Since we were in the oldest city, you have to visit the oldest jail, the oldest wooden school house, the oldest general store and the oldest homes.....don't you?
The Old St. Johns County Jail was built in 1891 and held prisoners until 1953. Henry Flagler , co-founder of the Standard Oil Company, founder of the Florida East Coast RR and major real estate developer donated $10,000 towards the construction. He was also a hotel magnet and requested the building to look like a hotel rather than a jail. It is the oldest surviving government building in St. Johns county and one of the few surviving 19th century jails. The architecture is Romanesque Revival with Queen Anne Victorian elements. It was built by the Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis. This same company built Alcatraz It could house 72 inmates as well as the sheriff and his family.
Conditions were very primitive with 4 inmates to a cell, no indoor plumbing until 1914 and open barred windows which would allow all outside elements and critters to enter.
The tour guides dress up like inmates....
or deputies.
Ron chatting with Joe Perry, the most feared sheriff at that time. He'll talk to anyone/anything!
Sculpture of a chain gang at the entrance to entice visitors. The tour included the male and female cells, maximum-security area, the gallows and a large collection of period handcuffs and guns used in actual crimes.
A visit to the St. Augustine oldest general store was interesting Tour guides dressed and spoke in period character presenting a picture of supplies and services available at that time.
Warehouse loaded with items from that period. Displays of typewriters, washing machines and sewing machines.
Corn Husker
Bread Mixer first presented at the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair and sold for $1.79.
There are many opportunities to visit old homes in this city that are now B&B's, museums or art galleries and we chose to tour the Dow Museum of Historic Houses. It features 8 historic homes, art galleries, courtyards and gardens that date from 1790-1910. The houses are embellished with collections of museum benefactor Kenneth Worcester Dow.
Murat House. 1790
Carpenter's House, circa 1899-1909. Built from used left over building materials making the boards and windows mismatched. The lean is not due to poor construction but from a hurricane and flood in 1940 that undermined the foundation washing away the sand. Wonder why?....the house was built on a filled lake.
Period furnishings.
Courtyards and gardens were very nicely landscaped and provided a quiet place to sit and take a rest.
This is the site where the Emancipation Proclamation was officially issued in Florida. January 1863 all slaveholders were ordered to release their slaves and allow them to gather in a large vacant lot at this location.
Is this blog long enough? I'll make the next attraction, the oldest wooden school house a quickie.
Juan Genoply moved to St. Augustine from New Smyrna and purchased this red cedar and cypress building as his home in the late 1770's. He felt it was important for the Minorcan children to learn English. In the 1800's his daughter became a teacher and began offering classes.
Classroom reproduction. The Dunce Cap was not used for children who misbehaved but for the slow learners.
The Kitchen. Not used for a cafeteria as we know but a part of the complex where the teachers did their own cooking. The students brought their own lunches.
Last attending students.
The Privy. If it was a 2 unit privy a crescent was carved at the top for the girls unit and a
sunburst or star for the boys.
"The Grove of Educators", a tribute to several educational leaders from The Americas and The Caribbean.
The End.
Stay tuned for a few more St. Augustine blogs.
Hope all is well!
