God, Gold and Glory; these were the goals of the early
Spanish explorers and conquistadors in the New World.


Yet for the men who came to Florida during the 16th
century, hardship, hardwork and hostility were their only
rewards.


For Ponce de Leon in 1513, there was no fountain of youth


and for Pedro Menendez, the founder of St. Augustine in
1565, simple survival became a prize unto itself.


What Spain originally claimed as Florida extended north
as far as present day New Foundland,


but England and France had their own designs on the
region.


As each encroached upon Spain's territories, confTicts ensued
in both Europe and the New World,


and the fledgling settlement of St. Augustine would find itself
under fire many times during its first two centuries
of existence.


Though no great wealth was to be discovered here, Spain
maintained this port for its strategic, political and
religious value as a base of operations on the North American
continent.


The enormous wealth that was being exploited from Central
and South America had to sail by St. Augustine to get
home to Spain so whom ever controlled the coastline here
controlled the bounty of the New World.


As St. Augustine became known throughout Europe, many people
there imagined it to be a bustling metropolis. A Dutch
artist in 1671 wrongly conceived St. Augustine to be a
busy post with high steepled churches and mountains
nearby








but a local resident sometime earlier, sketched a
slightly more realistic perspective of this stark
frontier outpost.


Nine forts had been built here during the first century
of occupation and each in its turn fell to the forces of
fire, termites, pirates, hostile Indians, the English
and dryrot.


Finally in 1672, Spain allocated enough money and manpower to
build a permanent stone fortress, the Castillo de San Marcos,
which still stands today.


The Castillo was the only structure in town to survive
the English seige of 1702.


Continued English aggression wrecked the Spanish Mission
settlements of Florida's interior as the marauders enslaved
the Christian Indians and destroyed the once prosperous
cattle ranches.


By 1705, St. Augustine and Pensacola were all that
remained of Spanish Florida


and new defense works erected around this city made life
more secure for local inhabitants as they rebuilt their
homes, ..... again.


During the 1730's and 40's, the house that you are in was
the home of a wealthy Spanish trader, Senor Ribera,
and his family.


If you had been a guest here then, servants would have tended
your every need and Florida's good life would have been yours
for the asking.


But for most San Agustinians then, daily life involved a lot
of hard work and the ability to make do with the limited
resources available.







Gardens were tended


friendly Indians brought game to trade


oysters were gathered and shucked


and most of life's essentials were made by hand


Houses were made of locally available materials
including tabby, an oystershell concrete


and coquina, a shell stone quarried on Anastasia
Island.


Since many Spanish soldiers married Indians, homelife
often reflected the influences of both cultures.


Yards were swept,


herbs were used as medicines as they had been for
centuries


and Catholic Saints adorned the walls of every house.


Free blacks established their own community north of
town.


Most residents' lives revolved around the Castillo, the
small salaries that the soldiers were paid, and the
limited provisions that Spain supplied to this garrison
outpost.


During times of scarcity in the 18th Century, residents
here often turned to contraband trade


" Though usually illegal, English merchandise could often
be found in local shops







and privateers became a common site in town.


What was life like for the Spanish in 18th Century
St. Augustine?


How did it differ from the life you lead today?


Step back into the past in our authentically
restored 18th Century neighborhood where guides in
period dress recreate the world you would have
experienced here 250 years ago.


Tickets are available and tours begin across the
street at the Gallegos house,


from there, your path will lead through the homes,


the gardens,


the working shops


and a trading post of Colonial St. Augustine.


Bienvenidos, welcome to San Agustin Antiguo; the State
of Florida's living history village for America's oldest
city.





Alternate Script for Ribera House Tape


Gold, God and Glory; these were the primary goals of early
Spanish explorers and conquistadors in the New World.

Yet for Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565, the founding of St.
Augustine brought little more than indebtedness and suffering.

No great wealth was to be discovered here; only hardwork, hardship
and hostility

but because of the political, strategic and religious importance
of maintaining this frontier foothold, Spain persisted in holding
onto this military outpost for the next two centuries.

La Florida, as claimed by Spain, extended as far north as present
day New Foundland,

but the English and French had their own plans for the region.

Heated competition for the lands of North America led to many
conflicts both in Europe and in the new colonies

and St. Augustine was to fall victim to the resultant aggressions
on many occasions.

The first nine forts here were destroyed by termites, pirates, the
English, hostile Indians and dryrot

so finally in 1672, Spain allocated enough money and manpower to
build a permanent stone fortress, the Castillo de San Marcos, which
still stands today.

The Castillo was the only structure in town to survive the English
seige of 1702.

Continuing aggression wrecked the native towns of Florida's interior
as the English enslaved the christian Indians and wiped out the
prosperous cattle ranches.

By 1705, St. Augustine and Pensacola were all that remained of
Spanish Florida

and new defense works constructed around the city made life a bit more
secure for local inhabitants as they rebuilt their homes once again.

Colonists on the Florida frontier became very skilled at adapting
themselves to the environment







For food they relied heavily on local sources, their gardens,

their citrus trees,

the tidal marshes,

and the game that friendly Indians brought to sell.

They built their houses of local materials including tabby, a
kind of oyster shell concrete,

and coquina, a shellstone quarried on Anastasia Island.

Homes were designed to make use of the forces of nature
by capturing summer breezes

creating shade

and sealing off winter winds with windowless north walls.

Since many Spanish soldiers married Indians, homelife reflected
the influence of native customs

corn was pounded into meal

yards were swept

oysters were gathered and schucked

and herbs were used as medicines as they had been for centuries.

As a garrison community, St. Augustine had always been supplied by
Spain with both civilian and military supplies

yet extended periods of scarcity in the 1700's forced local residents
to turn to contraband trade.

English merchandise, though usually illegal, became available in local
shops

and privateers became a common site in town.

What was life like in Spanish St. Augustine during the 1740's and 50's?

How did the city change after they left?

Step back into the past in our authentically restored 18th century
Spanish neighborhood where lives and lifestyles are recreated daily for
your enjoyment.






Tickets are available and tours begin at the Gallegos House
across the street.

From there your path will lead through the yards,

houses,

and shops of this unique colonial community.

Bienvenidos, Welcome to San Agustin Antiguo, the State of Florida's
living history museum for our nation's oldest city.