St. Augustine, Florida Then & Now

P. Marlin

2020 Series

Happy as the Day is Long

Photo by Detroit Publishing Co. 1902 with caption "Happy as the day is long." Original photo, which shows more of the Castillo de San Marcos, can be viewed at the Library of Congress website https://www.loc.gov/item/2016798924/.

Post Office / Governent House

The building in the original photo (~1900) is the St. Augustine Post Office located in the Plaza de la Constitución. The Government House, which sits in the same location today, does not resemble the post office building at all. The only location similarity is the decorative fountain in the original photo which matched today's fountain. I doubted this was the accurate location, however, The Government House Library website explained the building's many transitions over the years.

The building located across from the Post Office on Cathedral Place is labeled as "Bishop's Block." The building is now gone, but can be seen on this 1910 Sanborn Map.

If I Could Turn Back Time

Not much has changed architecturally from the original Ponce de Leon Hotel to Flagler College 100 years later.

Cathedral Place

Looking west on Cathedral Place toward Flagler College pre-1900 and March 2020.

Treasury Street

Looking east on Treasury Street in 1886 and March 2020. All original buildings are gone.

Dodge's Old Curiosity Shope

Shopping then and now. Dodge's Old Curiosity Shop in 1905 and March 2020.

2019 Series

Ponce de Leon Hotel Courtyard

The Ponce de Leon Hotel courtyard in 1905. The same courtyard at Flagler College September 2019.

Ponce de Leon Hotel - Ladies' Entrance

The Ladies' Entrance at Ponce de Leon Hotel in 1890. The same entrance at Flagler College September 2019.

City Gates Entrance

City Gates entrance pre- 1900 and September 2019.

Ponce de Leon Hotel Entrance

Ponce de Leon Hotel entrance in the 1950's and September 2019. A traffic sign mars the view.

Slave Market

View of the "old slave market" at the center of the historic quarter in the early 1900's and September 2019.

Memorial Presbyterian Church Manse

The Memorial Presbyterian Church was built by industrialist Henry Flagler for his daughter, Jennie Louise, who died after giving birth in 1889. The Manse (parsonage) was also built at that time. Architectural drawings of the church and manse. Photos are from 1902 and 2019.

Flagler Room - Women's Grand Parlor

Thankfully the original Ponce de Leon Hotel was preserved so we can now see the original women's Grand Parlor room in color with its tiffany blue ceiling. Today it is called the Flagler Room at Flagler College. Notice the original onyx clock over the fireplace that was installed by Thomas Edison.

Flagler College courtyard - Ponce de Leon Hotel courtyard

If it was a 90 degree high Florida humidity day, then I sympathize with the ladies. This is a retake, another version is located at this botton of this page.

Corner of St. George Street

I love the 1937 view of the corner of St George Street and Cathedral Place so I retook it for 2019. This corner has none of the character and charm that existed in the 1930s. Now gone, a priest's home is located on the right in the original photo.

2018 Series

Castillo de San Marcos

View of St. Augustine from Castillo de San Marcos in unknown year and 2018.

The John A Lombard family at the Castillo de San Marcos in 1946.

St. Francis Barracks

The St. Francis Barracks are the former site of an old Franciscan Monastery, constructed in 1588. The building was converted to military barracks by the British in 1763 and then from 1783 to 1821, it was a Spanish garrison. The United States Army has occupied the space since 1821 and in 1907 the Florida National Guard Headquarters was established here. Photos reflect 1895 and 2018 time periods.

Matanzas River

In 1902 one could stop for a hot bath on the walk from the Bridge of Lions to the Castillo de San Marcos. The same view in 2018. What was originally Dr. Vedder's Curiosities Museum (1900 time period) can be seen on the left (yellow building today).

65-69 St. George Street

Someone takes a peak out of the door at number 65 St. George Street (first building on right - 1910). Today it is Tedi's Old Tyme Ice Cream. It's always interesting to see what buildings have been torn down.

65-69 St. George Street

Same building as above in 1903.

54 St. George Street

Today the second building on the left is St. Augustine Art Glass. This building was once Dodge's Curiosity Shop and before that, the Don Juan Paredes house, built between 1803-1813. Notice the building further down on the left (with the dormers) is in the original photo as well. The building on the right is gone.

The Hotel Alcazar (Lightner Museum)

Looking across to the Alcazar Hotel in 1902 and 2018 with today's horse and buggy.

