St. Augustine, Florida

Caleb Carley and Trace

JCS has the coolest field trips! I got to go to St. Augustine with Trace's 4th grade class. It is four hours north of Jupiter, so we got up bright and early and came back very late.

St. Augustine is the oldest Spanish colony in the United States. It was colonized 50 some years before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, MA and the English in Jamestown, VA. Spain first claimed St. Augustine as its own colony in 1565. King Philip II named Don Pedros Mendendez as the Governor of Florida. He began exploring the area and establishing missions for the indians. The Spanish also constructed Castillo San de Marcos, a huge fort that still stands today.

In the 1800's, Henry Flagler brought his railroads and wealth to St. Augustine. He established lavish hotels, which remain today. St. Augustine has gorgeous cobblestone streets, a beautiful lighthouse and miles worth of beaches. It is truly an amazing city, rich with history.

We were able to drink some water from Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth located inside the Archaeological Park. We toured the Colonial Quarter, the jail, and the fort. We also took a trolley ride through the current town of St. Augustine, which was absolutely beautiful! We had a great time in St. Augustine and would love to go back to spend more time in this gorgeous city.