Castillo de San Marcos/ St. Augustine
Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is the oldest masonry fort in the United States and more than 450 years of cultural intersections. Construction began on the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and lasted 23 years until 1695. Many Spanish forts preceded the Castillo. However, this one made of coquina was impenetrable to enemy attack and was fire resistant.
In 1763, Florida became a British colony by signing the Treaty of Paris, thus beginning a 20-year period of English rule. The Castillo was used as a military prison during the Revolutionary War, and at one time it held three signers of the Declaration of Independence within its walls.
At the end of the Revolutionary War, Florida was returned to Spain in 1784 until Florida became a United States Territory in 1821. The Americans called the Castillo, Fort Marion, honoring the revolutionary patriot from the Carolinas, General Frances Marion. The U.S. Government used Fort Marion as a prison for Native Americans in the late 1800s. Natives from both Florida and the Great Plains were held at the fort during this time.
The fort was officially taken off the active list of fortifications in 1900 and was preserved and recognized as a national monument in 1924. Congress renamed the fort in 1942, reverting to the Spanish name, the Castillo de San Marcos. (visitstaugustine.com)
The history is so rich, you can spend countless hours at the fort, soaking up information. All the pictures we took of the fort will be at the gallery at the end of the blog post.
After leaving Castillo de San Marcos, we spent the rest of the day walking around the city of St. Augustine. There are a lot of tourist driven things to do, but there are so many historical sites you come across, you absolutely need more than one day to traverse through the city. From the oldest jail to the oldest schoolhouse, the map will be your best friend. I have been to St. Augustine before and I still have not been able to do all the things I want to do. Until we meet again St. Augustine!
