St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
The 1886 Old Drugstore
Before the construction of this two-story wood frame structure in 1886, this site marked the intersection of the Cubo and Rosario lines, earthen embankments that fortified colonial St. Augustine during the late 18th century. Tolomato Indians established a mission village in the eastern corner of the property in the 18th century. The village was later converted to a Catholic cemetery in the 1770s Henry Flagler’s Model Land Company acquired the property in the late 19th century to be developed as part of an upscale Victorian residential neighborhood. The drugstore is the lone surviving Italianate commercial structure, once common in St. Augustine. The structure housed the Speissegger Drugstore as early as 1887. T.W. Speissegger, a druggist from Charleston, and his two sons, T. Julius and R.A. continued to operate the drug store company and sundries store until the 1960s when the building became a tourist attraction. From 1910 through the first half of the 20th century, generations of Orange Street School children bought penny candy here after school. The building then became home to the Potter’s Wax Museum, America’s oldest wax museum.
Erected 2015 by Historical Tours of America Inc. and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-826.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 29° 53.859′ N, 81° 18.893′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. Marker is at the intersection of Orange Street and Cordova Street, on the left when traveling west on Orange Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 31 Orange 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. Santo Domingo Redoubt (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Santo Domingo Redoubt (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Santo Domingo Redoubt (within shouting distance of this marker); Los Floridanos (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Santo Domingo Redoubt (within shouting distance of this marker); The Cubo Line (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lynching of Isaac Barrett (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lynching of Isaac Barrett / Racial Violence in America (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.
More about this marker. Although marker has a 2014 date on it, the marker was erected March 26th, 2015.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 28, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2015, by James R. Murray of Elkton, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,220 times since then and 75 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 12, 2015, by James R. Murray of Elkton, Florida. 2. submitted on November 23, 2016, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 3. submitted on December 21, 2016, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.