Masonry work underway at fort

Started in St. Augustine by the Spanish in 1672, the Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in North America; and with the crowds of summer gone, its time for maintenance, according to a report from Historic City News contributor Jeffrey Edel.

U. S. Park Ranger Edel, who is the Historic Weapons Supervisor at the National Monument, announced that Steve O’Neill and his masonry crew have completed an excellent new floor in Casemate 4 and have a new floor down and curing in the chapel. “We should be back in the chapel on the first Monday in October,” Edel said.

The next target is Casemate 15 on the North side of the Castillo courtyard. Steve and company will be moving ahead with work there, however, on November 1st, the room will host this year’s “Native American Heritage Month” display.

“With work ongoing in space we use for living history and changing interpretive displays, we need to plan for the work’s effects on activities in the area,” Edel said. “Please look ahead and be flexible.”

Preparatory work is going on now, according to Edel. “By February 2012, the installation of new exhibits will be complete.”

Edel cautions visitors to be prepared for the noise and other effects of this work.