Overview

In search of the legendary Fountain of Youth, Juan Ponce de León (1460-1521) landed on the shores of present-day northern Florida on Easter, March 27, 1513. He claimed the territory for his native Spain, but did not leave a lasting settlement at his point of first contact. The Spanish Crown sent six subsequent expeditions back to Florida to relocate the area of Ponce de León's landing and establish a settlement, but none were successful. Nearly 50 years passed until St. Augustine, Florida, was founded by a new generation of Spanish explorers, Christian missionaries, and European settlers. From its inception, St. Augustine was plagued by siege, Indian uprising, disease, and territorial boarder disputes. However, the small Spanish settlement, which predated the British settlement at Jamestown (1607) by 42 years, thrived under the stewardship of three nations to...