Menendez Landing & Casket Crawl

After a long reenactment absence over the summer I'm back. With the exception of a day at the Tampa Bay History center for Hermann Trappman's Obscured by Time: The Magic of Florida exhibit opening, I've done nothing outside of research, and armor repair since April. So I finally, after many tribulations not limited to expensive vehicle repairs and a dead gerbil, I got a daddy's day off and went to St. Augustine for the annual Menendez Landing reenactment last Saturday.
It has never been my favorite event, as it is a long drive (4+ hours) for me and until the past few years it was little more than the landing, mass and tailgate party. The sermon seemed endless (I recall one time when a gentlemen asked me to shot the Monsignor) and other than posing for photos the ceremony was over in about ninety minutes. Simply not worth the drive. of late, however, -I think largely in preparation for upcoming St. Augstine 450th anniversary - the Fountain of Youth has opened up the ground to reenactors . Giving us an opportunity to to do a weekend of living history, and me the chance to do more than dirty my musket with a couple of blackpowder salutes.


Here's the account of the original landing:

Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales:

The Founding of St. Augustine , 1565

"On Saturday, the 8th, the general landed with many banners spread, to the sound of trumpets and salutes of artillery. As I had gone ashore the evening before, I took a cross and went to meet him, singing the hymn Te Deum laudamus. The general marched up to the cross, followed by all who accompanied him, and there they kneeled and embraced the cross. A large number of Indians watched these proceedings and imitated all they saw done. The same day the general took formal possession of the country in the name of his Majesty, and all the captains took the oath of allegiance to him, as their general and governor of the country. When this ceremony was ended, he offered to do everything in his power for them, especially for Captain Patino..."

HFM's Men of Menendez provided said artillery support from the FOY grounds.
Nice shot of said artillery:
http://spotted.staugustine.com/photos/index.php?id=1988088&size=large

Whilst FLH's newly formed Company of Santiago did the reenactment on the mission side:
http://spotted.staugustine.com/photos/index.php?id=1989823&size=large

I don't know if Davis was singing the Te Deum but flags and banners were flying. We had an Indian but there were plenty of spectators in attendance.

The "casket crawl" mentioned in the title was a one off for this day. Menendez's casket (his bones are interned in Spain) had been in the Mission gift shop and was moved with great ceremony to as the center piece in the new museum on the Mission grounds. I'd been honored with a position as part of the casket detail, and wisely, asked, "how heavy and how far?" and got assigned as a flag bearer instead. At dinner that evening there was much good natured moaning and groaning about lengthened arms and neurological damage. After the pagentry and museum opening I got a chance to spend the rest of the day at FOY and joyfully getting some much need arquebus practice in.



Here are some new stories on the event:
Cannon fire Indian drums and pageantry at Mission
http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/cannon-fire-indian-drums-and-pageantry-at-mission-5219

St. Augustine Thanksgiving a bit different
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-09-04/st-augustine-thanksgiving-bit-different

Menendez coffin moved
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-09-04/menendez-coffin-moved

At times it seemed that the number of credentialed photographers outnumbered the participants, some that I've found on-line thus far:

Photos:
My Gallery
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/index.php?id=331603

Mission Nombre de Dios Museum
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/index.php?id=331623

Landing Reenactment & Mass
http://spotted.staugustine.com/photos/index.php?id=1989823

Don Pedro Menendez Landing
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/index.php?id=331588

Men of Menendez Commemorate St. Augustine 445th
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/331638/

Florida Living History

FLH a new Living History/reenactment umbrella group has been assembling over the past year and just put out its first press release to wit:

Florida Living History, Inc.

1960 US Hwy 1 South PMB 193

St. Augustine, FL 32086

877-FLA-HIST (877-352-4478)

E-mail: castillocannon@hotmail.com

Web site: www.FloridaLivingHistory.org

ANNOUNCING THE FORMATION OF FLORIDA LIVING HISTORY, INC!

TO PROVIDE AN ORGANIZATIONAL UNION FOR LIVING HISTORY GROUPS COMMITTED TO THE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, RESEARCH-BASED INTERPRETATION OF FLORIDA’S HISTORY

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – July 22, 2009 – Florida Living History, Inc. (FLH) is a new 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to support living history activities, events, and portrayals related to the history of Florida.

The purpose of FLH is to:

• foster an understanding of Florida’s history through programs, events, demonstrations, portrayals, media relations, and publications;
• encourage the study of Florida’s colonial and territorial history from the time of Don Juan Ponce de León’s first landing in 1513 to the time of Florida’s statehood in 1845;
• develop living history programs that interpret, portray, and demonstrate the Native American, European, Black, and military and civilian aspects of that history;
• present such programs to students and members of the general public;
• operate exclusively for educational and charitable purposes.

Formed in January 2009, FLH is dedicated to providing an organizational umbrella for living history groups committed to the historically accurate, research-based interpretation of Florida’s history. FLH will, as a non-profit, provide logistic, administrative, advisory, and insurance-related support for these groups, enabling them to function smoothly and enjoy success and security in their endeavors. FLH is comprised of member groups, such as the Company of Juan Ponce de León, Calderon’s Company, the St. Augustine Garrison, and the St. Augustine Textile Arts Guild, that embrace and support its aims. Its success will be ensured by the long-demonstrated commitment of such member groups to living history and its potential to provide educational enlightenment, entertainment, and an understanding of Florida’s past for the general public.

For more information on Florida Living History, Inc., please contact us at castillocannon@hotmail.com or phone us, toll-free, at 877-FLA-HIST (877-352-4478). You may also visit the Florida Living History, Inc. Web site at www.FloridaLivingHistory.org .