Governement House Museum, St Augustine Fla
N 29° 53.553 W 081° 18.770
17R E 469795 N 3306920
Queen Isabella of Spain once stood on the balcony of the Government House to adress the people of St Augustine.
Waymark Code: WM310K
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 01/22/2008
Views: 52
The earliest documented building on the Government House site was a residence built by Governor Gonzalo Mendez de Canzo about 1598. The laying out of the town conformed to a royal decree which stipulated that all Spanish towns must have a central plaza. Buildings, such as the church, government house and market were to face the Plaza. The governor's residence served until the 1680s when it was replaced by a two-story building with balconied masonry walls. This version was burned in 1702 by British troops after their unsuccessful siege of the Castillo. It was rebuilt from 1706 to 1713 and renovated in 1759. The main building was two stories high, with a shingled gable roof. The entrance was on the east through a Doric portal in the masonry fence bounding the lot. Other buildings included a kitchen, watchtower, guardhouse and a stable. Following the cession of Florida to the United States in 1821, Government House was pressed into service as a courtroom. When territorial governor William P. DuVal needed quarters for his Legislative Council meeting in May 1823, that room was commandeered and briefly the ancient walls again housed Florida's CapitaL. Government House continued to serve the city - as a courthouse, office building and post office. In 1891 it ceased to be the courthouse, but continued as the post office until 1965. In 1966 it was transferred by the federal government to the State of Florida. In recent years it has undergone extensive renovation and restoration and now houses the Government House Museum and offices of the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board as well as the downtown Visitor Center.
Theme:
Cultural History
Street Address:
48 King St St Augustine, Fla
Food Court: no
Gift Shop: yes
Hours of Operation:
Government House, is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: 2.00 (listed in local currency)
Museum Size: Small
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
In order to log this waymark in this category, you must be able to provide proof of your visit. Please post a picture of yourself or your GPSr in front some identifiable feature or point of interest either in the museum, or on the museum grounds.