Founder's Weekend in St. Augustine Coming Up

In the News:

1565 Founder's Weekend begins Sept. 9 and runs through Sept. 11
St. Augustine Record
A local re-enactor portrays Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles during at last year's Founder's Weekend at The Fountain of Youth and the Mission Nombre de Dios. ...

At the Mission of Nombre de Dios site:

Four hundred and forty-six years ago, in September 1565, Admiral Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés stepped ashore at Matanzas Bay and founded St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest, continuously occupied, European city and port in the continental United States.

On Saturday, September 10, 2011, the annual, historical reenactment of Menéndez' landing and 446th anniversary commemorations will be held at Mission Nombre de Dios (www.missionandshrine.org) in St. Augustine, Florida.

Founding Day 2011 will also feature a lecture on the founding of St. Augustine by Dr. Michael Gannon, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Florida and Knight Commander of Spain's Order of Isabella the Catholic, following the Mass of Thanksgiving and procession; this lecture is funded by a grant from the Florida Humanities Council through the National Endowment for the Humanities.

• WHEN: Saturday, September 10, 2011 / 10 a.m.to noon
• WHERE: Mission Nombre de Dios and Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche / 27 Ocean Avenue, St. Augustine, FL
• COST: Admission to this heritage Event is free

This heritage Event is sponsored by Mission Nombre de Dios and La Compañía de Santiago (The Company of St. James), a member unit of Florida Living History, Inc. Support is provided, in part, by the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council.

For more information on La Compañía de Santiago, please contact us at info@companiadesantiago.org or phone us, toll-free, at 1-877-FLA-HIST (1-877-352-4478).

And Happening Next Door at the Fountain of Youth:

Pedro Menendez 1565 Founder's Weekend Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park September 9-11th, 2011 /// The Founding of St. Augustine 446th Anniversary Saturday, September10, 2011 Mission Nombre de Dios

Yes it's not on Labor Day weekend this year the HFM application for TDC funding (not granted this year) did manage to move the event closer to the original date of September 8th. Confused? try some of the past titles including: St. Augustine 446 Birthday Celebration / Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles and the Founding of St. Augustine / The "Founding of St.Augustine" Anniversary / 446th Anniversary of the Founding of St. Augustine / The Landing of Menendez and our ongoing working title MENENDEZ LANDING

The Fountain of Youth and the 16th century companies of the Historic Florida Militia invite all 16th Century reenactors--- gentlemen, ladies, soldiers, sailors, colonists, women, children, clergy, and Indians---We need you all! We will assemble on the Fountain of Youth grounds Friday Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday the presentations of camp and military will be open to the public at the same time as the Landing program is occurring where we will need interpreters for the camp and military exhibits who will also be preparing for Menendez's arrival at the Fountain of Youth grounds the camp and the First Thanksgiving Program.

SCHEDULE
--Thursday Sept.8 "anniversary date" Camp set up available in afternoon Restricted use of vehicles during exhibit hours at the Fountain of Youth

--Friday Sept. 9 Camp set up all day, program in evening begins at 5:30pm with a memorial requium in 16th Century fashion processing down to the waterfront for a ceremony and cannon salute just after 6:00.

-7:00pm An Evening with Pedro Menendez portrayed by Chad Light, all are invited including the general public. The event would be enhanced by reenactors especially as greetors/doorguards, council members and as audience. The scenes depicted are Menendez's council meetings in1565.

--Saturday Sept. 10 8:00am Assembly at the Fountain of Youth encampment, we will have time to set up for the public who arrive as early as 9:00am, cannons and camp need setting up. Light breakfast will be available.

-9:30am from the encampment we will march a column of soldiers, colonists and Indians to the waterfront overlooking the landing site, we will join the artillery (several pieces this year) positioned on the original site. Here we will fire salutes, wave flags, sound horns, cheer(Viva), ending with the command for all to Present Arms when Menendez steps ashore. As Menendez and his escort march to the rugged alter we will trail arms and silently return to camp.---10:00am+ we have plenty of time to set up displays,camps, prepare the First Thanksgiving Feast, and interpret the 16th Century to our visitors.

