Vilano and the North Beaches are perhaps most known as small; eclectic beach communities within sight of St. Augustine; the nations oldest city. For centuries; people have flocked to this coastal playground by horse-drawn trolley; ferry; and more recently Floridas Coastal Highway; State Road A1A. They came for recreation; jobs; and sunny weather in the late 1800s; when Henry Flagler attracted Northerners to his "new and novel" hotels. Visitors were excited to learn the ocean was just across the bay. Tourism provided jobs for settlers; like the Minorcan; Usina; and Capo families; offering fun excursions. Nowhere else were horse-drawn trolleys delivering beachgoers across sand dunes to the sea. Like Ponce de Leoacute;n; who was smitten with the pristine beaches; the areas story is one of developing the land along an isolated coastline. Road and bridge construction after World War II encouraged migration as well as visitors to the beaches; fish camps; and Art Deco motor courts. This nostalgic 1950s look remains today; attracting those curious about the regions multicultural history.
#3608399 in eBooks 2015-06-29 2015-06-29File Name: B0112X8X02
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