November 25 2020
History’s Highlight
The REAL first Thanksgiving
From the Florida Humanities Council
Does history depend on who writes it? We honor the Pilgrims on Thanksgiving. But Florida historians say
that America's REAL first feast took place more than a half century before-and was a whole different story
(with different food).
On September 8, 1565, Spanish Admiral Pedro Menéndez
de Avilés landed in St. Augustine with 500 soldiers, 200
sailors, and 100 civilian farmers and craftsmen, some with
wives and children.
After claiming La Florida on behalf of Spanish monarch
Philip II, Menéndez and his entourage celebrated a Mass of
Thanksgiving for the expedition's safe arrival and then shared
a meal with the native Indians.
These stand as the first documented Thanksgiving events
in a permanent settlement anywhere in North America north
of Mexico, said Michael Gannon, an eminent Florida
historian who holds the title of Distinguished Service
Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Florida.
Gannon, who died in 2017, spent nearly 60 years keeping
St. Augustine in the national spotlight as the United States of America's first permanent settlement of European
origins.
Gannon's research indicates that the REAL first Thanksgiving meal probably consisted of "cocido," a stew
of garbanzo beans, salted pork, and garlic, accompanied by hard sea biscuits and red wine.
If the native Indians contributed food to the meal, they might have brought protein sources such as deer,
gopher tortoise, shark, drum, mullet, and sea catfish, and vegetables such as maize (corn), beans, squash, nuts,
fruits, and miscellaneous greens.
Gannon's findings are based on documents from the Menéndez expedition and research by archaeologists.
But despite such irrefutable evidence, Gannon said it would be difficult to change American lore about this
traditional holiday.
"It is very difficult to get the powered-wig states north of Florida to recognize St. Augustine's priority among
American cities," he said. "Even historians and journalists, particularly those of an Anglo-American bent, seem
reluctant to accord any special stature to that dark-haired community, which was set in place one year following
the death of Michelangelo and the birth of William Shakespeare."
Gannon also noted that by the time the British colonies Jamestown and Plymouth were founded, "St.
Augustine, Florida, was up for urban renewal. It was a city with fort, church, market, college seminary, six-bed
hospital, and 120 shops and homes."
So, as we begin this season's preparations for a Thanksgiving feast of turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry
sauce, vegetables, breads and, of course, pumpkin pie - don't forget the garbanzo beans!
Image: remnantnewspaper.com
Bike Share gearing up
Bicycles roll as St. Augustine’s new mobility
The city’s Bike Share Program bicycles have arrived and the program is preparing to launch early next year.
It will be joining another bike-sharing system, DRIFTERS Out Post, which has established four locations
around St. Augustine.
The Bike Share Program includes 100 bicycles with 150 racks, with hub
signage approved for more than a dozen locations and another nine locations
on the drawing board.
Gotcha Group of Charleston SC developed the bike sharing program which
allows users to pick up a bicycle at any self-serve bike-station or hub and
return it to any other bike station within the system's service area.
The bicycles are called “E-assist bicycles,” says Public Works Director
Reuben Franklin. “You still have to pedal the bike but there is a motor that
gives you a boost as you ride.”
Flagler Health + is sponsor for the program, and the Historic Architectural
Review Board gave approval - complete with ‘Burma Jade color which is on
the city’s approved historic colors list - for locations at the City Marina,
Lincolnville Museum, City Hall, Plaza, Hypolita Street, Visitor's Center, West King Business District, Anastasia
Blvd, Lighthouse, Sevilla/Valencia Street area for Flagler College, Malaga Street, and The Amp.
Future Potential Locations include the Distillery/Ice Plant, Fountain of Youth, Anastasia State Park, DOS
Coffee, Gallimore Park, Nelmar Terrace Park, Uptown Business District, Fullerwood, and the Main Library.
Gotcha Group says the system will allow users to register at a location or through a website or smartphone
app to unlock a bike. Typical fees are $70 a year for annual membership or $8 an hour.
DRIFTERS Out Post users are able to jump on a bike and visit spots throughout Historic Downtown and the
beaches through the smartphone app, Movatic.
Four locations include Sunday Everyday/Jenna Alexander Studio at 73 San Marco Avenue in Uptown St.
Augustine, Crave at 135 King Street, BLVD Small Plates + Cocktails at 215 Anastasia Boulevard, and
DRIFTERS Workshop at 645 A1A Beach Boulevard in St. Augustine Beach.
Each Out Post location carries multiple 7-speed bikes designed for all sizes.
Quotable
(Ref City manager reflects on
year, Report Nov 18) Wow. I am
truly grateful for the words of John
Regan and his life-giving service
to the basic human values of
decency and care for our fellow
citizens. I thank God Mr. Regan
was willing to stay the course on
behalf of our beloved city.
He has bent the arc toward
justice, however delayed it has
been.
Rental program prompts manager position
St. Augustine has never had a code enforcement manager, the
position Police Chief Barry Fox is assuming as he retires after 28
years in law enforcement.
But then the city has never had a Short-Term Rental (STR) program.
The new program, “requires a Code Enforcement Manager who will
be responsible for coordinating response efforts of STR code
enforcement as well as general municipal code violations and
complaints,” city officials say.
City Manager John Regan says Fox’s “passion and dedication to our
community’s safety and well-being will certainly be a factor in
bringing our code enforcement efforts to a new level.”
Says Fox, “I have built long-standing relationships with businesses
city-wide, and I have always believed that the enforcement of
municipal code is not the primary role of law enforcement, but we
have had to work together to keep the community safe, prosperous, and orderly with the staffing and resources
that we had.
“Creating this program gives us a more direct, open line of communication, and a collaborative role with our
stakeholders rather than authoritative police presence when addressing municipal code complaints and
violations.”
Assistant Police Chief Anthony Cuthbert is running day-to-day police operations until a new police chief is
selected by City Manager Regan.
Academy names Public Works
Outstanding Business Partner
The city’s Public Works Department received the
2019-2020 Career Academy Outstanding Business
Partner of the year award from St. Johns Technical
High School.
City Staff at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
mentored students in the Academy of Coastal and
Water Resources, teaching them about the
maintenance, process, and unique needs of a
municipal wastewater treatment facility.
Cheesecake company plans restaurant here
Bar Harbor Cheesecake Company is hoping to come to
St. Augustine, but that depends on detailing to the city’s
Historic Architectural Review Board its plans for
expanding 6 Cordova Street - that’s the former Love Tree
Café and ghost tour business sandwiched between the
Tolomato Cemetery and Potter’s Wax Museum.
Amy Tilbury, one of 19 owners of the Bar Harbor
enterprise, described to the board last week plans for
decking around three sides of the building and a one-
story shed roof open addition on the south side.
Problem is, the board decided, the changes do not
reflect the historic bungalow style. The application for a Certificate of Appropriateness was continued to the
December 17 meeting “to allow the applicant to provide more detailed information on designs and materials.”
Three weeks ago the Planning and Zoning Board approved a use by exception, off street parking and sale of
wine for the proposed 20-seat restaurant.
The Bar Harbor restaurant describes itself as offering “fine dining, cheesecake, wine, and chocolate truffles!
We offer salads and appetizers all day long with our wine and cheesecake.”
Name in the news
Nilsa Arissa appointed inspector
general for St. Johns County, a
position created by County
Administrator Hunter Conrad in
2017 when he was clerk of court.
She’ll be leading efforts against
fraud, waste and abuse in the clerk
of court and in county administration
and contracted entities associated
with it.
Arissa was one of 12 applicants for the job and had
recommendations from Curtis Evans Jr., the most
recent inspector general, and others in the clerk of
court office.
