PART FOUR OF OUR ADVENTURE IN ST AUGUSTINE

WE VISITED FLAGLER COLLEGE: Now Flagler is a private college with an enrollment of about 6,000 and will be growing to 8,000 next year.  I wish you could see the campus.  It is about 4 block by 4 block square, maybe larger, there is even a street down the middle.  Henry Flagler owned 3 Hotels in St Augustine, The 540-room Ponce de León Hotel , which became Flagler College, the history of American oil refining begins with Henry Morrison Flagler, and his business associate and friend, John D. Rockefeller, as they built the biggest, most prosperous and monopolizing oil empire of their time: Standard Oil. He also built the Alcazar hotel as an overflow hotel for the Ponce de León Hotel. The Alcazar stands today as the Lightner Museum next to the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine that Flager bought from Franklin W. Smith. His personal dedication to the state of Florida was demonstrated when he began construction on his private residence, Kirkside, in St. Augustine.

Lawrence Lewis, Jr. was the driving force behind the development of Flagler College. It was his vision to create a small, private liberal arts college on the grounds of the old hotel. Lewis served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Flagler College for more than 20 years, guiding the College through a re-organization in 1971. He directed millions of dollars through foundations, family and personal funds into new construction, restoration projects, endowment and various other programs to ensure the continued success of Flagler College. Lewis was related to Henry Flagler through his mother, Louise Wise Lewis Francis, who was the niece of Mary Lily Kenan Flagler, who married Henry Flagler in 1901.

The history of St Augustine just goes on and on.  He built the first bridge to St Augustine Beach and of course The Memorial Presbyterian Church.  We had such a wonderful time here.

 

Courtyard.

 

Entrance.

The dome and ceiling was amazing.

 

 

We were able to follow two guys in this grand salon that is under lock and key.  Probably because of the art.

 

 

There was such a massive amount of art, a series of women and I wish I could have all of them here.  When the two men left they asked us to also leave because the hall wasn't open to the public.  We were just lucky to be at the right place at the right time.

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