St Augustine, Florida, USA
1854 - St Augustine

St. Augustine, a city, port of entry, and capital of St. John's co., Florida, 200 miles E. by S. from Tallahassee, and 160 miles S. from Savannah. It is one of the largest places in the state, and has the distinction of being the oldest town in the United States. It is situated on the northern shore of Matanzas sound, 2 miles from the sea, from which it is separated by the island of Anastasia. The site is a plain only a few feet higher than the level of the ocean. The streets vary from 10 to 18 feet in width; the houses have mostly two stories, the upper projecting over the street. It contains, besides the county buildings, 1 Roman Catholic and 3 Protestant churches, 1 newspaper office, 1 United States land-office, and about 500 dwellings, some of which are in a dilapidated state. The harbor is safe and commodious, but the bar at the entrance prevents the approach of large ships, having only 9 or 10 feet of water at low tide. The mildness of the climate, and the refreshing breezes from the sea, render this a favorite winter residence for invalids. The orange, lemon, olive, and date-palm flourish in this vicinity, and fish and game are abundant. The town is defended by Fort Marion, erected by the Spaniards more than 100 years ago, and formerly called the Castle of St. Mark. Steamboats ply frequently between this place and Savannah. It was settled by the Spaniards about 1565. Pop., nearly 2000.


A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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