Teeing-off Historically
(Ladies tee-off in 1902 at the historically challenging Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine.)
With a name like Florida’s Historic Coast, it’s not surprising that nearly every
attraction has a long history. Golf is certainly no exception. Today, history is
made each year at THE PLAYERS Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach and the
ultimate shrine to the game and its greatest contributors is the World Golf Hall of
Fame in St. Augustine. But golf’s beginnings here go back much further to a time
when Henry Flagler transformed sleepy, little St. Augustine into a winter getaway
for the superstars of the Gilded Age. The 1888 opening of his magnificent Hotel
Ponce de Leon brought folks of incredible wealth and fame to the Oldest City to
enjoy the mild winter weather and an occasional round of golf. First, the grounds
of the historic Castillo de San Marcos were “modified” for challenging golf in a
memorable setting – including a 17th century moat as a trap. More courses were
to follow to set the stage for the area’s current status as one of the world’s great
golf destinations -- a place where even golf is not the same old story.
Flagler College. It’s Scary Beautiful.
If you built this place you wouldn’t want to leave either. So we really can’t blame Henry Flagler, founder of the famed Hotel Ponce de Léon (now Flagler College) for hanging around all these years. The only odd part is that he died 100 years ago back in 1913. So how is it that he’s still on premises?
Before we get into the heebie-jeebie stuff, let’s examine exactly how much effort went into Flagler College’s magnificent construction. The massive, ornate structure was planned to sit in a tidal marsh wetland. So not only was establishing a strong foundation difficult, but transporting supplies to the area wasn’t a walk in the park either. In fact, it was a train ride, on tracks built specifically to usher materials to the building site.
So, starting on December 1, 1885, more than 700 workers began an intense construction effort of what would become the first major poured concrete structure in the U.S. with a complex electrical system wired by Thomas Edison himself. Mr. Flagler noted that he overspent on the foundation so even in 100 years it would stand strong and appear exactly the same.
And now, the weird stuff. 100 years after his death, Mr. Flagler is still around to see that, indeed, his hotel remains both beautiful and formidable. At least according to legend. You see, just after his passing in 1913, Mr. Flagler’s body was briefly displayed in a coffin in the hotel’s rotunda. When time for burial came and assistants prepared to remove the coffin, all doors of the rotunda slammed shut on their own, simultaneously. Obviously Mr. Flagler didn’t want to leave. Immediately after the incident, workers noticed something strange in one of the tiny tiles on the rotunda floor. It was a perfect likeness of Mr. Flagler’s face, burned into the tile, watching over the hotel. No one knows how it got there. No one noticed it prior to the incident.
This tale of Mr. Flagler’s ghostly face isn’t the only oddity about this unusually gorgeous place. And the 100-year commemoration of its creator’s death serves to highlight the lore and significance of this vitally important piece of St. Augustine history. It could also highlight your next visit here, or your next nightly ghost tour. That is, if you aren’t afraid to come discover why our history – and the history of Flagler College – isn’t the same old story.
April 3, 1513, Is Only A Few Days Away
500 years to the day, it’s happening again. A Spanish vessel will float in St. Augustine Bay with anticipation, its crew ready to disembark upon La Florida. Except this time, the Bridge of Lions will already stand. Cannons will fire from the Castillo de San Marcos, just a few blocks away. And crowds of people from around the world will be there to watch – this time.
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Florida’s Historic Coast is celebrating the 500th Anniversary of Florida’s discovery with a day full of reenactments and festivities this April 3.
The conquest begins at 9 a.m. with a full-fledged reenactment of Ponce’s landing, as described above. Then one hour later, crowds will congregate around the Ponce de Leon statute overlooking the east side of the Plaza del Constitución. There, a ceremonial wreath will be placed on the statute, and speeches will be given by City of St. Augustine Mayor Joseph Boles and Mayor Santiago Baeza Benavides of Santervas, Spain – Ponce’s birthplace. At 11 a.m., Bishop Estevez will lead a commemorative mass at the Cathedral Basilica. And at 12:30 p.m., the United States Postal Service will unveil the La Florida commemorative stamp during a program at Flagler College’s Lewis Auditorium. And it’s all open to the public.
It’s a day that’s going to be packed with culture, color and a history 500 years in the making. And it’s a celebration that’s sure to prove once more that our history is not the same old story.
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