Editorial: Pensacola's 450th is worth our attention

Editorial: Pensacola's 450th is worth our attention



Publication Date: 01/07/09


Although St. Augustine still holds title to the nation's oldest continuously occupied European settlement in today's United States, Penscola's settlement in 1559 in West Florida was first. It didn't last long. A hurricane blew it away. St. Augustine was 133 years old by the time the Spanish tried again and succeeded in 1698.

Over the years, the two cities have used different titles to establish themselves as first. For example, Pensacola for years deemed itself "America's First Place City." Now, it calls itself, "America's 1st Settlement." Who in St. Augustine doesn't know our long-standing slogan, "Nation's Oldest City"?

Tuesday night, Judith Bense, Ph.D., Pensacola's premier historian, returns to St. Augustine to tell her city's story. She will be the guest speaker for the St. Augustine Historical Society's annual meeting at 7 p.m. in Flagler College's Flagler Room. The annual meeting is always a good place to extend your knowledge of Florida's history and exchange views with engaging speakers.

Bense carries a lot of titles these days. She is interim president of the University of West Florida and chair of the Florida Historical Commission. Her reputation here is based on her chairing the Blue Ribbon Panel two years ago on the future of the state-leased historic properties, at the request of state Rep. Bill Proctor. The panel's recommendation on what to do with the state-leased historic properties that the city was giving up was accepted by the Legislature. The proposal was to let a state university run them, manage them and use them for heritage tourism and university classrooms.

UF has taken the first steps with a study that will be presented to Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leadership Feb. 1. UF envisions its operation as a partnership with the city, private historical interests, the state and the federal government through the National Park Service.

UWF's operation of Historic Pensacola, a collection of state-owned historic properties, is the model for the UF proposal.

Bense's assessment of Pensacola's 450th, combined with the views last June of Jean Zeidler, executive director for Jamestown, Va.'s, 400th, should help our city avoid pitfalls on the way to its world-class event.

With less than four years before St. Augustine's own two-year celebration of its 450th, time with Bense will be time well-spent.

For information on the St. Augustine Historical Society and its annual meeting, contact Susan Parker, executive director, at 824-2872.


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