Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 31, 1993 TAG: 9310310219
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: F-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By CHERYL BLACKERBY
DATELINE: ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA. LENGTH: Long
Where else could you see the nation's Oldest House, the Oldest Wooden School House, the Oldest Continuously Operating Pharmacy, the Oldest Store Museum and the city's Oldest Inn (the St. Francis Inn)?
Not to mention the oldest building housing a fast-food restaurant. The stone building was constructed in 1791; the O.C. Whites restaurant operation inside is somewhat newer.
And don't forget the city's most famous attraction, the Fountain of Youth, the very same fountain discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513. The water, believed to make people younger, didn't do anything for Ponce, but you never know what it might do for you.
Admission ($4, adults; $3, senior citizens; $1.50, children ages 6-12) pays for an 8-minute video show and a plastic cup of the most expensive water this side of Evian, France. (Address: 155 Magnolia Ave. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Closed on Christmas Day. Guided tours in English and Spanish. Call (904) 829-3168 for more information.
The Fountain of Youth is on Magnolia Avenue, which is shaded with a canopy of live oaks, not magnolias, a street "National Geographic" called one of the prettiest in the world.
The oldest fort, Castillo de San Marcos, has 40 cannons, a moat and a great view of the bay from the top of the 14-foot thick walls. Started in 1672 and finished 23 years later, the fort suffered a 50-day siege by the British in 1702 and another attack by the British in 1740. But no nation was ever able to take the fort by force.
The walk across the drawbridge is a cheap thrill worth the $2 admission (free for senior U.S. citizens 62 and older and for children 16 and younger if accompanied by an adult). Get ready for crowds(AT)6 almost 800,000 tourists went across that drawbridge last year. Guided tours are offered. Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily. For more information call (904) 829-6506.
For more cheap thrills, stop by Ripley's Believe It or Not. You can't miss the two-headed calf in the lobby. On the first floor, inspect the world's tallest Eiffel Tower made of matchsticks - it's 23 feet high. Upstairs, look for a stuffed six-legged cow. The sign says she lived a healthy 14 carefree years with two extra legs thrown over his back.
See fashionably dressed fleas through a magnifying glass; an Egyptian mummified human hand, the blackened skin stretched across sharp knuckles; a medieval chastity belt; and objects that have been found in cows' stomachs.
The historic building, which underwent a $2.5-million renovation and restoration in 1989, was owned by author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who ran it as a hotel in the 1940s. A frequent visitor was Robert Ripley, whose heirs bought the building to house his bizarre collections.
Last year, more than 300,000 people came to see the stuff. (19 San Marco Ave.; summer hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Adult admission is $7.50; children ages 5-12, $4.25. Discounts for senior citizens, military personnel, American Automobile Association members and groups of 10 or more. Call (904) 824-1606.
There are attractions in St. Augustine you will never forget, even if you want to, including the black limo John F. Kennedy was slain in, and Bonnie and Clyde's bullet-ridden jalopy, all on shabby display at the Tragedy in U.S. History Museum. (7 Williams St; $3.50 admission; there's no phone.)
For re-enacted history, you shouldn't miss the pedestrians-only St. George Street in the center of the restored Old Town. You'll want to visit the shops here, and the Spanish Quarter, a replica of an old Spanish settlement, where settlers and soldiers lived with their families 250 years ago. Costumed blacksmiths make horseshoes, and ladies in Colonial dresses weave cloth from home-dyed yarn. Admission is $5 adults; $2.50 children up to 18 and college students; $10 for a family and children; $3.75 for seniors and AAA members; hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; (904) 825-6830.
In this oldest city, you can't bypass Potter's Wax Museum, which has a collection of old characters that have come back to life in paraffin. You can rub shoulders with John Paul Jones, Marco Polo and Queen Victoria, who's looking a little pudgy and translucent. Maybe it's the heat. It's at 17 King St.; admission is $5, adults; $2.75, children ages 6-12; seniors, $4. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call (904) 829-9056.
Another must-see is Henry Flagler's incredible Venetian Renaissance-style Memorial Presbyterian Church - notice the uncanny resemblance to St. Mark's Church in Venice, Italy. And don't miss Flagler's fabulous hotel, now Flagler College, and the stained glass windows designed by Flagler's pal L.C. Tiffany.
Unlike most of the rest of Florida's cities, St. Augustine is indeed a city with a past. Take time to wander the cobblestone streets and imagine this city that has been four centuries in the making.
GETTING THERE: St. Augustine's historic old town is 250 miles from West Palm Beach. Take I-95 north, and turn off at the St. Augustine exit. Drive east until you see directions for the historic area.
INNS: The St. Francis Inn, founded in 1791, is the oldest city's oldest inn. It's only two houses away from the nation's oldest house. Summer room rates range from $49-$95; a courtyard cottage that can accommodate four people is $135. The inn has 12 guest rooms, 14 fireplaces, a small swimming pool and a relaxing courtyard. Call (904) 824-6068.
ST. AUGUSTINE SIGHTSEEING TRAINS: The little open-air trains - they run on the streets, not tracks(AT)6 are the best deal in the city. The $9 pass entitles passengers to use of the train for up to three days. Passengers can get on and off as they wish on the 7-mile route. Trains run all day and they stop at most major sights.
The drivers' commentaries are lively and informative. Ticket office is at 29 St. George's St. Fares are $9, adults; $4, 6-12 children. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (904) 829-6545..
INFORMATION: For more information about St. Augustine, contact the St. Augustine-St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, 1 Riberia St., St. Augustine 32084; or call (904) 829-5681.
by CNB