Saint Augustine Florida, Memorial Presbyterian Church

For part 3 or our Saint Augustine tour we have the Memorial Presbyterian Church. Constructed in 1889 by Henry Flagler using the same revolutionary poured concrete method used in his Ponce De Leon and Alcazar Hotels (Now Flagler College and Lightner Museum respectively).  Local coquina shells used as aggregate in the concrete gives these structures a unique look and color.  Lightner named the church memorial in honor of his daughter Jennie Louise Benedict who died the year it was built.  Lightner himself is interned there as well since his death in 1913.

While we did not venture into the church I have seen some photos from inside that are pretty impressive.  Here are a few of the photographs I made of the outside of the church on July 4 2014.

Memorial Presbyterian Church 1889

Memorial Presbyterian Church 1889

Memorial Presbyterian Church 1889

Memorial Presbyterian Church 1889

Saint Augustine Florida, Flagler College Photos

For part 2 of my Saint Augustine photography series we have Flagler College. Constructed in 1888 as a luxury hotel by Henry Flagler the buildings became Flagler college in 1968. Flagler college is a private liberal arts college. The hotel which was called the Ponce De Leon was the first of its kind to be constructed of poured concrete. Local coquina shells were added to the concrete as aggregate giving the concrete a unique texture and color.  The hotel also featured generator driven DC electric lighting with the system being designed by Flagler’s friend Thomas Edison.  Here are some images of Flagler College for you to enjoy.

Front Gate Detail of Flagler College in Saint Augustine Florida

Main Courtyard of Flagler college in Saint Augustine Florida

Some of the artwork in the main rotunda at Flagler College in Saint Augustine Florida

Decorative water spout at Flagler College in Saint Augustine Florida

Beautiful Grounds at Flagler College in Saint Augustine Florida

Saint Augustine, Florida Lightner Museum – Alcazar Hotel

During our recent trip to Saint Augustine for independence day we visited some of the sights around downtown.  One of those places is the Lightner Museum and former Alcazar Hotel.

Built in 1887 as a hotel by Henry Flagler the Hotel Alcazar provided a place for the tourists traveling his railroad to stay.  The hotel is one of the first buildings in the world to be constructed using poured concrete. The hotel closed in 1932 due to a slowdown of the tourism industry in Florida during the great depression.  The hotel was purchased by Otto Lightner in 1946 as a place to house his extensive collection of Victorian era artwork and artifacts. We did not tour the museum this time but Lighner’s collections are still on display for tourists visiting Saint Augustine to see.  Here are some photographs I made of the outside area of the museum. For more information about the museum visit http://www.lightnermuseum.org/main_lightner.html

The entrance way to the Lightner museum and courtyard.

Some of the architechtural detail of the Lightner Museum/Alcazar Hotel

The gardens that front the Lightner Museum and Alcazar Hotel. Notice the solid poured concrete walls of the hotel.