\ isit the Tiro Oldest Historical Relics in the United States
FORT MARION NATURAL MONUMENT
1638
1756
Open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Guides in Attendance
OLDEST HOUSE On St. Francis Street
Make No Mistake, Ask for This Street
PROPERTY AND HOME OF
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MUSEUM AND LIBRARY CONNECTED
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guides on Duty
Ponce De Leon Celebration—Old Spanish Trail
April 2. -I. 4. 1929—St. Augustine. Florida
Pedro Menendez de Aviles
edro Mexexdez de Aviles; naval commander; born in Aviles, Asturias, Spain, in 1519. He distinguished himself in priva-r - .	tec	ring enterprises against the Moors and
French; becam e captain-general in the ,!ivV d - !y.'F navy; commanded the fleet which carried Philip II to England, 1554; the one which brought him reinforcements to Flanders, 1557, and that in which he returned to Spain, 1559. Was twice general of the West Indian fleet, and acquired great wealth by his voyages; was imprisoned and fined for alleged irregularities in 1560, but regained favor, and in 1565 was named governor of Cuba and Florida, with the agreement that he should colonize the latter country. His preparations were hastened by the news that French Protestant colonies had been established on the Florida coast, and he sailed from Cadiz, June 29, 1565, with eleven vessels and over 1,500 men. After some preliminary skirmishing with the French ships, Menendez founded St. Augustine (now the oldest city in the United States), September 8, 1565. Larger reinforcements were received from Spain, and the colony prospered. Menendez made several voyages to Spain to bring over colonists and supplies, and he was active in the government of Cuba. In 1573 he finally returned to Spain
and was given command of the immense fleet Philip was preparing against England and the Netherlands, hut died soon after at Santander, September 17, 1574.
Founding of St. Augustine from account by Mendoza, Chaplain of the Expedition:
“On Saturday, the 8th. the general landed with many banners spread, to the sound of trumpets and salutes of artillery. As 1 had gone on shore the evening before, I took a cross and went to meet him, singing the hymn Te Deum Lauramus. The general marched up to the cross, followed by all who accompanied him. and there they all kneeled and embraced the cross. A large number of Indians watched these proceedings and imitated all they saw done. The same day the general took formal possession of the country in the name of his Majesty, and all the captains took the oath of allegiance to him, as their general, and governor of the country.
De Meras, another eye-witness, and Barientos. a friend of Menendez, describe "a solemn mass in honor of Our Lady, before possession of the country was celebrated. A map of St. Augustine and its key state that this was held on the land north of the present chapel of De La Leche; the chapel ‘Nombre de Dios' was built on the site of this ceremony (map of date, 1764)."
The Approach of the Caravel
Isabella
<te&ij&rrr sauei.la of Castile, daughter of John II.
King of Castile and Leon, and his second y I ) wife, Isabella of Portugal. She married ( Lj I ' October 19, 1469, Ferdinand V, King of SxLcI^ Aragon, surnamed “The Catholic." After the death of her brother, Henry IV. in 1474. she ascended the throne of Castile. After the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile were thus once more ^	united, Ferdinand and Isabella assumed the royal titles of
“	Spain. She was always present at the transaction of state
de Castile
affairs and insisted that her name should be placed beside "that of her husband in public ordinances. The conquest of Granada, after which the Moors were entirely expelled from Spain, was in a great degree her work; and the encouragement she gave Columbus, when everybody else doubted the feasibility of his plans, assisted him to the discovery of America. The broadness of her political vision and the strength of her character were chiefly responsible for the foundation of Spain’s greatness.
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