"This first-ever book on Florida's colonial architecture will be an eye-opener to readers who identify American colonial buildings solely with the powdered-wig states of Virginia and New England. Armed with the rich findings of historical and archaeological research, and gifted with an attractive writing style that brings long-forgotten buildings to life, Elsbeth Gordon has greatly enlarged our understanding of Old Florida. May this book find its way onto every Florida bookshelf--and to those in Virginia and New England, as well."--Michael Gannon, University of Florida "The first well-researched and carefully written history of an important period in Florida architecture, which details the work of the original inhabitants and the Spanish and English settlers."--Donald W. Curl, Florida Atlantic University Florida's Colonial Architectural Heritage is the story of how buildings were planned and constructed in Florida from 1565 to 1821, the 256 years that the colony was ruled by Spain and England. From indigenous Native American dwellings through Spanish/Indian, Spanish, and British architecture, Gordon traces the styles, materials, uses, and context of almost every building recorded or standing during this period. Not only does Gordon recount a story never before fully told, she tells it ingeniously, by resurrecting the lives of the colonial designers, their personal histories, and their drawings and building technologies. Gordon shows how local materials, climate, cataclysmic events, and even faith all played a part. Readers will find that Indians had technology to build community structures able to hold 3,000 people, that the Spanish and British both erected impressive buildings embellished in current European fashion, that the plaza and streets of St. Augustine still exist today as they were laid out in 1572 and 1598, and that this oldest surviving European-founded capital in the country had undergone two urban renewals by the time the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. In this substantial and detailed account, Gordon draws on archaeological findings and on historical documents and drawings in archives in Spain, Cuba, Mexico, England, and the United States. Her combination of detailed scholarship, crisp writing, and abundant illustrations will reach beyond historians and scholars to embrace the wide circle of those eager to discover that Florida's colonial legacy is far richer than anyone knew. Elsbeth "Buff" Gordon is a photographer, artist, and art historian.

An exploration of the architectural and archaeological sites in Florida that explore the human spirit.

This comprehensive survey of British colonial governors' houses and buildings used as state houses or capitols in the North American colonies begins with the founding of the Virginia Colony and ends with American independence. In addition to the 13 colonies that became the United States in 1783, the study includes three colonies in present-day Florida and Canada--East Florida, West Florida and the Province of Quebec--obtained by Great Britain after the French and Indian War.

The books in the Florida and the Caribbean Open Books Series demonstrate the University Press of Florida’s long history of publishing Latin American and Caribbean studies titles that connect in and through Florida, highlighting the connections between the Sunshine State and its neighboring islands. Books in this series show how early explorers found and settled Florida and the Caribbean. They tell the tales of early pioneers, both foreign and domestic. They examine topics critical to the area such as travel, migration, economic opportunity, and tourism. They look at the growth of Florida and the Caribbean and the attendant pressures on the environment, culture, urban development, and the movement of peoples, both forced and voluntary. The Florida and the Caribbean Open Books Series gathers the rich data available in these architectural, archaeological, cultural, and historical works, as well as the travelogues and naturalists’ sketches of the area in prior to the twentieth century, making it accessible for scholars and the general public alike. The Florida and the Caribbean Open Books Series is made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, under the Humanities Open Books program.

Historic St. Augustine Research Institute William L. Proctor Award "Gaze at the buildings and read the accounts of the people who walked the same streets more than 450 years ago; you will be transformed into a time traveler."--Thomas Graham, author of Mr. Flagler's St. Augustine "Grab this book--you will never find this information on a travel website."--Kathleen Deagan, coauthor of Fort Mose: Colonial America's Black Fortress of Freedom In 2013, National Geographic Traveler chose St. Augustine as one of "20 must-see places and best trips in the world." But while tourists take in the fort and stroll the cobblestone streets, few visitors are aware of the remarkable history of this oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States. Walking St. Augustine fuses illustrated history and intimate handbook. The author, Elsbeth "Buff" Gordon, one of the city's most highly regarded historians, is also a resident and offers insider tips for exciting adventures. Gordon divides the colonial village into sections, all easily walked in a single day. She guides visitors through Plaza de la Constitucion, the oldest public park in America, and down the same avenues walked by the first Spanish settlers. She vividly retells landmark events, highlights areas of architectural or historic interest, delves into the genealogy of the multicultural families that have made St. Augustine home, and offers human stories and heritage recipes passed down through the centuries. With this vibrantly rendered, easy-to-use, and color-coded guide, visitors can walk the seldom-visited south end of the city, which includes the earliest residential area with streets dating back to 1572, and stop in at the Flagler College complex, its more recent history illuminated by its architectural perfection. Gordon suggests visiting the Colonial Quarter Living History Museum, and for those looking to venture beyond walking distance, the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, Anastasia Island, and Fort Mose, the nation's first legally free black settlement. Walking St. Augustine opens the doors to a spellbinding city, allowing visitors to discover five centuries of gripping history.

"Includes a background essay on the history of the Civil War in Florida, a timeline of events, 31 sidebars on important Florida topics, issues and individuals of the period, and a selected bibliography. It also includes information on over 200 battlefields, fortifications, buildings, cemeteries, museum exhibits, monuments, historical markers, and other sites in Florida with direct links to the Civil War"--[p. 2] of cover.

New research on the archaeology of the colonial landscapes of the Caribbean.

This well-illustrated book illuminates the life and career of one of Florida's premier architects, whose elegant homes and design aesthetic shaped the architectural character of Winter Park and influenced urban development throughout central Florida. James Gamble Rogers II (1901-1990) created homes known for their human scale and proportion and for their suitability to the environment. This work highlights twelve of these residences designed for Winter Park, the beautiful small city adjacent to Orlando and the headquarters of the Rogers family architecture firm, Rogers, Lovelock, and Fritz, which exists today under the leadership of Rogers' son. Ingeniously meeting the special needs of Florida's climate--heat, humidity, termite control, and air circulation--the residences incorporate details from a variety of historical styles, including eccletic and authentic features that emulate vernacular Spanish farmhouses and villas. The book includes critiques of each design and its evolution, particulars about the site, and stories about the lives and tastes of the clients--men and women of wealth and status who influenced the heady era of the Florida land boom in the 1920s and 1930s. Numerous floor plans, modern and historical photographs, and Rogers' own drawings augment the discussion. The book also presents an entertaining biography of Rogers, with information on his schooling, a history of the firm he founded, and his familial connections with the architectural profession (his uncle and namesake designed more than 20 buildings for Yale University). It describes his success in the areas of governmental, military, and university architecture, including his designs for buildings at Rollins College in Winter Park, and evaluates his impact on 20th-century architecture in Florida and throughout the nation. Coauthors Patrick and Debra McClane have studied Rogers' original drawings, toured his homes, and interviewed clients and family members; Patrick McClane worked at the Rogers firm during the architect's last years there and brings a personal connection to this work. Their book documents an exceptional contribution to Florida's architectural heritage, the life and work of a man who created stylish and desirable homes and distinctive public buildings. With a detailed appendix that lists dates and addresses for nearly 275 houses, most of them still extant, the work will serve as the definitive guide to Rogers' work in Winter Park.

Do you know: How many acres of Florida's remaining natural areas have become infested with non-native plant species? Where is Estero Bay? What is the penalty for violating federal manatee protection laws? What river disappears underground in O'Leno State Park and re-emerges above ground in River Rise State Park? Learn this and more in this fun-filled guide to the little-known facts of Florida.