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

Coquina in These Walls

Coquina en Estas Paredes

Coquina in These Wall Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

1. Coquina in These Wall Marker

Inscription. Coquina in these Walls (English) Special to the architecture of Government House and St. Augustine's defenses, churches, and residences is coquina, a rare native shell stone formed over a long period of geological time and quarried since 1671 on nearby Anastasia Island. The existence of 18th century coquina walls in Government House influenced the federal government's 1934 decision to restore the historic building and preserve its Spanish heritage.

(marker background image)
A coquina quarry was opened on Anastasia Island to build the Castillo de San Marcos (1672-1695) and the Spanish governor's house (1689 and 1713). Large coquina slabs were cut by hand, ferried across Matanzas River, and hewn into building blocks. An Englishman named John Collins (Juan Calens) was the quarry-master.
Harry Fenn in Picturesque America by William Cullen Bryant, 1872, courtesy St. Augustine Historical Society

Coquina en Estes Paredes (Spanish) La coquina es una roca formada de conchas marinas durante milenios. La coquina se comenzó a excavar en la cercana isla Anastasia en 1671 y se usó en la construcción de la Casa Gubernamental y en las defensas, iglesias y residencias de San Agustín. Las paredes de coquina en la Casa Gubernamental

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datan del siglo XVIII, y en 1934 influyeron en la decisión del gobierno federal para renovar el edificio histórico y conservar su herencia española.

En la isla Anastasia se estableció una cantera de coquina para construir el Castillo San Marcos (1672-1695) y la casa del gobernador español (1689 y 1713). Los grandes trozos de coquina se cortaban a mano y se transportaban al otro lado del río Matanzas, donde se convertían en bloques de construcción. El ingles John Collins (Juan Calens) era el maestro de la cantera.

Erected by University of Florida Historic St. Augustine, Inc.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Colonial Era • Landmarks • Notable Buildings.

Location. 29° 53.559′ N, 81° 18.773′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. It is in the Historic District. Marker is at the intersection of Cathedral Place (Business U.S. 1) and St. George Street, on the left when traveling west on Cathedral Place. Marker is located beside the sidewalk at the southwest corner of the intersection, near the northeast corner of the Government House building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 48 King 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 detail: Government House, northeast corner, 1936 image. Click for full size.

Frances Benjamin Johnston, Carnegie Institution Washington, D.C., St. Augustine Historical Society

2. Marker detail: Government House, northeast corner, 1936

Existing coquina walls were revealed during the 1936 restoration and reconstruction of the building.

Durante la renovación y reconstrucción de 1936, se descubrieron las paredes de coquina en el edificio.

marker. Balcón de los Reyes (a few steps from this marker); Government House: Legacy of Authority (a few steps from this marker); 8 inch Columbiad (a few steps from this marker); Plaza de la Constitución (a few steps from this marker); Government House and the Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); Government House: National Significance (within shouting distance of this marker); Father Pedro Camps (within shouting distance of this marker); Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.

More about this marker. Marker is a large rectangular composite plaque, mounted horizontally on waist-high metal posts.

Regarding Coquina in These Walls. National Register of Historic Places (2013) #13000812

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Government House, Coquina Walls, St. Augustine, Florida

Also see . . . Coquina: History and use. Coquina deposits in Florida occur mostly along the eastern coast of the peninsula. This coquina is named the Anastasia Formation after Anastasia Island, where the Spanish quarried the rock to construct the Castillo

Coquina in These Walls Marker (<i>exposed coquina walls visible behind marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

3. Coquina in These Walls Marker (exposed coquina walls visible behind marker)

de San Marcos, the fortress they built to defend St. Augustine. Still occasionally quarried or mined, coquina was used as building stone in St. Augustine as early as 1598. This was the beginning of a building tradition that extended into the 1930s along Florida's Atlantic Coast. In the St. Augustine vicinity, the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, the old city gates, the Cathedral, Spanish and British Period residential structures, property line walls and tombs were constructed of coquina quarried on Anastasia Island. (Submitted on December 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Coquina in These Walls Marker (<i>wide view; marker is at northeast corner of building</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

4. Coquina in These Walls Marker (wide view; marker is at northeast corner of building)

Government House (<i>similar perspective to 1936 marker detail photo above</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

5. Government House (similar perspective to 1936 marker detail photo above)

Government House (<i>northeast corner; marker visible near corner</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

6. Government House (northeast corner; marker visible near corner)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 2, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 506 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.