Established as a European style presidio in 1572, Old Town St. Augustine included a fort and earthen defense line. Constructed when the settlement moved from Anastasia Island, colonists situated Old Town St. Augustine south of the present day plaza, bounded by the bay front, Bridge Street to the south, St. George Street to the west, and Artillery Lane to the north. Modeled on a European grid pattern, the original city included nine residential blocks, a church with a cemetery, and a large council house.

In 1586, Sir Francis Drake, an English privateer, attacked and burned the city. However, he was not sanctioned to establish a permanent settlement for England and left the area. During an archaeological excavation near the St. Augustine Art Association, remnants of a structure were found with a layer of burnt and charred remains dating to the 16th century. