Hotel Ponce de Leon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Flagler's Gilded Age Palace

by Leslee F. Keys

Historic St. Augustine Research Institute William L. Proctor Award Henry Flagler's opulent Hotel Ponce de Leon drew worldwide praise from the day its elaborately carved doors opened in 1888. Built in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style, the architectural and engineering marvel featured the talents of a team of renowned artisans, including the designs of architects John Carrère, Thomas Hastings, and Bernard Maybeck, electricity by Thomas Edison, and interior decoration and stained glass windows by Louis Tiffany. Hotel Ponce de Leon is the first work to present the building's complete history and detail its transformation into the heart of Flagler College. Leslee Keys, who assisted in the restoration, recounts the complicated construction of the hotel--the first major structure to be built entirely of poured concrete--and the efforts to preserve it and restore it to its former glory. The methods used at Flagler College have been recognized as best practices in historic preservation and decorative arts conservation, and today the campus is one of Florida's most visited heritage tourism destinations.

294 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 2015

Reviews

[Jim Swike · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written and interesting book about the Hotel and St. Augustine. If you have been to St. Augustine, you will probably find it particularly interesting. Enjoy!