo de San Marcos began in 1672. As such, it is the the oldest masonry structure and the only existing 17th century fort in North America. Now a national monument, the fort covers 20.5 acres and includes a reconstructed section of the walled defense line surrounding the city of St. Augustine, incorporating the original city gates. It is said to be an excellent example of the "bastion system" of fortification.
The Spanish founded St. Augustine in 1565, 42 years before the English landed in Jamestown and 55 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. It wasn't until 1672 that building was begun on Castillo de San Marcos. It took 24 years to construct the bastion. Enactors dressed in period costumes shared experiences with visitors about life in the fort.
Lovely old St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American continent. When the Spanish built the city, the buildings' doors opened onto plazas. Only after the English arrived were doors added that open onto the streets, along with glass windows. The English also are credited with painting the buildings in pastel colors which reflected the sun and kept the buildings cooler.
And this is the oldest wooden schoolhouse in the U.S.
Jerry in one of the sentry boxes, built to watch outside the fort to the front and the sides. It provided shelter for the sentry from weather and enemy fire.
We visited the old county jail and Jer ended up imprisoned again! The jail was built around the turn of the century and was a gift to the city by Henry Flagler, the railroad magnate. It was built by the same St. Louis company that built Alcatraz.
Annie had a talk with the sheriff and Jerry got out on bail. Until 1929, prisoners in the jail were "leased" to work on road crews and chain gangs. They liked this duty because, if they escaped, they would be assisted by the country folks because they hated the sheriff so. If the prisoner could make it to one of the country homes, they would be safe; hence, the saying "home free".
