St. Augustine Launches 3 Free July Tours for America’s 250th as City Marks 461 Years
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 12
St. Augustine Launches 3 Free July Tours for America’s 250th as City Marks 461 Years
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 12
Summary
Three free “St. Augustine and the Birth of America” walking tours are set for July 11, 18 and 25, spotlighting the Florida city’s often-overlooked role in the American Revolution ahead of the U.S. semiquincentennial.
The tours center on East Florida’s loyalty to Britain, the Castillo de San Marcos imprisonment of three Declaration signers, and St. Augustine’s identity as the so-called 14th colony.
St. Augustine, founded in 1565 and turning 461 in September, is also promoting sites including Fort Mose, the free Black settlement founded in 1738 whose replica fort opened to the public in 2025.
The broader anniversary push includes July 4 “Fireworks Over the Matanzas,” as local historians argue the city’s colonial and revolutionary significance predates Jamestown by 42 years and Plymouth by 54.