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

Cordova Hotel/County Courthouse

Photographed by Tim Fillmon, 1993

1. Cordova Hotel/County Courthouse Marker

Inscription. Designed and built by Franklin W. Smith, the Casa Monica Hotel opened in January 1888. The medieval Spanish style structure was one of the earliest multi-storied buildings in the United States constructed of poured concrete. In April 1888, Henry M. Flagler purchased the hotel and renamed it the Cordova. Soon regarded as the annex to the neighboring Alcazar Hotel and in fact connected by an upper level passageway, the Cordova Hotel remained open until the Depression forced its closure in 1932. In 1961, the Florida East Coast Hotel Company sold the structure to the St. Johns County Commission which remodeled the building for use as a courthouse. The Cordova Hotel was dedicated as the St. Johns County Courthouse on May 29, 1968.

Erected by St. Johns Historical Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. In addition, it is included in the Florida East Coast Railroad and Hotels series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1888.

Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 29° 53.524′ N, 81° 18.829′ W. Marker was in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. It was at the intersection of Cordova Street and King Street (Business

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U.S. 1), on the right when traveling north on Cordova Street. Marker was removed when the courthouse moved to its new location. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 95 Cordova Street, Saint Augustine FL 32084, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in First Coast

and in Greater Jacksonville.

It was also in the American South.

Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

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

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Alcazar Hotel / City Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Government House: Changing of the Guard (within shouting distance of this marker); Tolomato Street (within shouting distance of this marker); The Alcazar Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); Don Pedro Menendez De Aviles (within shouting distance of this marker); Don Pedro Menéndez de Aviles (within shouting distance of this marker); Rosario Redoubt (within shouting distance of this marker); Hotel Alcazar (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.

Regarding Cordova Hotel/County Courthouse. After the courthouse moved to its new location, the building was purchased, remodeled and returned to the original name of the hotel, the Casa Monica.

Also see . . . The Casa Monica Hotel. (Submitted on February 7, 2019, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2019. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2019, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 424 times since then and 34 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on February 7, 2019, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.