Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park!

Plaque Text for Florida Landmark #F-637:

The Fountain of Youth Park commemorates the 1513 arrival of Juan Ponce de León in Florida and the legend of the Fountain of Youth. People have lived on this site for over 3,000 years, since the Archaic Period of Florida’s history. In 1565, Spanish Admiral Pedro Menendez de Aviles established the first successful European colony in America at St. Augustine and his first settlement was built here on the grounds of the Fountain of Youth Park. At that time it was part of the large Timucua town of Chief Seloy.

Within nine months, Timucua resistance forced the Spaniards to move the colony across the bay. In 1572 it was moved back to the mainland to its present downtown location. In 1587 the first Franciscan mission to the American Indians was built here and named Nombre de Dios. The Mission remained here until the middle of the 17th century. Archaeological excavations at the Fountain of Youth Park since 1934 have revealed the shell mounds of the Archaic inhabitants, parts of Seloy’s town, remains of the Spanish colony and the church and cemetery of the Nombre de Dios mission. There is probably no other single property in Florida that contains such an array of important archaeological resources for our state’s early history.

More about Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park:

Interestingly enough, this site isn’t on the National Register of Historic Places for its affiliation with Spanish conquest, but with tourism! Evidence is poor that Sr. Ponce de León was really looking for a fountain of youth, but when Henry Williams bought his land in 1868, it was well known that there was a mineral spring here! So, he started marketing it as a tourist attraction!

It wasn’t until 1907, though, that the Fountain of Youth brand took hold in the hands of physician, Louella Day McConnell! She formalized the name, Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth, advertised it, and started selling spring water as souvenirs! The destinaton then passed into the hands of Walter B. Fraser, organizer of St. Augustine’s first formal restoration movement! During his ownership of the property, archaeological digs uncovered Timucuan graves, which revealed the original location of Mission Nombre de Dios! A house went up around the spring, along with replicas of a Timucuan village and the mission, statues of historic figures, a planetarium, and (you guessed it) a historic gift shop that still sells bottles of spring water!

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
Become a member of the Flagler County Historical Society!
Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!