THE OLDEST CITY'S HISTORY

Flagler period: 1888 to 1913

Flagler changed the town forever

The two Henrys. (video)

Florida's development during the end of the ninetheenth century were dominated by two men:

Henry Flagler (details) building grand hotels and extending railroads south on the east coast and

Henry Plant (details) doing the same on the west coast of the state.

The two men knew each other and in fact shared some vacations together.

In 1891 Plant finished his grand resort the Tampa Bay Hotel. Of course he could not resist

sharing this triumph in a telegram to Flagler. Flagler's answer was short: "Where is Tampa?"

whereupon Henry Plant asnwered: "Follow the Crowds, Henry, Follow the Crowds"

Flagler returned to St. Augustine in 1885 and stayed in the new San Marco hotel (details) where he

perfected his plans to make the city the "Newport of the South" and the area the "American

Riviera" to become the winter refuge for America's super rich.

To this end he sought and required assistance from men such as O.D. Seavey, manager of the

San Marco and an experienced hotel man, the builders of the San Marco, James McGuire and

Joseph McDonald, and local Dr. Andrew Anderson who boasted many connections in town

and helped with the acquisition of the property needed for his hotels.

Another advisor was winter resident Franklin W. Smith from Boston who had built The Villa

Zorayda, (details) a moorish palace and one of the first all-concrete buildings in America.

Franklin Smith went on to erect the Casa Monica Hotel (named after Monica the mother of St.

Augustus). Unfortunately he ran out of money and Flagler bought it, renaming it the Cordova.

As architect Flagler hired the son of a family friend, Thomas Hastings (details) who with his business

partner John M. Carrere would rise to the top rank of American architects in the early 20th

century. They developed a style called "Spanish Renaissance" which gave St. Augustine it's

unique character, still attracting tourists to this day.

Flagler's first hotel was the extravagant Ponce de Leon, (details) (video) featuring 540 guest rooms and

windows created by Louis Comfort Tiffany, opening in January 1888, followed a year later by

the Alcazar Hotel, (details) (video) across King Street. The Alcazar, meant as overflow from the Ponce,

provided for many of the guest's recreations such as a Casino, the world's largest indoor

swimming pool, therapeutic baths, a gymnasium bowling alley and dance floor.

The third hotel, the Cordova, (details) (video) was bought from Franklin Smith, as mentioned. (summary)

To make sure his guests could reach his resorts, Flagler purchased the railroad running north

to the St. Johns River and built the first bridge across the river to connect to the rail lines from

the northern states.

The town's unprecedented growth in the 1880's also created it's own problems. The

population doubled in less than one year, bringing increased crime rate and necessitating a

larger police force. Streets had to be paved, a water system developed, gas lines laid.

Tardiness in expanding the fire department proved fatal when a devastating fire struck the

town on April 12, 1887. The St. Augustine Hotel and building after building north of the Plaza

were destroyed, including the Catholic cathedral.

A yellow fever scare all but killed tourism during the 1888-1889 winter season.

However starting winter 1890 the city enjoyed an influx of wealthy people never seen before.

This prosperity only began to wane when Flagler turned his attention south, extending his

Florida East Coast Railway and building new hotels to Ormond, Palm Beach, Miami Beach and

ultimately to Key West.

Flagler died on May 20, 1913, (details) at the age of eighty three, after falling and breaking a hip on the

stairs of Whitehall, his Palm Beach palace. He was buried in the Memorial Presbyterian

church next to his daughter Jenny Louise and his first wife Mary.

For more details on Flagler, the man, click on "NEXT".