St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

St. Francis Barracks

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

1. St. Francis Barracks Marker

Inscription. The site on which you are standing was originally settled by Franciscan missionaries in 1588. For 175 years, the Convento de San Francisco served as headquarters for the men who labored on behalf of the Spanish king to bring the Catholic faith to the Native Americans who inhabited "la Florida". Following Governor James Moore's siege of St. Augustine in 1702, the destroyed buildings of the mission were reconstructed using coquina taken from the king's quarry on Anastasia Island. In 1763, the British took possession of Florida and designated St. Augustine as capital of the colony of East Florida.

A decision was made by the military authorities to occupy the former Franciscan mission and convert the chapel originally constructed in the 1730s and 1740s into a barracks. The friary where the missionaries lived was also renovated, with fire places added to the enlarged living quarters. When the Spanish returned to St. Augustine in 1783, the Franciscans initially reoccupied the site, but were soon replaced by the soldiers of the Spanish garrison. In 1821, Florida was ceded to the United States, and the U. S. Army took possession of the military post. It remained a Federal facility until 1907, when the Florida National Guard moved its headquarters from Tallahassee to St. Francis Barracks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these

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topic lists: Churches & Religion • Colonial Era • Forts and Castles • Hispanic Americans.

Location. 29° 53.254′ N, 81° 18.576′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. Marker is on Marine Street south of St. Francis Street/Avenida Menendez, on the right when traveling south. Marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the courtyard exterior wall, facing Marine Street, near the southeast corner of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 82 Marine Street, Saint Augustine FL 32084, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Second Seminole War (a few steps from this marker); Mexican War (a few steps from this marker); Civil War (a few steps from this marker); First Muster of Florida’s Militia (a few steps from this marker); World War I (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named St. Francis Barracks (within shouting distance of this marker); World War II (within shouting distance of this marker); State Arsenal (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.

Also see . . .

Marker detail: The Convento de San Francisco image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources

2. Marker detail: The Convento de San Francisco

From a drawing by E. Gordon in "Florida's Colonial Architectural Heritage"

St. Francis Barracks (Wikipedia). St. Francis Barracks were constructed between 1724 and 1755 by friars of the Order of St. Francis, to replace a series of wooden buildings which had been destroyed by the ravages of the tropical climate and by fire, both accidental fires and occasional intentional ones, such as when the city was razed by the English in 1702. Today the St. Francis Barracks serve as the Florida State Arsenal, headquarters for the Florida National Guard and its two subordinate organizations, the Florida Army National Guard and the Florida Air National Guard. In 1915, the St. Francis Barracks were gutted in a fire, however, the original coquina stone walls remained standing. The building was rebuilt in 1922 using the original walls. (Submitted on March 18, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: St. Francis Barracks circa 1890 image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources

3. Marker detail: St. Francis Barracks circa 1890

St. Francis Barracks (<i>southeast corner view; marker on wall at left</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

4. St. Francis Barracks (southeast corner view; marker on wall at left)

St. Francis Barracks (<i>northeast corner view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 16, 2014

5. St. Francis Barracks (northeast corner view)

St. Francis Barracks (<i>east side - panoramic view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

6. St. Francis Barracks (east side - panoramic view)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 299 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 18, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.