Ponce de Leon Hotel and Flagler College Building, St. Augustine (must see)

Built by successful industrialist Henry M. Flagler, the Ponce de Leon Hotel was opened in 1888. The building features Spanish Renaissance Revival architecture designed by Carrère and Hastings, a young team of architects. The hotel was seasonal, operating in the winter from January to Easter. It became known by the nickname "The Ponce."

This luxury hotel boasted the latest in modern conveniences of the 19th century. The Edison Electric Company provided 4,000 electric lights to illuminate the hotel. It was one of the earliest buildings in the country to be wired with electricity. They also contributed steam heat. Two towers held large water storage tanks that gave guests running water.

The interior was lavishly decorated with fine furniture and grand murals painted by artists George W. Maynard and Virgilio Tojetti. The renowned designer Louis Comfort Tiffany contributed gorgeous mosaics, chandeliers, and stained glass windows surrounding the hotel dining room. Over the years, many famous politicians, writers, sports figures, and celebrities stayed at the hotel.

During World War II, the hotel served as a training base for the Coast Guard Reserve. But with declining guests in the years that followed, the last gala dinner dance was held at The Ponce before the hotel closed for good in 1967. In 2006, the Ponce de Leon Hotel became recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

In 1968, the building was used to house the newly-founded Flagler College. This small St. Augustine school, named after Henry Flagler, is a private liberal arts college with a 19-acre campus. The opulent former hotel provides a beautiful setting for education and learning.

What was once the hotel's grand parlor for ladies is now called the "Flagler Room," which hosts events. The magnificent hotel dining room became home to the student dining hall. Daily tours of Flagler College are available, where visitors can explore the courtyard, lobby, and main historical rooms of the Ponce de Leon Hotel.