The Houses of St. Augustine

by David Nolan, Ken Barrett (Photographs)

When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, St. Augustine was already half a century old. Founded in 1565, the city has been continuously inhabited ever since, and its architectural styles tell stories of boom and bust, fad and tradition, war and peace, modernization and historic preservation. This affectionate portrait of our oldest city offers a comprehensive survey of the many architectural features that have expressed the needs and preferences of St. Augustine's inhabitants over more than four centuries of Spanish, British, and American government. From the coquina stone structures of colonial times, through Victorian gingerbread and Henry Flagler's Spanish revival, to the cookie-cutter subdivisions and condominiums of modern times, the houses of St. Augustine are introduced in this lovely and readable book like characters in a historical drama. Each chapter highlights a broad historical period and includes a lively discussion of the city's distinctive character during that era. Representative styles and forms of each period are illustrated with color photographs and original watercolors by Jean Ellen Fitzpatrick.

Genres: Architecture, History

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

David Nolan is a lecturer on historic, architectural, and literary subjects. Since 1977 he has made his home in St. Augustine, Florida Nolan, always a fan of history and architecture worked for the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board.

Reviews

[William Barney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on St. Augustine architecture! Not only does David Nolan write well, but he is an expert in the field. He takes you on a ride through the history, trials and tribulations this city has gone through and he explains how the differing architectural styles from the many houses and buildings reflect the many time periods this city experienced. I was surprised to learn that Henry Flagler actually wanted to preserve as much as the Ancient City’s historical character than previously thought. I also learned the history behind Butler Beach, Davis Shores and Lincolnville, which often get overlooked in other media. I highly recommend this book. I love it and will use it as a resource for my explorations!

[Lori Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read three books about St. Augustine, and this was the best of them all. I enjoyed reading it very much.