An image should appear at this position in the text. To use the entire page scan as a placeholder, edit this page and replace "{{missing image}}" with "{{raw image|Historic towns of the southern states (1900).djvu/603}}". Otherwise, if you are able to provide the image then please do so. For guidance, see Wikisource:Image guidelines and Help:Adding images. |
ST. AUGUSTINE
THE OLDEST TOWN IN THE UNITED STATES
By GEORGE R. FAIRBANKS
Far down on the Atlantic coast lies the old
city of St. Augustine. Unlike most of
our early towns, which have either been abandoned,
like Jamestown, or rebuilt and modernized
until their ancient form and fashion are no
longer recognizable, St. Augustine has preserved
its antiquity. Its newness is placed
alongside, but does not overlie and hide, its
ancient character. Its old self is still there,
always to be felt and seen, and ever about
the old city there cling historic associations
which throw around it a charm that few can
fail to feel.
The aroma of its life is in its past: and when we recall the fact that it is more than forty years older than Jamestown; that it was a comparatively old town when the Puritans landed