Oldest House Museum Complex
14 Cordova St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
February 24, 2022
The Oldest House Museum Complex has many intriguing features like the ornamental garden, two museums, and a changing exhibition gallery. Tours are also available to give insight into the culture and history of this St. Augustine. It was occupied in the early 1600s and was opened as a museum in 1893. The current art exhibit features art pieces that celebrate black motherhood in a visual and artistic way. The oldest house museum gives a unique experience where people are able to see beautiful Spanish architecture and are able to get a look into how people used to live.
Exterior:
Exterior:
Artifact:
The gardens of the oldest house have seen many changes. "The Four Seasons," life-sized statues representing "spring," "summer," "fall", and "winter," were featured in the formal planting of the 1890s after Dr. and Mrs. Charles P. Carver, then owners of the house brought them here from the 1893 Columbian exposition in Chicago, the hand-colored photograph shown here was a popular souvenir for visitors.
Artifact:
Historic Kitchen Exhibit
This is the kitchen of the Gonzales-Alvarez House in the 1700s. During these times kitchens were built separately due to the frequency of fires in kitchens.
Image in Conversation:
Brita
When touring the Oldest House Complex we were explained how the family filtered their water. We saw a big porous rock that was thought to make water drinkable. I was reminded of the Brita water filters that are said to remove different substances from drinking water like microscopic parasites, and black particles. The black carbon granules the filters contain act like a sponge, absorbing harmful substances. The filters contain pores that clean the water just like in the porous rock in the Oldest House Complex.
Image in Conversation:
Venus Italica
Antonio Canova
1822-1823
Venus Italica is one of the most well-known sculptures. It was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte and made by the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova. It’s part of the Assembly Room and is thought to be Hearst Caste’s greatest masterpiece. It was created to replace an ancient Greek statue in Florence, Italy named the Venus de Medici which had been previously seized. It is now located in the Palazzo Pitti.
Literature Passage:
Love in a Time of Climate Change
Craig Santos Perez
"I love you organically, without pesticides."
This verse of Love in a Time of Climate Change reminded me of when I heard the explanation of the setup of the Oldest House. It was explained that the house was remodeled in the Victorian Era but when the Oldest House Exhibit opened it was all removed to make it look like it did before. The house is loved as it was built.
Creative Component:
For my creative response, I chose to draw flowers. Flowers were all around the Old House Complex and that's what I was reminded of when thinking back on the complex.
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