 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(February 2019) |
| Hispanic Garden | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | St. Augustine, Florida |
| Coordinates | 29°53′41.6″N81°18′46.6″W / 29.894889°N 81.312944°W |
| Opened | 1965 |
| Owned by | St. Augustine Foundation, Inc. |
The Hispanic Plaza is a garden in St. Augustine, Florida owned and maintained by the St. Augustine Foundation, Inc. It is closed to the public and is only opened for special city events. [ citation needed ]
In the early 1960's, the St. Augustine Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission (later renamed the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board) bought the plot of land between the Casa del Hidalgo, once a tourism office run by the Spanish Government, [1] and the Pan American Center to build a garden as a symbolic link between the shared Hispanic heritage of Spain, Latin America, and Florida. [2] Commission member Elizabeth Towers established and led the Hispanic Garden Committee in order to raise the $45,000 needed to complete the garden. The committee held a variety of fundraising events, including fashion shows, teas, and art auctions. [3] They also sold small items including jewelry, letter openers, key rings, coins, and paper bulls donated by the Spanish Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair. [4] Philanthropist, Great Floridian, and Florida Women's Hall of Fame inductee Jessie Ball duPont donated over $30,000 to the garden project. [5]
Landscape architects Lee Schmoll and Drusilla Gjoerloff were chosen to design the garden. [5] The design was inspired by plazoletas, classic Spanish gardens like ones seen at the Alhambra Palace. It was laid out in a trapezoid, measuring 76 by 82 feet. The arbor was decorated with Confederate jasmine and Cherokee roses to act as a shaded walkway and rest area. There was no grass in the garden in order to maintain a historically accurate appearance. [3] Plants included in the design were cabbage palms, kumquats, marigolds, yaupon holly, and Burfordi holly, chosen because they were native to northeast Florida or were introduced by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. [6]
Sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington created and donated a bronze sculpture of Queen Isabella. [7]
The Hispanic Garden Committee sought to have the Hispanic Garden completed by the city's 400th anniversary on September 8, 1965. [8] Though unfinished, the garden was dedicated on September 5, 1965, as part of the celebrations. The project was eventually completed two years later and was rededicated on May 2, 1967. Attendees included Senator Spessard Holland, Senator George Smathers, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, Ambassador Alfonso Merry del Val, Director-General of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ángel Sagaz Zubelzu, and Governor Haydon Burns. [9] At that time, the name was changed from Hispanic Garden to Hispanic Plaza. [10] [11] Archbishop Joseph Hurley and St. Augustine Mayor John D. Bailey attended the ceremony. [12]
Between 2000 and 2003, the bronze statue of Queen Isabella was removed from the Hispanic Garden during an archaeological dig. [13] The dig uncovered American Indian, British, Spanish, and American artifacts. [14] There were talks at this time on building over the garden site. [15] After 2003, a new fence was erected around the garden, addressing previous concerns of vandalism within the space. [14] The city of St. Augustine had not budgeted sufficient funds to complete the upkeep and restoration project of 2003. A local business owner, David Drysdale, donated necessary funds. The park is currently used for events such as the St. Augustine Easter Week Festival and knighting ceremonies. [16]
The University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC) are supported by the University of Florida Digital Library Center in the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. The University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC) comprise a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the University of Florida's library collections as well as partner institutions. Founded in April 2006, UFDC has added over 622,114 items - books, newspapers, oral histories, videos, photos, data sets, and more - with over 14 million pages.
The Memorial Presbyterian Church is a historic church constructed in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1889 by American industrialist Henry Morrison Flagler. It is located at 32 Sevilla Street. It was dedicated to the memory of his daughter Jennie Louise Benedict, who died following complications from childbirth at sea in March 1889.
The Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board (HSAPB) was a state agency in Florida that participated in the restoration and preservation of historic buildings in St. Augustine, Florida from 1959 to 1997. Created in 1959 by Governor LeRoy Collins, the agency acquired, restored, and preserved historic structures in St. Augustine until its abolishment by the State of Florida in June 1997.
The Ribera House is located at 22 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a reconstruction of the home that originally stood on this site during the First Spanish Period (1565-1764) of St. Augustine.
The Triay House is a historic property located at 31 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a reconstruction of the First Spanish Period structure that stood on the site.
The Sánchez de Ortigosa House is located at 60 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida. It is a reconstruction of a home dating from the First Spanish Period (1565-1763) that stood on this site.
The Arrivas House is located at 46 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida. It was the first completed restoration project of the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board (HSAPB), and was named after early owner Don Raimundo de Arrivas.
The Cerveau House is located at 26 Cuna Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is an original house, constructed in the 19th century.
The Florida Heritage House is located at 1 Aviles Street, or 11 King Street, in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a reconstruction of a late Spanish colonial-style house built in the 19th century.
The Gómez House, located at 27 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida, is a reconstruction of a simple wooden house dating back to Florida’s First Spanish Period (1565-1763).
The De Mesa-Sánchez House is located at 23 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a restoration of a home dating back to East Florida's First Spanish Period.
The Marin-Hassett House is located at 97 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is reconstructed on its foundations that date to St. Augustine's First Spanish Period.
The Joaneda House is located at 57 Treasury Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It was restored to be an example of a Second Spanish Period (1784-1821) residence. It is one of the oldest buildings in Florida.
The Salcedo House and Kitchen are located at 42 and 42 1/2 St. George Street, in St. Augustine, Florida. They are reconstructions of 18th century structures that stood on these sites in St. Augustine's First Spanish Period (1565–1763).
The Pellicer-De Burgo House is located at 53 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a reconstruction of two connected houses built during the British Period (1763-1783) of East Florida.
Earle W. Newton, II (1917–2006) was a historian, preservationist, publisher, educator, and art benefactor.
Lawrence Lewis Jr. (1918-1995) was an American businessman, hotelier, philanthropist, and benefactor remembered for his role in founding Flagler College.
Elizabeth Towers (1899–1985) was an American philanthropist and socialite known for her dedication to historic preservation in Northeast Florida.
The Casa del Hidalgo is located at 35 Hypolita Street, at the southeast intersection of Hypolita and St. George Streets in downtown St. Augustine, Florida. It was constructed in 1965 and housed the Spanish government's official exhibition and cultural center.
The Paredes-Dodge House is located at 54 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. The one and a half story structure was built between 1803 and 1813, and is one of the only surviving colonial structures in St. Augustine.