Governor's House Library

08/28/2026

What's in a name? What does the obelisk in St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitución commemorate? Find out in this 2021 blog post from UFHSA Governor's House Library!

“Hey do you know about the USA? Do you know about the government? Can you tell me about the Constitution?” Nope, not the United State’s Constitution from School House Rock’s…

08/27/2026

🧱 ABCs of Architecture: H is for Historic Preservation 🧱

Our city has had a storied relationship with the field of Historic Preservation, with generations of professionals lending their expertise. Today, the UFHSA Governor's House Library is the main academic support entity for Preservation Institute St. Augustine (PISA) and the UF Historic Preservation Program!

Every Thursday for the rest of the year, we'll be sharing an "ABCs of St. Augustine Architecture" post that celebrates the "Ancient City"'s architecture and shares the collections here at UFHSA Governor's House Library.

08/25/2026

Another from the UFHSA Governor's House Library Photograph Collection showing St. George Street in all her glory! This photo was widely used as a promo image for postcards and other publications!

08/21/2026

Today, 65 St. George Street is a place that serves up delicious frozen treats... but its history spans centuries! Read about the Benet House in our 2022 blog post below ...

Have you ever stopped by Tedi’s Olde Tyme Ice Cream on St. George Street? Long before serving sweet treats, the site was home to the Benet family and their store. Let us take a scoop into the…

08/20/2026

🏠ABCs of Architecture: G is for Gable 🏠 You didn’t know you knew this architectural form! All over our city — and the world — gable roofs are a practical and attractive feature of new AND historic homes.

The letter “G” marks week SEVEN of our ABCs of Architecture series. We’re only just getting started! Next week is “H” — it will be an exciting opportunity for us to highlight our collaborations with UF Historic Preservation Program (Insta: UF Historic Preservation) ❤️

08/18/2026

Donated by Herschel Shephard, these architectural plans of the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum were created in 1936 as a part of the Historic American Buildings Survey. Peep those details! Tile shingles, window lattice - even the staircase baluster!

These beautiful drawings are a part of the most unique collection here at the UFHSA Governor's House Library - our Architecture Collection! The collection is composed of approximately 400 blueprints for restoration and reconstruction projects, HABS documents (like these!), and digital files. Check the caption of each image for a link to that resource on the UF Digital Collections website.

08/14/2026

Ceramics are some of the most common and longest lasting cultural artifacts found in St. Augustine's archaeological sites. Learn about our region's earliest ceramicists in this blog post from 2024...

Pottery is one of the most common and durable artifacts found in archaeological sites throughout the world, including St. Johns County. Ceramics reflect the cultures and innovations in technology, …

08/13/2026

⛲️ABCs of Architecture: F is for Fountain⛲️ Though this object’s ancient origins are rooted in pragmatism (drinking water), all of St. Augustine’s present-day fountains (and indeed, most fountains we encounter today) are purely decorative. Fountains sit at the nexus of landscape architecture, engineering, and artistry.

Please enjoy this week’s installment of everyone’s favorite educational social media series ❤️

08/12/2026

! 1966. Please enjoy this snapshot from the UFHSA Governor's House Library Photograph Collection (originally taken for National Geographic Magazine) that shows St. George Street of St. Augustine - where the past and present chat with each other from the balconies...

08/11/2026

More artist's renderings of the Downtown Historic District of St. Augustine, Florida! These were created by various artists on behalf of the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board for the purpose of visualizing St. Augustine as it may have appeared during various historical eras. A colorful example of art bringing the past to life!

Click individual images for more information and resource links!