Orientation Center
As its first project, the Colonial St. Augustine Foudnation elected to assist the National Park Service (NPS) in acquiring property for the construction of an orientation/education center for the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States. In the past half century, the Castillo has attracted over 30 million visitors. Each year, more than 125,000 school children visit the magnificent fortress and receive an introduction for a lesson in American history that is relatively ignored elsewhere.
This project requires the cooperation of federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as the private sector, which is represented by the Colonial St. Augustine Foundation. Success was achieved when Congressman John Mica sponsored a bill that was approved by Congress and signed by President Bush, allowing the NPS to accept donated property for the purpose of erecting the orientation/education center.
This center will provide uncalculable benefits for the millions of visitors St. Augustine will attract in coming years, especially as the city observes its 450th anniversary.