The St. Augustine Historical Society was proud to present the 2026 Herschel Shepard Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation to Gordie Wilson in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and lifelong dedication to preserving St. Augustine’s historic legacy. Over a distinguished 45-year career with the National Park Service, including more than three decades as Superintendent of Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments, Gordie played a vital role in protecting some of our nation’s most significant historic treasures.
His commitment to preservation, community partnerships, and stewardship has left a lasting impact on St. Augustine. We congratulate Gordie on this well-deserved honor and thank everyone who joined us in celebrating his remarkable career and contributions to historic preservation.
#historicpreservation #staugustine #preservation #florida #castillodesanmarcos
May is Historic Preservation Month! The Gonzalez-Alvarez House in St. Augustine, Florida was built as early as 1702 as a one-story coquina structure during the First Spanish Period (1565-1763). The second story was added during the British Period (1763-1784).
Tour Florida’s oldest house at the Oldest House Museum Complex, maintained by the St. Augustine Historical Society.
Hours are 10 AM-5 PM seven days a week. Learn more at staughs.com
#historicpreservation #may #historichouse #photograph #photooftheday
May is Historic Preservation Month! Here’s a photo from 1869 of the Gonzalez-Alvarez House in St. Augustine, built as early as 1702 as a one-story coquina structure during the First Spanish Period (1565-1763). The second story was added during the British Period (1763-1784).
Tour Florida’s oldest house at the Oldest House Museum Complex, maintained by the St. Augustine Historical Society. Learn more at staughs.com
#historicpreservation #may #historichouse #photograph #photooftheday
🌶️📕🍽️NEW DATIL PEPPER COOKBOOK! Published by the St. Augustine Historical Society, Datil Taste Good (Datil pepper recipes from home cooks in St. Augustine) is available in the gift shop at the Oldest House Museum Complex! Cost is $17.77 (the date that the Minorcans came to St. Augustine from New Smyrna.)
📍14 St. Francis Street
St. Augustine, Florida
10 AM-5 PM seven days a week
The cookbook features 100 datil pepper recipes, with an introduction by Charles Tingley, the Senior Research Librarian for the St. Augustine Historical Society, about the history of the famed datil pepper.
Madam Queen is the editor, a St. Augustine native, with artwork by Gayle Prevatt, layout by Nicole Diehm (Head Librarian and Curator), and special thanks to Shirley Barber for her datil pepper green thumb.
FUN FACT: The Datil Pepper is the official plant of St. Johns County!
#staugustine #cookbook #recipes #shoplocal #datilpepper
FREE EVENT! 🗝️St. Augustine Historical Society — Medical Professions in the Spanish Colonies, part of the St. Augustine History Festival @staugustinehistoryfestival
Presented by Dr. Christine Miller, DPM, Ph.D., CWP, FACCWA, MCSFS
🗓️Friday, May 8
🕰️2-3:30 PM
📍14 St. Francis Street
St. Augustine, Florida
For those who think that living in days-gone-by sounds romantic and adventurous, you may want to give that another thought – modern medical practices are going to sound pretty good after hearing Dr. Miller’s insight on procedures and understandings in the pre-sterilization era of medicine where science and medicinal folklore are constantly at odds!
👉🏽The St. Augustine History Festival takes place May 6-10. Find more events at staugustinehistoryfestival.com
ON THE BLOG! St. Augustine Shores Beginnings
Written by: Charles A. Tingley, St. Augustine Historical Society Research Historian
Edited by: Robert Covert, Collections Manager and Editor – in – Chief
The Mackle family created the Deltona Corporation in 1962. With a successful record of creating new communities, their largest Florida developments have grown into major cities: Port Charlotte, population 260,000; Port St. Lucie with 65,00 inhabitants; Spring Hill with 113,570 people; and the City of Deltona, the largest in Volusia County, with a population of 93,692 at last count. The name Deltona was derived from a mash-up of the neighboring towns of Deland and Daytona Beach. Marco Island, another of their developments on the lower Gulf Coast, went from swamp to beach paradise with high-rise condominiums and 15,760 inhabitants.
