Guest column: City was more alive in 60s – 70s

By Kurt Hasselman

First, I would like to say that I agree with Don Crichlow’s assessment on the diversity of architectural style in the city. I believe the overwhelming feeling visitors to St. Augustine get is that of a European style city in the United States. In fact, through the years I have had folks say those very words to me.

Growing up in St. Augustine in the 60’s and 70’s, I noticed that before we had as many “new” old buildings along St. George Street we still had plenty of tourists. St. Augustine was more of a living town then than now.

There were three drug stores downtown, that I remember not including the pharmacy at the doctor’s offices at (old) Flagler Hospital or the drug stores on San Marco. Not today’s super drug store model, but places you could also get a cup of coffee, a milkshake, or a burger.

And, if you did not wish to eat at the drug store, then one of the two “dime stores” might suit you better. You could shop at the deli across from Trinity Episcopal or get something from Western Auto a little further north on St. George Street.

St. Augustine has always seemed to attract artists. Part of what made St. Augustine attractive was the sidewalk artist. Local artists and artisans plied their trade in their shops and in front of them on the streets leading to the Plaza.

There was a unique mix of commercial fisherman, merchants, hippies, good ol’ boys and other residents mixed in with priests, poets and paupers or pulpers; we have both. (I understand that a county school bus was once used by an industrious bus driver and pulp wood harvester.) You might find the whole lot wherever the trade winds would lead them. As a matter of fact the Trade Winds (lounge) would be a good place to look.

That was when the Chamber of Commerce worried about attracting tourists and new businesses to the city and the city government kept the city services working smoothly. Perhaps a return to that mode of operation would be beneficial to all?

People came to St. Augustine because it was a fun and inexpensive destination. Very few knew then or know today anything about First Spanish Period or the British Period or specific architectural styles of any period. Period!

It was just a neat place to go, and it still is. But, if it is going to remain that way, it is time to put the brakes on. Enough is enough. How many visitors do we need to attract each year? Everybody cannot make their living selling rubber alligators and tee shirts.

For the 450th Birthday Celebration, perhaps have a big event one weekend each month of the year leading up to the birthday. Have the whole affair chronicled on video. Maybe even get the History Channel or PBS to buy in to it. Then, when it airs, it will reach millions and will not cost the tax payers millions.

How many people can you get in St. Augustine at one time anyway? And why does it need to be so packed that it will cause increased traffic problems?

St. Augustine was quaint, charming, interesting and generally appealing before there were apparent dedicated efforts to make it such. Let St. Augustine be a living city not a dying museum. There is already a Williamsburg and a Disney World that people can go visit. Let St. Augustine be St. Augustine. Regulate but don’t suffocate.

Kurt Hasselman lives in Flagler Estates. He grew up in downtown St. Augustine and after graduating from St. Augustine High in 1975, he served eight years in the U.S. Navy traveling several times to the Mediterranean Sea, also to the North Atlantic, the Baltic, the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. After spending 30 years away from St. Augustine, he returned several years ago. His family goes back to the Worleys.