Old Spanish Trail

From My Florida Blog by Lucy D. Jones, President of Florida History LLC, April 14th. http://myfloridahistory.blogspot.com.

There is an Old Spanish Trail Zero Mile Marker in St. Augustine. The name of the road is misleading as it never was a Spanish road during the colonial days, although parts of it were used. It began in 1915 as a transcontinental highway between St, Augustine, Florida, and San Diego, California. Mobile, Alabama, was the beginning and it was designed to take advantage of connecting with the north-south Dixie and Jackson highways.

During World War I, advocates promoted its importance as a military route. In the 1920s, Old Spanish trail Director Harral B. Ayres encouraged the old Spanish aspect to romanticize it and promote tourism.

A major problem facing the road was terrain. Swamps and rivers are difficult to build a road through. It was not completed until 1929, and St. Augustine had a three day celebration in its honor and the Zero Mile Marker was dedicated. It has been moved twice since then.

The festival continues even to this day in Crestview, Florida, during the last weekend in April and first in May. This year's was the 53rd annual.
www.ostf.info.html.

Sounds Like a Good Place to Visit. --RoadDog