Familiar Sites

Growing up in a tourist town has its perks! Mimi and Margo had many attractions right in their backyard. Their photographs show us what some of these popular spots looked like more than a half century ago. 

What places do you recognize in the photographs below? Do they look the same today? 

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm, Marineland (formerly Marine Studios), The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, and the Sea Wall are familiar places. The family photographs of Mimi and Margo show us some slight differences. For example, you can still see the alligator statue with the carriage attached--but without the carriage. Marineland has moved its location entirely from the time these photographs were taken. 

The Alligator Farm

The Oldest Schoolhouse

Marineland

Waterfront

The Ponce

The old Ponce Hotel (now Flagler College) provided Mimi and Margo with a way to cool down during hot summer months when its pool was open to locals. Margo remembers learning to swim at the pool and later was on a swim team that practiced there. They both recall the hotel grounds contained a clay tennis court (in the location of the gazebo) and a golf course (by the oak tree).