Frank E. Mackle, Sr. (1881-1941) came to America from England as a child. He started the Mackle Construction Company in Jacksonville in 1908. It became a major force in the construction industry in the Southeast. In 1938, he sent his eldest son to Delray Beach “to build a few houses.” Frank, Sr. saw the success of Junior in Delray and moved the entire family to South Florida prior to his death in 1941. “The Famous Mackle Brothers,” Frank, Jr., Robert, and Elliot operated under the name The Mackle Company from 1945 to 1954. They built over 10,000 homes in Dade and Broward counties. They established the General Development Company in 1954, which sold land in Florida for $10 down and $10 a month. They rode the wave of post-war construction in a now air-conditioned Florida before coming to St. Johns County in 1970.
👉🏽Read the full blog here: /st-augustine-shores-beginnings/
🗝️Tour the Oldest House in Florida — the Gonzalez-Alvarez House in St. Augustine, Florida. The one-story coquina structure was first owned by Tomas Gonzalez and Maria Francisca de Guevara from 1702 to 1763 in St. Augustine during the First Spanish Period (1565-1763).
The second story was added during the British Period (1763-1874).
Tours are available at the Oldest House Museum Complex at 14 St. Francis Street — with multiple historic structures with exhibits, a museum, and a gift shop — operated by the St. Augustine Historical Society.
Hours are 10 AM-5 PM seven days a week. Learn more at staughs.com
#oldesthouse #historichouse #staugustine #florida #tour
🏆🥇2026 Herschel Shepard Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation 🗝️
Join us as we honor Gordan J. (Gordie) Wilson for his extraordinary contribution to the preservation of St. Augustine’s historical legacy.
The Board of Trustees will recognize Gordie Wilson with a reception.
🗓️ Thursday, May 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM
📍Oldest House Museum Complex, 14 St. Francis Street, St. Augustine, Florida
This event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Oldest House parking lot.
👉🏽Register for this event:
/event-6586222
Gordie Wilson retired in 2025 after more than 33 years as Superintendent of the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments. During his tenure, he directed major preservation efforts, including the stabilization of the Castillo’s historic walls and terreplein, the conservation of its historic cannons, and planning for seawall improvements to safeguard the city’s historic core. Beyond his federal service, Wilson chaired the St. Augustine Historical Society’s Board of Trustees, the Presidio Commission, and served for over a decade on the City’s Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
Established in honor of architect Herschel E. Shepard, the award recognizes extraordinary contributions to the preservation of St. Augustine’s historic legacy. Wilson’s leadership, partnerships, and lifelong dedication to historic preservation embody the spirit of this award.
#staugustine #castillo #fort #historicpreservation #florida
🌶️📕🍽️NEW DATIL PEPPER COOKBOOK! Published by the St. Augustine Historical Society, Datil Taste Good (Datil pepper recipes from home cooks in St. Augustine) is available in the gift shop at the Oldest House Museum Complex! Cost is $17.77 (the date that the Minorcans came to St. Augustine from New Smyrna.)
📍14 St. Francis Street
St. Augustine, Florida
10 AM-5 PM seven days a week
The cookbook features 100 datil pepper recipes, with an introduction by Charles Tingley, the Senior Research Librarian for the St. Augustine Historical Society, about the history of the famed datil pepper.
Madam Queen is the editor, a St. Augustine native, with artwork by Gayle Prevatt, layout by Nicole Diehm (Head Librarian and Curator), and special thanks to Shirley Barber for her datil pepper green thumb.
FUN FACT: The Datil Pepper is the official plant of St. Johns County!
#staugustine #cookbook #recipes #shoplocal #datilpepper
FREE EVENT! 🗝️St. Augustine Historical Society — Medical Professions in the Spanish Colonies
Presented by Dr. Christine Miller, DPM, Ph.D., CWP, FACCWA, MCSFS
🗓️Friday, May 8
🕰️2-3:30 PM
📍14 St. Francis Street
St. Augustine, Florida
For those who think that living in days-gone-by sounds romantic and adventurous, you may want to give that another thought – modern medical practices are going to sound pretty good after hearing Dr. Miller’s insight on procedures and understandings in the pre-sterilization era of medicine where science and medicinal folklore are constantly at odds!
👉🏽The St. Augustine History Festival takes place May 6-10. Find more events at staugustinehistoryfestival.com
The Gonzalez-Alvarez House (the Oldest House) in 1909 and 2024. The historic house was built sometime between 1702 and 1727! Tour the house and other historic structures, a museum, map gallery, gift shop, gardens and grounds at the Oldest House Museum Complex in St. Augustine, Florida.
HOURS
10 AM-5 PM seven days a week
🔗staughs.com
📍14 St. Francis Street
#staugustine #florida #oldesthouse #historichouse #historichome #saintaugustine