Marine & Cadiz Streets

A view of the Pablo Cafeteria in the original photo. I'm not sure if any of the original buildings are still standing or the year the original photo was taken.

City Gates

Views of the City Gates: 1875, 1900 and 2018.

Views of the City Gates: 1890s and 2018.

2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 Series

City Gates

St. Augustine city gates built 1808, photographed in 1865 and 2013.

Dodge's Curiosity Shop

Fifty-four St George Street was originally the Don Juan Paredes house built between 1803-1813, then became Dodge's Old Curiosity Shop. Photographed in 1905 and 2013.

St. George Street

Little kids on St. George Street photographed in 1894 and 2013 (notice chimney lines up).

St. George Street

I was able to locate G.S. Beverly Plumbing (no longer there) on St George street in an old directory which led to this location, notice the balcony is the same. Photographed in 1908 and 201.

The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse

The oldest wooden schoolhouse was built in early 1700's, the chain was added in the late 1930's to keep it from blowing away in a hurricane. Photographed in 1937 and 2013.

The Old Coquina Lighthouse on Anastasia Island

The old photo shows the remains of the old Coquina Lighthouse which fell into the sea in 1880. Near the same area in the newer photo, the foundations of the old lighthouse can be seen at low tide in the shell mound just in front of the wooden pier. Old Spanish Watch Tower (blog)

Old Spanish Chimney

A woman and her daughter visit the old Spanish chimney on Anastasia Island in 1924. Today, the same view.

St. Augustine Lighthouse, Anastasia Island

The old lighthouse photo was taken in 1888 and the new photo in 2014.

View of St. Augustine from the Lighthouse

A view from the lighthouse looking toward St. Augustine. The Cathedral Place office building and the Castillo de San Marcos are visible in the distance, with the Bridge of Lions is barely visible behind the trees. The original photo was taken after 1930, the new photo in 2014.

King Street

1902 and 2015.

The Oldest House

A National Historic Landmark, the González-Alvarez House (14 St Francis Street) is the oldest surviving Spanish colonial dwelling in St. Augustine, Florida. While evidence exists that the González-Alvarez House site had been occupied since the 1600s, the present house dates to the early 1700s. Construction began on the house around 1723 and it reached its final form in 1790. These photos are from 1905 and 2015.

Hospital Street

A man pushes a cart down Aviles (originally Hospital Street) and Cadiz (originally Green) Streets in St. Augustine in 1897 and 2015.

Dr. Vedder's Museum

Dr. Vedders museum on old Bay (now Menendez) and Treasury streets specialized in curiosities such as live alligators, snakes and other 'unusual' items. The original photo is of Dr. Vedder standing next to the museum in 1894. The original building burned down in 1914.

Sanchez House

The Sanchez House, 7 Bridge Street, was built in 1791 by Jose Simeon Sanchez, one of the Spanish colony of Florida's first and foremost statesmen. Crafted of coquina stone, the house hosted the prosperous and distinguished Sanchez family until the 1950's. Jose's lovely daughters, the "Sanchez girls", were known for their long black hair and Galician beauty. From the 1930's and today, the photo below is also the Sanchez House with full views. Text from Sanchez House website.

Murat House

The Murat House, 250 George Street, was rented by one of St. Augustine's most celebrated French citizens, Charles Louis Napoleon Achille Murat, the crown prince of Naples. The famous prince resembled his powerful uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte, and was known for shared mannerisms as well. Murat came to St. Augustine in the spring of 1824. I believe the original is the 1920's or 30's.

Ponce de Leon Hotel (Flagler College)

These lovely ladies were probably sweltering under a summer day's heat at the beautiful Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine (1890 - built by Henry Flagler). Now Flagler College, a visit is still like a step back in time.

The Hotel Alcazar (Lightner Museum)

In 1930 The Alcazar Hotel in St. Augustine had the world's largest indoor swimming pool. Today it is the Lightner Museum.

City Gates

Turn of the 20th Century at the St. Augustine City Gates.

Rodriguez-Avero-Sanchez House

The Rodriguez-Avero-Sanchez House at 52 St. George Street was built during the First Spanish Occupation (1565-1763). The original photo was taken around 1936 which makes the coquina wall replacing the dress shop a little mysterious.

Ponce de Leon Celebration Day

The Ponce de Leon Event, celebrating Ponce de Leon's landing in St. Augustine, started in 1883 and continued for many years. This view was taken at the corner of Avenida Menendez Street and Cathedral Place (Bridge of Lions) in April 1927 and September 2016.