Spain Presents Tapestry to City

From “Spain Presents Tapestry to City,” by Karen Harvey, in the St. Augustine Record 4-30-95 ...Government House, located West of the town plaza, has a heritage dating back to the early 1700s when a structure was built as the residence and office for the governor of Spanish Florida. When Florida became a United States Territory in 1821, the building was deemed adequate to serve as a courthouse and civil building. It housed the first legislative council in 1823. For decades the building has been repaired and restored, continuing as a center of governmental activity. Residents today remember it as “the Post Office,” and it currently serves as headquarters for the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board offices. One section is devoted to a museum of Florida history, and archeological artifacts are on exhibit in the main hallway on the first floor. It is a building in which all residents should take pride, and one which all visitors should see. Our past and our present are joined in Government House, and the gift presented by Don Manuel de Montiano has added to its heritage. More exhibits will be added to the “Sala de Montiano” over time as the room becomes more accessible to the public.