St. Augustine courtyard gates

black mamba

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Juano

Nice series!

David_S85

Very nice! Are these along St. George Street? If so, you did well to get the shots without a ton of people in the images. I tried to get similar but it was too frustrating to wait for clean shots.

black mamba

@Juano said:
Nice series!

Thanks, Cristóbal.

black mamba

@David_S85 said:
Very nice! Are these along St. George Street? If so, you did well to get the shots without a ton of people in the images. I tried to get similar but it was too frustrating to wait for clean shots.

Hey, David. Trying to get clear shots of anything in St. Augustine is getting to be problematic.....and virtually impossible along St. George Street ( as you well know ). These gates I shot here are spread all over the historic district. Since I live only 30 minutes from St. Augustine, I go down there at daybreak, execute my plan for the day, and I'm usually gone by 9:00 0r 9:30. Occasionally, I'll flip that schedule and go there late in the day after the crowds have thinned out.

My wife is a direct descendent of one of the nine founding families ( the Solana's ) that came over in the latter 1500's from Spain and Minorca to settle in St. Augustine. When we were dating and walking through the town, I swear to you that she would have to acknowledge a whole gaggle of folks as a relative of some sort....talk about being ingrained in the history of a place.

Cornflake

These are cool, Tom. So is your wife's family history.

David_S85

@black mamba said:
Hey, David. Trying to get clear shots of anything in St. Augustine is getting to be problematic.....
....talk about being ingrained in the history of a place.

Thanks for the interesting back story.

black mamba

@Cornflake said:
These are cool, Tom. So is your wife's family history.

Thanks, Don. Elements of my family, as well, played a big roll in Florida's early development. Hendry county, down in the Ft. Meyer and Naples area, was named after my great, great grandfather ( Capt. F.A. Hendry ) . The Hendry's and the Knight's ( my fathers family ) operated a cattle raising business encompassing about 100,000 acres. If my wife hears me talking about all this stuff, she is quick to remind me that her family has about a 300 year jump on things. Historically speaking, that's about when I slink off to the garage.

An antidote: The members of the two family branches that owned all of that property are basically strangers to me. I've been to the big annual family gathering in Naples only twice....hardly knew a soul there. In the 1919 to 1921 era, Florida experienced a land sales boom of epic proportions. When the smoke cleared, those that owned all the land had sold all but 1800 acres. I gig the couple of guys in that group that I know by reminding them, as if they needed it, that they would all be billionaires if they hadn't gotten greedy.

El Gato

Tom....

Such interesting stories and seeped in history...fascinating. The images are great too BTW. If only structures could talk...oh the stories that they could tell.

Thanks for sharing both your images and your stories!

Stumblebum

What a peaceful spot!

black mamba

@El Gato said:
Tom....

Such interesting stories and seeped in history...fascinating. The images are great too BTW. If only structures could talk...oh the stories that they could tell.

Thanks for sharing both your images and your stories!

Thanks, Al. It's great to hear from you....I trust all is well with you. As I get older ( a lot older ) I've become more reflective in my thoughts. I think of things that I have not contemplated forever, it seems. I guess it's a natural progression. Anyway, when I burst out with a story, I just get lost in reminiscing.

black mamba

@Stumblebum said:
What a peaceful spot!

It has been, Taz, for a long, long time. But, sadly, the tremendous growth in the surrounding county has changed the temper of the place. The old guard in St. Augustine fights valiantly to preserve the life they have enjoyed. But the realities they face are daunting. It's a shame.