ANCIENT SPANISH GATES AT ST. AUGUSTINE
The Old Spanish Gates at St. Augustine. Around the walls was a moat filled with water and a hedge of Spanish bayonet plants. A description in 1783 says entrance was by a drawbridge over the moat and thru the gate. The sentry boxes are visible nt the gate. Near by is old Fort San Marcos (Ft. Marion now) an interesting example of medieval castle ami fort, living quarters, barracks and dungeons.
,	1,1 the ' nilfd States from a picture 1" “
r™ ,	;«"*■	This	is now a part of the property of the St.
T s cI.m , 1I»M1"rl",I Society and liouseo many ancient relit Hhrnry „r „id Spanlsli lilstorv is housed in a »e» from a-l °"m	l*rJI,<!r<»-. The Oldest House apparently
to la- rov , Socic'y historical collections are u rare I*!™"1 romantl.. noHri8ve»k ,,tr ^formation ot that ancient, perilous « love the ni.iov * J" ‘ V »,lrdcn <«“• “Wishing Well' and there oldest setHnlr f, h!,°ry In 1,lc "orld, still finds romance »t tJJJ Journey over*ii.n H1. ? oCW cou,‘try. And when you	hing
Well” ,if«i, 1 ,e. °.ld Spanish Trail you will find the u r
Ponce'W'Veon °.f	Augustine Ik the Fountain of Youth tlu»t
c Hearts of mortals thru all the ages.
The Descriptiue Log
This information is carefully prepared. Hotels, garages, camps and service stations are selected with the purpose to build up good service. Houses that pay their rated subscriptions are printed in black face type; they and the membership make this travelog service possible for you.
Villages and hamlets are not Included, as a rule. They are numerous along the way, so also garages, service stations and camping places. Many hotels fill early. New hotels are being continually built or old ones remodeled. Service improves all the time, for this is an Important travelway.
•Indicates county seats. Inf., Information Headquarters.
FLORIDA—435 MILES
Road Conditions
All State and Federal standard road and all being rapidly paved. At present most of the pavement is laid.
No ferries. Maintenance Is good, detours during paving construction well maintained. The Florida sector is one of the best examples of highway construction on the Old Spanish Trail.

wcaui Jiu tun
The eastern coastal section, palmetto plains and pirn-lands. Ibis soon gives way to rolling hills, with live oak and other line trees. Elevations reach 2G2 ft. at I)o Funlak Springs. There ure rich farming sections, truck raising, pecan and satsuma orange orchards, shade tobacco, dairying and poultry. The little cities are paved, have niec public buildings, homes nnd parks, old trees shade the streets. Around Tallahassee many northerners maintain lurge estates. The gulf shores, bays and waterways are shaded with trees and are very attractive. Across Florida the drinking water Is very good. In the western part pinclands again occur and lumbering has been a basic industry. Now homescekcrs arc flocking in and finding the Florida Old Spanish Trail territory good.
Old History
San Agustln wns settled in 15G5, the oldest city in the United States. Ponce de Leon discovered and named Florida in 1512. The De Narvaez expedition landed at Tampa Bay in 1528 and De Soto in 1539, nnd both fought their way around westward in Old Spanish Trull territory to the Tullaliussee country where De Narvaez turned south to escape by sea and De Soto turned north and wandered thru tlie south and west. De Soto’s body was buried in tlic Mississippi Elver, Do Narvaez was lost in the Gulf of Mexico. Cabeza dc Vaca. De Narvaez’ treasurer and three others, were the only survivors to reach Mexico and their story Is told under “The El Paso Valley.” Ragged survivors of the Do Soto expedition yours later escaped down the Mississippi River and to Mexico.
There nre records of 38 missions established out of St. Augustine. westward to Tallahassee and up into Georgia. They were probably of wood for no ruins nre known except some of oyster shell cement north of Brunswick, Ga. I>e Luna landed nt Pen-sncolu Bay in 1559 with the largest expedition of them all, but Indian enmity soon drove him buck to Vera Cruz. 'While the Spaniards were exploring the Floridas other remarkable expeditions were moving northward from Mexico into Texas. New Mexico, Arizona and California. Santa Fe became the second oldest city in the U. S„ while others lay claim to existence back in the dim past.* When the thirteen states were fighting for independence Spain controlled an empire south anil west, and was building the California missions. Florida was Spanish until 1821, except for an English period 17G3-1783; Spain sold Old Louisiana lmck to France in 1800; France sold to the U. S. in 1803; Texas independence was won In 183G and that territory was annexed l»y the IT. S. In 1815. The Mexican War was 18IG-17. The New Mexleo-Arlzona-Southern California territory was reded to the IT. S. by Mexico In 1818. The Gadsden Purchase of part of southern Now Mexico and Arizona was in 1853.
The five grent centers of mission and colonization effort of the Spaniards nre along the Old Spanish Trail—St. Augustine. Fla., San Antonio. Tex., El Paso—Santa Fe, Tucson—Nogales, Arlz., San IjIcto nnd the California coast. The Old Spanish Trail of today Is r* *n»ead binding together for all time the old Spanish history nnd legend of three and four centuries past. In these lands the padres sought riches to lay up In heaven nnd the eonquistadores sought riches for personal glory nnd often found disaster for their vain hut romantic search. Now n new race is finding riches in the crucibles of industry.
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OLDEST HOUSE IN THE UNITED STATES, ST. AUGUSTIN1'