Touring St. Augustine

Saturday, May 15, 2010

After breakfast, I decided to try to go to St. Augustine to ride the "red train" which had a van which would pick me up at the marina motel office. Charlie decided to stay at the marina to try to get on the internet, sit by the pool and read instead of sight seeing. Riding the "red train" I would save my feet and get an overview of Old St. Augustine. I could get on and off it and use my ticket for three consecutive days. I was also able to get discount tickets for some of the other sites as well.The whole tour would take about 1 and 1/2 hour. I departed the train to see the Dow Historic houses which dated from 1839, 1820 to 1909 and 1910. I was somewhat disappointed because they were not kept up well and the grounds were messy and looked unkept as well.

Instead of waiting to catch the train again, I walked a block or two to reach the Lightner Museum which is housed in the old Alcazar Hotel built by Henry Flagler in 1888. The grounds are beautifully kept and the building is also very interesting. The St. Augustine City Hall uses the front part of the hotel and the museum is in the back. There is a beautiful enclosed courtyard between the two parts . As I was eating lunch in the courtyard, a wedding was

taking place on the bridge over the water feature. The museum is unusual because they allow pictures to be taken throughout. The displays are in various areas of the old hotel: gymnasium, ballroom on the third floor, etc. Lightner had extensive collections of cut glass, glass objects, china, natural science artifacts, furniture, buttons, toys, needlecraft including a number of samplers and handmade lace from the 1800's. The collection is from "The Gilded Age" which a volunteer described as from the end of the Civil War until the Great Depression.

Flagler College is now housed in what was Henry Flagler's Ponce de Leon Hotel which opened earlier in 1888 than the Alcazar. It had hot and cold running water and electricity. Guests were afraid of the electric switches so Flagler had to hire persons to turn on the lights as guests entered the

rooms. I hope to tour this later. Henry Flagler had a great influence on the city and architecture of St. Augustine which her turned into the "Newport of the South".

I returned to the marina about 5 p.m. The fishing tournament was still going strong and their party was tonight. We enjoyed a quiet cocktail hour on the boat and then ate some leftovers from previous meals. I hope to get Charlie to Old St. Augustine tomorrow.