---Mid-day First Thanksgiving and Menendez Escort to camp. Gentlemen and Ladies, Color Guard, admiring Colonists and Horse escort. This year we are planning to escort Don Pedro from the new Mission Museum by way of the City streets North on Magnolia into the Main entrance to the Fountain of Youth, to the sound of cannons and the cheers of all into the main camp where Menendez orders a Thanksgiving Feast for the new colony and his new Indian friends are invited to sit down to table.

---All afternoon Interpretive encampment all afternoon, cannon, musket, military drill as we wish while the museum is open.

---7:00pm Dinner and jollification catered by the Fountain of Youth for participating 16th century reenactors in period dress and yes we are still the show as invited dignitaries(FOY invited) may dine with us.

---Sunday 10;00-4:00pm event is scheduled as a Historic 16th Century Encampment and Faire while a Distinguished Speaker's series 11:00-3:00pm hourly will feature Dr. Kathy Deagan, a repeat of Chad Light's presentation, Ted Morris's Florida Paintings and Maritime St. Augustine with Sam Turner from the Lighthouse.The program will culminate with a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Eugene Lyon at 3:00pm==Cannon Salute== Yes then we can break camp!

Please help by forwarding this invitation on to all who may be able to attend. Find your old comrades and of course let's invite new recruits.

Viva Espana! Viva San Agustin! Viva Menendez!

Thank you from your comrade in arms Brian Bowman

And enjoy your Labor Day weekend

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/

Oldest city marks 444th

In the News: Oldest city marks 444th

Menendez Fort and Camp

The City of St. Augustine's 444th birthday celebration takes place on Saturday, here's a little bit on the:

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, who during the whole voyage had ardently served the cause of God and of the King, and, I think, will be rewarded for his assiduity and talents in constructing a fort in which to defend ourselves until the arrival of help from Santo Domingo and Havana."

-Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales

“As soon as he reached there (the harbor of St. Augustine) he landed about 300 soldiers and sent two captains with them, who were to reconnoiter that daybreak the next morning the lay of the land and the places which seemed to them strongest (for defense), in order that they might dig a trench quickly while it was being seen where they could build a fort…” Gonzálo Solís de Méras

The trenches in the photos are, ironically enough, from the Florida Museum of Natural History's dig at the Fountain of Youth site, where Menendez's Fort and Camp were located in 1565. Arriving on site at a Drake's raid a few years ago, we discovered that the FLMNH's field school hadn't quite finished with their excavations that spring. Finding that the field hadn't been backfilled we couldn't help but to take the rare opportunity to practice fortification tacticals during the day.

On line St. Augustine exhibit

St. Augustine to celebrate 444 years & Landing reenactment is Sept. 5

In the News: with selected highlights.

St. Augustine to celebrate 444 years

"Here comes another birthday. St. Augustine will be observing its 444th next weekend, although the actual date of the town's founding is Sept. 8, this year a Tuesday."

Landing reenactment is Sept. 5

"Sept. 5, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Mission Nombre de Dios, 27 Ocean Ave., there will be an historical reenactment of the landing by the city's founder, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles..."

"Reenactors will conduct the landing ceremony, and Richard Lani [sic] (Its Lanni) will portray Menendez."

"We are making extra efforts this year to have a more authentic reenactment of the landing and presentation of the cross and flag," says Eric Johnson, Mission executive director. "There will be more pageantry, cannon fire and opportunity for those attending to participate in the ceremony. Mass is celebrated at the end to commemorate the celebration of the first parish Mass celebrated immediately after Menendez arrived 444 years ago."

For the past couple of years this hasn't the most fun event for me, so I'm skipping this years festivities. I wish them the best of luck.