Founding of the Castillo De San Marcos

In 2016, the National Park Service will observe its Centennial Anniversary, celebrating 100 years of faithful stewardship of America’s national parks.

On October 2, 2016, Florida Living History, Inc., in partnership with the National Park Service’s Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, will honor the Centennial by presenting a new heritage Event commemorating the founding of the Castillo de San Marcos.

Established on October 2, 1672, the Castillo de San Marcos was the guardian of colonial San Agustín, the cornerstone of Spanish Florida’s defenses, and is today the oldest masonry and only extant 17th-century fortress in the continental United States.

In conjunction with National Hispanic Heritage Month, FLH and the Castillo de San Marcos will commemorate this important date in American history – 344 years later, to the very day and on the very site – with the re-enactment of the 1672 “ground-breaking” ceremony featuring General Don Manuel de Cendoya, royal Governor and Captain-General of Florida, and the royal officials of the presidio of San Agustín.

This new heritage Event will also feature day-long colonial Spanish demonstrations and historical demonstrations within the Castillo, focusing on its 17th-century construction and its vital role in Florida’s history. From 9AM to 4PM, join FLH volunteers, NPS rangers, and other participants in commemorating the 344th anniversary of the founding of the Castillo de San Marcos and the 100th anniversary of America’s National Park Service.

There is a Castillo admission fee of $10 per adult; children (age 15 and younger) are free. Admission to the historical re-enactment on the Castillo lawn is free of charge to the public.

Financial support for this Event is provided, in part, by the St. Johns Cultural Council, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, and by the continued generosity of our donors.

Founded in St. Augustine, Florida, in 2009, Florida Living History, Inc. (FLH), is a community based, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization of volunteers dedicated to educating the public about Florida’s colonial and territorial history, using living-history programs, demonstrations, and recreated portrayals of significant historical events. FLH’s numerous heritage Events are funded solely through corporate/private donations, FLH fund-raising, and organizational and/or governmental grants.