St. Augustine, Fla. -- The former Hotel Ponce de Leon, a well-preserved example of Spanish Renaissance architecture and the centerpiece of Flagler College, has been named a National Historic Landmark, the highest such recognition awarded to historic properties. The Ponce was built as a luxury resort in 1887 by Henry Flagler, a co-founder of Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller, and later a railroad tycoon who dotted Florida’s east coast with opulent hotels. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, but as a Landmark it joins a much more prestigious group of historic sites that includes Pearl Harbor, the Apollo Mission Control Center, Mount Vernon and the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Atlanta, Ga. Fewer than 2,500 buildings and historic sites throughout the country carry Landmark status. The announcement was made Feb. 21 by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton, and the Ponce was one of 12 sites given the designation. The sites were recommended by the National Park Advisory Board for their diverse history and because they contain aspects of America’s national heritage.
“National Historic Landmark designation recognizes and preserves America’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage,” Norton said. “These national treasures are exceptional places that shed light on our history and help explain our past.”
“I was delighted to learn that the centerpiece of our campus, the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, has been designated,” said Flagler President William T. Abare, Jr. “It is truly one of the most impressive buildings in our nation, and it is nice to know that this architectural treasure is now regarded as a National Historic Landmark.”
There are only seven other Landmark sites in St. Augustine including the Cathedral, Fort Mose, the St. Augustine Town Plan Historic District, and the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments.
The Ponce was designed by John M. Carrere and Thomas Hastings, a duo who had one of the leading architectural practices in the U.S. during that period, and employed a number of unique construction techniques. Not only was it the first major poured concrete structure in the United States, but such nationally known names like Louis Comfort Tiffany and Thomas Edison also worked on the building. The designation comes after years of work by the college and Flagler History Professor Dr. Thomas Graham, who has documented the building’s history and helped put together the extensive application. Abare also said Leslee Keys, associate director of development, was highly instrumental in the application process. Today the Ponce is used for dorm rooms and administrative offices, and the Tiffany glass-lined dining hall is where students eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, there are student-run history tours for the public to view restored sections of the Ponce like the former parlor room, the rotunda and courtyard, and the Dining Hall. Flagler College has invested more than $23 million in restoration and preservation efforts on the Ponce and its surrounding historic properties over the years. Additional information on the National Historic Landmark program can be found on the NPS website at http://www.cr.nps.gov/nhl.htm |