Colonial Quarter St. Augustine!
- On February 24, 2013
- By Allie O.
- In Historic St. Augustine
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If you’ve been downtown anytime over the past year, you’ve seen- and heard- Colonial Quarter construction. Loud thuds, whining saws and the occasional gunshot from the other side of the wall caught the ear of many tourists. Andrew, 6, would beg to peek through cracks in gates so he could see what was happening. Then, last week, we had a chance to step over the ropes and through those gates that loomed in his 6 year old mind for a sneak peek of St. Augustine’s new Colonial Quarter.
Walk with me through a few highlights of St. Augustine’s Colonial Quarter!
Blacksmith at St. Augustine Colonial Quarter Museum
Blacksmith Josh easily engages visitors of all ages.
Josh the blacksmith showed us how a colonial smith shaped tools. He also taught us that they would barter to repair or be paid in gold to craft new iron items.
Bellows add oxygen which increases the heat in the forge.
The children enjoyed how hands-on Colonial Quarter Museum is.
I remain fascinated by the graceful twists on the utilitarian hook.
As a mom of littles, I was very grateful to find benches liberally placed around the property! We always had somewhere to perch when the big kids needed more time to explore.
There are plenty of benches to rest on throughout the Colonial Quarter.
A peek into the Colonial Quarter Print Shop:
Quill Pen in Historic St. Augustine
I can’t wait to see what they do with this printing press!!!
Historic moveable type printing press!
Flags over St. Augustine
Flags over St. Augustine is a great visual of which countries controlled St. Augustine over the past 500 years.
This walkway takes visitors into the boatbuilding area and introduces tourists to St. Augustine’s rich heritage.
Colonial St. Augustine’s Gun Smith
- A gunsmith explains the mechanics of a flint-lock musket.
Jacob took the time to thoroughly explain the technology behind 1500s weaponry. He is currently repairing & restoring damaged pistols from the time period.
Preparen! Apunten! Fuego!
Hands On History at the Colonial Quarter of St. Augustine:
A Spanish soldier prepares his match-lock gun for firing.
The boys enjoyed feeling the balance and length of a wooden 16th century musket first hand! Unlike Nerf guns, they learned to treat these as practice weapons, not toys!
Young soldiers learn the rules of the regiment- always control your weapon, never point the gun at people, and turn your head away during "fire!"
The Leather Shop
Visitors stamp royal crests into leather – it’s not as easy as it looks!! My “Rampant Lions” always looked like they had vertigo…
Hands-on traditional crafts allow visitors to experience Colonial St. Augustine!
St. Augustine’s Best View: The Watch Tower
Okay, the St. Augustine Lighthouse may have a better view… I’d have to go back again to decide!
The view of the Castillo de San Marcos and the inlet is amazing from the watchtower!
Hope this quick glimpse piques your interest in St. Augustine’s Colonial Quarter!! Grand opening is March 16, 2013, though you can go in now during their “soft opening” period. I loved spending time in the Spanish Quarter before it closed… I’m proud that the Colonial Quarter took the foundations laid years ago and elevated the Colonial Quarter to a fuller experience that also teaches St. Augustine’s history!
Colonial Spanish Quarter
- On April 19, 2012
- By Allie O.
- In Historic St. Augustine
- 3
** UPDATE: The Colonial Spanish Quarter is OPEN again!! The new Colonial Quarter encompasses British colonial, Spanish colonial & Native American history. Pat Croce, owner of the St. Augustine Pirate Museum, revitalized it. View preview pictures of the NEW COLONIAL QUARTER <-here!**
Like jewelry? Like the history of St. Augustine? How about live music, freshly harvested produce, and seeing the arts of yesteryear being practiced? Like catching a cool bay breeze on a warm, sunny day while strolling under the dappled shade of venerable Florida oaks? Welcome to the Colonial Spanish Quarter in St. Augustine.
This is how wares were crafted and displayed hundreds of years ago. Raw materials draped over pegs on a crude post… Simple silver bracelets spread on a rough linen cloth. I am captivated by the timelessness of the art. That’s what Colonial Spanish Quarter is all about.
Meeting the artisan who crafted your jewelry is special.
Having said artisan personally create a piece for you leads you to cherish the piece.
Watching a craftsman create and personalize a simple, timeless treasure while in period costume makes this history buff swoon!
The first time I visited St. Augustine’s Colonial Spanish Quarter was for a Homeschool Day. Hands-on learning stations were set up around the grounds and the children were given opportunities to manually drill holes in wood, tie & throw “monkey’s knots”, work pulley systems to lift heavy kegs, knit with a lucet, grind corn into meal and call out orders {en Espanol!} for black-powder guns… Prepare! Apunten! FUEGO!!!!!
Lauren was eager to wear her new Colonial American dress to the Colonial Spanish Quarter. No one mentioned the century-wide gap in historic clothing styles- she thought she fit right it. {Thank you, CSQ volunteers!}
The Taberna del Gallo is open daily offering refreshments (beer, wine, sangria, soda) and talk of the town just like a tavern did centuries ago. The Colonial Spanish Quarter Gift Shop is also open daily. To truly experience colonial St. Augustine, however, head down St. George Street the 2nd Saturday of the month. Once you walk through the arched doorway, you’re transported to another time… one where food is slowly roasted over a fire, goats are tied just off the path and wares are sold by the ones who made them.
One visit, I tasted an Olive Oil Blend that still makes my tastebuds happy. The delicious blend of herbs perfectly complimented the crusty bread I dipped into the plate. {Note: You can find these blends at the Spice and Tea Exchange of St Augustine anytime.} On different occasions, I’ve been delighted to discover a Spanish Guitarrist, garden-fresh produce and my simple, beautiful silver bracelet.
Wandering through The Spanish Quarter reminds me that times were only simpler in some ways. As I watch a group of women spinning and sewing all day long on a single garment, I’m reminded of the importance of family, faith and friends in the midst of hard work. I leave inspired to somehow teach my own children how to enjoy life’s simple blessings… and find instead I can learn simplicity of faith from them. {Mark 10:13-16}
When I see the hard work all around me producing beautiful craftsmanship, I’m encouraged that the hard work of teaching and raising children is likewise producing lasting masterpieces. We weave love of God and learning and cleaning and gardening and laughter into a seamless beautiful tapestry called life. You really should visit. You never know what you might discover! More about the value of hard work, God, family, yourself… or maybe just a glimpse of what life is really about. Life is short. Live it well.
Col 3:23-25, Phil 1:6, John 15:13
