UMVA has learned that St. Augustine, Florida, is gearing up to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday while spotlighting its own claim as the oldest continuously inhabited European‑founded city on the continental United States.
Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez, the “Ancient City” turns 461 this September, a milestone that drapes every cobblestone street with centuries of untold drama.
Beyond the legends of conquistadors and the Fountain of Youth, the city’s hidden role in America’s birth is emerging from the shadows.
“You can walk up any street and feel the foundation of America beneath your feet,” says local historian Maria Alvarez, recalling how the Spanish foothold set a different trajectory for the continent.
When Great Britain seized Florida in 1763 after the French and Indian War, the region split into East and West Florida—often called the forgotten 14th and 15th colonies of colonial America.
Alvarez explains, “East Florida became the 14th colony, a loyalist stronghold, while West Florida teetered between patriots and loyalists, its fate tangled with nearby Spanish lands.”
During the Revolutionary War, Florida transformed into a vital British military bastion, sheltering thousands of loyalists fleeing Georgia and South Carolina.
Yet the city also held American patriots captive; three minor signers of the Declaration of Independence—Hayward, Middleton and Rutledge—spent four months imprisoned in the formidable Castillo de San Marcos fort.
To bring these forgotten tales to light, St. Augustine City Walks is launching free Saturday tours throughout July, guiding visitors along historic brick roads and the breezy bayfront.
“We were here before,” chuckles history chair Margo Pope, reminding listeners that the city’s legacy predates the United States itself.
Local experts proudly claim that the first Catholic Mass and the earliest Thanksgiving feast in what would become the United States were celebrated here—decades before Jamestown or Plymouth.
Fort Mose, founded in 1738, adds another layer of significance as the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in the future United States, its replica opening to the public in 2025.
Across the city, a series of events honors America’s quarter‑century milestone, including “Fireworks Over the Matanzas” on July 4, featuring a free concert and family‑friendly festivities.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the “St. Augustine and the Birth of America” tours will run on July 11, 18 and 25, offering limited‑space, reservation‑only experiences that promise to rewrite the narrative of America’s earliest chapters.
