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

Government House: Changing of the Guard

Casa Gubernmental: Cambio de la Guardia

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

1. Government House: Changing of the Guard Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Government House: Changing of the Guard (English) Until 1763, the Governor's House was Spanish Florida's capitol. When Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain, the British governors of East Florida made Governor's House their official residence. Spain regained the Floridas in 1783 as part of the peace treaty ending the American Revolution. With Spain's cession of the Floridas to the United States in 1821, the building served a reunited Florida as a courthouse and in 1823 as a capitol when the Territorial government met in St. Augustine. Title transferred to the State of Florida in 1966.

(marker background image)
Americans, like the British a century earlier, played croquet on the Plaza in front of the old Spanish governor's house that had been converted to an American courthouse and used as the “Provost Guard House” during the Civil War.
Drawing by Henry Morton, 1867, courtesy St. Augustine Historical Society

Casa Gubernmental: Cambio de la Guardia (Spanish) La Casa del Gobernador fue el capitolio de la Florida española hasta 1763. Cuando España cedió la Florida a Gran Bretaña, los gobernadores británicos de la Florida del Este usaron la Casa del Gobernador como residencia oficial. España recuperó las Floridas como parte del tratado de paz que puso fin a la Guerra de Independencia de los Estados Unidos. Cuando España cedió las Floridas a los Estados Unidos en 1821, el edificio sirvió como tribunal de justicia y luego como capitolio de la Florida reunida cuando el gobierno territorial se reunió en San Agustín en 1823. El título de la propiedad pasó al estado de la Florida en 1966.

Los estadounidenses, al igual que los ingleses un siglo antes, jugaban croquet en la Plaza frente a la antigua casa del gobernador español. La casa había sido convertida en tribunal de justicia y sirvió como “Casa de la Guardia Preboste” durante la Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos.

Erected by University

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of Florida Historic St. Augustine, Inc.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Colonial Era.

Location. 29° 53.542′ N, 81° 18.813′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. It is in the Historic District. It is on King Street (Business U.S. 1) east of Cordova Street, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located on the grounds of the Governor's House Cultural Center and Museum, beside the sidewalk near the southwest corner of the Government House, overlooking a cannon exhibit. 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.

Regionally, this marker is in First Coast

and in Greater Jacksonville.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum

Marker detail: 1833 Robert Mills plan image. Click for full size.

Courtesy St. Augustine Historical Society

2. Marker detail: 1833 Robert Mills plan

In 1833 Robert Mills drew plans to convert the old coquina governor's house to an American courthouse and federal office building. Elias Wallen, contractor, completed the conversion in 1837.

En 1833 Robert Mills dibujó planos para convertir en tribunal de justicia y oficina federal el antiguo edificio de coquina que había servido como residencia del gobernador. El contratista Elías Wallen terminó de convertir el edificio en 1837.

South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Tolomato Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Rosario Redoubt (within shouting distance of this marker); Governor’s House (within shouting distance of this marker); Government House: National Significance (within shouting distance of this marker); Government House and the Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); Clerk of Court’s Office (within shouting distance of this marker); Balcón de los Reyes (within shouting distance of this marker); Coquina in These Walls (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Cordova Hotel/County Courthouse (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).

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

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

Also see . . . Government House. Since 1598,

Government House: Changing of the Guard Marker (<i>wide view; Government House in background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

3. Government House: Changing of the Guard Marker (wide view; Government House in background)

a government building has stood on this site with a view of the harbor landing, accommodating administrative headquarters and residences of colonial governors appointed by the Crowns of Spain, then Britain, then Spain again. After Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1821, this current Government House served as a courthouse and briefly as a Capitol of the new Territory of Florida. In 1836, the building's crenellated five-story tower and "a Grand portico decorated with dorick Pillars and Entablature" were removed by Robert Mills, famed architect of the Washington Monument. (Submitted on December 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Government House (<i>southwest corner view; marker visible on left</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

4. Government House (southwest corner view; marker visible on left)

Government House (<i>south side view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

5. Government House (south side view)

Government House (<i>northwest corner view; Cathedral Place on the left</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018

6. Government House (northwest corner view; Cathedral Place on the left)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 3, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 391 times since then and 18 times this year. Last updated on January 3, 2019, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia. 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. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.