Yesterday evening, Historic City News editor Michael Gold attended a 16th Century ship keel-laying ceremony and ribbon cutting for a new 600-foot observation deck on the grounds of the 1565 birthplace of St Augustine — the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

Jennifer Zuberer has invited Historic City News readers to witness history in the making when the Spanish Constitution Monument gets a dose of 21st century technology in the Plaza de la Constitucion located in downtown St. Augustine.

Historic City News recently received an interview with Jay Kislak, chairman of the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Federal Commission, who was in St Augustine on Monday for photographs at the Spanish Constitution Monument in the Plaza.

In 1888, railroad pioneer Henry Flagler built the Hotel Ponce de Leon in St Augustine, his first hotel in a series of luxury resorts along Florida’s east coast.

Historic City News reader Linda Murray provided the following upcoming events for your calendar.

Derek Boyd Hankerson reported to Historic City News that online registration for the upcoming 2012 Conference of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program has begun.

All that remains is a final review and approval by the Keeper of the National Register and Historic City News reporters have been told that St Augustine’s Constitution Monument will join other local historic places that have been recognized on the register.

Darby L Stubberfield, Director of Development for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida told Historic City News reporters that she was excited to announce that last month, the non-profit youth organization named its “2012 Youth of the Year”.