Civilization in North America definitely dates from 1513. Don Juan Ponce, Knight of Leon Spain, who accompanied Columbus on his second voyage, was later appointed governor of Porto Rico. While there he obtained a royal grant authorizing him to discover and settle “Bimini,” a fabulous island, believed to contain a marvelous fountain, or spring, whose waters ----- would restore old men their youth. On March 27th, 1513. he sighted the mainland of North America, and on account of the day being Easter Sunday, called by the Spaniards “Pascua Florida,” and also because of many flowers and pleasant groves along the coast, he named the land FLORIDA. On April 2nd he landed on the site of the present city of St. Augustine, then known as the Indian village of Selooe. Fifty-two years later Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, who followed the same perilous course from Porto Rico taken by Ponce de Leon, landed at the same place and in 1565 founded the first permanent colony in North America. And because he arrived on August 28th, 1565, Saint Augustine’s Day, he named the settlement SAINT AUGUSTINE.