Oldest Houses in St. Augustine
Date of Visit: February 10, 2021
These houses weren't necessarily the same "site" - they're all separate due to the fact that each one has its own stories hidden within their walls. Upon entering them, it's as if you've entered a new realm - in the 1700s to be exact. Everywhere you look has a deeper meaning than just what meets the eye. As these sites really enable you to imagine what life was like back then. To read more about the homes, click here!
Site One: Llambias House
Located on 31 St. Francis Street
As the sign states, "this house was already [existent] in 1763, when Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain. It was then a one-story, two-room, single roofed coquina stone" home. This was considered to be the "typical St. Augustine residence design". The house has a beautiful outside while the interior holds the unseen history. Llambias isn't generally open to the public, so its mystery only deepens. A place like this should be open for all to see, as it's not on the "touristy" path, it would allow for people to venture further into the deep background of St. Augustine. Being able to witness this building initiated a feeling like no other - being a part of the Spanish history of this small, yet significant town.
Site Two: Gonzalez-Alvarez House
Located on 14 St. Francis Street
This is the "oldest house of St. Augustine" that usually comes to mind. According to the National Park Service site, the Gonzalez-Alvarez House "is the oldest surviving Spanish colonial dwelling in St. Augustine." It also shows different style features ranging from "Spanish, British and American" due to whoever occupied the home at the time. As depicted in the image on the right, the hanging shelf was used for the purpose of rats, as to know whether or not there were any in the house. The shelf would then swing, instantly notifying the family.
Exterior Photos:
The photo on the left is of the entrance to the "oldest homes museum" with the Gonzalez-Alvarez house on the far right corner. The second image is of the garden/courtyard behind all of the oldest homes.
Images in Conversation with the Site
I chose to incorporate the Paul Revere House and the Ernest Hemingway House as these demonstrate that old homes are preserved everywhere, not just in the "nation's oldest city." I've actually been to the Paul Revere House, and it looks so ancient near the modern townhouses on the other side of it. The Revere's stayed there in the late 1700s - early 1800s, and had a significant role to the beginnings of this country. Comparable, the Hemingway House was lived in during the 1930s. This site provides a different historical lens to view from, it's not as old but it's still important within today's culture/society. No matter where any historical site is, we as a society take extra precautions in order to maintain them.
Creative Element
This photo is show earlier under the "exterior photos" tab, but I found it to be fitting here with the quote. I chose this particular quote because the buildings at this site are the oldest in all of the town, but yet we still continue to look at them. So, history isn't something we can necessarily claim. History claims us by creating unique stories for each individual - we can't change the past.
Quote from ENG 202
"He wondered at it. And the more he reflected on it he more wonderful it grew. A story like that, he realized, was full of meaning." -Surrounded, D'Arcy McNickel
Stories carry a great deal of weight throughout lifetimes, as they serve as the backbone for new foundations, new experiences to be made. McNickel's quote is applicable to the Oldest Houses, as they store the most memories within them. They've been through centuries, as some have been in existence since the 1700s. In relation to the Surrounded, the memories that Archilde reflected upon was a pivotal moment in the novel. As histories of others are pivotal to understanding how to shape events for the future.
