Castillo de San Marcos

Update: 

Congressman Mica secured $500,000 in the House of Representatives for the planning and design phase of the National Park Service’s Castillo de San Marcos National Monument Restoration Project.  This will preserve and expand the Castillo by removing a portion of the visitor parking lot to restore the land around the Castillo, widening the sidewalk along Highway A1A to improve visitor safety and by constructing a visitor center in the Spanish Quarter of St. Augustine.  The proposed visitor center will help better explain St. Augustine’s colonial history and better illustrate the Castillo’s contribution to our community by providing more room to display and store the over 8,000 historical artifacts owned by the Federal government that tell the Castillo’s long history.  While these funds must be agreed to by the Senate, construction could begin as soon as 2010.

Overview:

Rep. Mica strongly believes that the Castillo de San Marcos should be preserved and enhanced for future generations to visit and enjoy.  As a former outpost to Spain, Great Britain, and the United States, this historic structure embodies Florida’s unique heritage.
The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument was constructed between 1672 - 1695 to protect Spanish territory in Florida and the shipping routes along the Florida coast.  The star-shaped fort, surrounding moat, and earthworks replaced an earlier series of earth and wood fortifications and was the northernmost outpost of the Spanish Caribbean.

The fort was the focus of the struggle between Great Britain and Spain for regional supremacy during the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument was the site of a British garrison during the American Revolution and was last employed for defensive purposes in 1898 during the Spanish-American War.

To provide federal assistance to this restoration project, which has been planned and formulated by the Colonial St. Augustine Preservation Foundation, the City of St. Augustine and the National Park Service, Mica introduced the:  "The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument Preservation and Education Act" in the 108th Congress.  This measure authorizes federal funds to maintain and expand visitor education facilities at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.??The new center will hopefully serve as an outstanding addition to the historic Fort and adjacent properties.  Further information can be found by reviewing the City of St. Augustine's Restoration Plan.

The new facility will not only provide significant information and in depth exhibits relating to the historic structure, but will be an exceptional educational and resource center for tourists, students and the local community.

In reviewing plans developed by the St. Augustine Preservation Foundation, the facility will be constructed with facades that restore former historic structures blending with existing buildings and replacing several non-conforming commercial units.  This improvement will ensure this historic integrity of the area set aside for the project and preserve this historic property for future generations.? ?On July 14, 2004, “The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument Preservation and Education Act,” was given unanimous approval by the House Resources Committee.  This action cleared the way for this legislation to be considered by the full Congress.  On September 13, 2004, the House voted unanimously to approve federal funding for this historic preservation project and the measure gained Senate approval on December 8, 2004.  President Bush signed this legislation into law on December 23, 2004.