Editorial: Measuring up to history’s headlines

St Augustine’s former mayor and commissioner, George Gardner, could be described as a history buff — he’s a writer of children’s bedtime stories based on dramatic accounts of famous people and events in St Augustine’s history, he authors a local newsletter and, at one time before moving here, he was a newspaper reporter and editor.

Over the years, Historic City News has published an occasional guest column, letter to the editor, reprinted something he’s written, or included Gardner in the storyline of an article where he’s involved in making news.

In a recent edition of his newsletter, The St Augustine Report, he made a commentary which, given his six-year stint in local elected office, and involvement in local volunteer community organizations, we find to be very thought provoking.

Gardner compares history’s headlines of events over the past 500 years and rhetorically asks if our ancient city is a “national historic treasure” or if it is becoming, or possibly has become, the “best little tourist town”.

Gardner’s commentary:

Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513, landing, by the only historic accounts as yet found, just north of St. Augustine.

Pedro Menendez founded the nation’s oldest continuously occupied European settlement, St. Augustine, in 1565, 42 years before the English landed at Jamestown, 65 years before the pilgrims at Plymouth, and 210 years before the United States of America.

Fort Mose was the first free black settlement in today’s America, established in 1738 by the Spanish as a northern outpost for St. Augustine, creating an underground railroad running south more than a century before the Civil War Underground railroad.

Osceola, imprisoned at Fort Marion (today’s Castillo) in 1837, led Florida’s Seminole Indians in America’s longest and costliest Indian War.

The Dade monuments set in 1842 at St. Augustine’s National Cemetery cover all remains that could be found of officers and soldiers who died during the Florida war.

Henry Flagler built Florida’s first grand hotel in 1888 at St. Augustine, launching the state’s tourism industry.

St. Augustine’s civil rights movement in 1964 led to final passage of the Civil rights Act.

The Pablo Picasso exhibit of the 20th century Spanish artist, a 450th Commemoration Signature Event, “will be a great legacy to our city.” 450 Director Dana Ste. Claire.

The September 13-14 road show by contemporary musicians Mumford and Sons, a 450th Commemoration Signature Event, will “shine a light on our community because we have something to say.” City Manager John Regan.