St. Augustine

Spanish galleon replica

 On August 28, 1565, the men aboard Pedro Menendez de Aviles's ship spotted land that would become St. Augustine. Spanish Admiral Aviles became Florida's first governor. He named the city he founded "St. Augustine," because August 28th marked the feast day for St. Augustine.

Fort San Marcos

St. Augustine would remain Florida's capital under Spanish rule for over 200 years. Great Britian took the region for a short while, and when Spain finally ceded the area to the United States in 1819, the city remained Florida's capital. However, this changed in 1824, when the territorial government moved to Tallahassee. But by the latter part of the 1800's, St. Augustine had already become a tourist attraction.

Aviles Street, the oldest street in the U.S.

St. Augustine has continued to hold the title of the oldest city in the United States established by Europeans. It has also held it's position as a top tourist attraction. The historical sections of the city and its beautiful beaches draw crowds year round. In 2015, it celebrated its 450th year. Now that's a birthday to celebrate.

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