St. Augustine’s Old School Museum

You knew, when I said “St. Augustine’s Old School Museum” in the title of this blog, that we’re talking about an old school building- not old school as in Naughty by Nature’s “Hip Hop Hurray Heeeyyy, hoooo, heeeyyy, hoooo, hip hop hurray, hoooo, haaaaay, hoooo…” or something even more Old School like… well, I don’t know like what because I’m not that old.  {Help me out, Karl?!}

Anyways, this post is about the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse Museum in St. Augustine - a St. Augustine attraction for decades and a nice place to prop up your feet for a bit in the midst of busy tours.

We’re grateful to be able to visit for free.  Several local attractions allow St. Johns County Residents free admission, including the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse Museum.  My kids like to pop in and buzz through these parts of the attraction:

We always have to push the button and listen to the teacher.  Usually two or three times.  At least it’s not six times, one for each kid!  My children have never commented on the stiff movement of the automated teacher or why sometimes the button needs to be pushed 4 times before it works.  They genuinely love the old school facets of this Old School House! {you knew I was going to work that in, didn’t you?!}

Then someone always comments on the kid in the dark time-out room under the stairs.  I usually make some quip about bringing back the good old days in our homeschool & they usually give me the “ohhh, MOM!” bit.

Sometimes predictability is a good thing.  These fond memories of being together as a family are being etched into our lives.

My favorite time of year to walk around the Old Schoolhouse gardens is Christmas.  St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights make the entire city radiant and this property also shines with a little extra Christmas cheer.  Year round, though, I like to find an empty bench and prop my feet up while the kiddos freely explore the old well and statues placed around the enclosed gardens.

Before we leave, we always must ring the bell.  I say “before we leave” because otherwise it’d be tolling the entire time we’re visiting… and that makes for a Mamma headache.  So we save it for the end.

Protip: Save the bell ringing for the end of your visit to the Oldest Schoolhouse Museum!

The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse Museum is a small attraction.  But it’s a genuine step back in time if you’ll slow down long enough to read the signs, listen to the old school teacher and, hearing the laughter of children on St. George Street outside, imagine all the sweet blessings that have passed through these doors.

Stop & smile at the next kid you see on the street.  He may not smile back but you’ll have made an impression just like the schoolhouse has on my family.

The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse
14 St. George Street
1-888-653-7245

St. Augustine’s Spanish Bakery

When I was a kid, Dad used to take my sister and me to the Spanish Bakery on St. George Street.  That alone is enough reason for me to bring my own children there for lunch in St. Augustine!

photo credit: www.TheSpanishBakery.com

Dad grew up in Puerto Rico- I guess the picadillo and pigeons walking around old picnic tables of a family-owned bakery reminded him of his childhood.  And The Spanish Bakery on St. George Street is still in the same building, serving the same menu on the same picnic tables I remember as a child!  It’s been in the same family all 37 years of operation.

My little family started out by sampling their Picadillo.  We made it a “combo”  and carried out a tray with a bottle of water, a freshly baked roll, picadillo over rice and a cinnamon cookie for $5.50.  Picadillo is essentially chili minus the beans… I think I spotted onions & green peppers hidden in it.

We also tried some beef Empanadas ($3.50)- the original “hot pockets”.  Whatever your preference, it’s better to arrive early.  Food is made fresh daily and when it’s sold out, it’s gone.  Almond cookies were already gone when we arrived and Timothy bought the last cinnamon roll…

Which, as you can see ^, he was very happy about.

When school groups come through, the place packs out.  Otherwise, there are always open tables.  Another local brought her lunch and some bread scraps for the pigeons and picnicked in the corner under a sheltering tent.  The side yard has picnic tables nestled under a sprawling oak, it’s a nice shady respite in the middle of busy St. George Street!

I like the old world feel of The Spanish Bakery- and the fact that you can pick up a loaf of bread for $2.00.  I should take one to Dad and share some memories…

The Spanish Bakery
42 1/2 St. George Street
Look near the public restrooms, across from The Colonial Quarter
904-827-9701

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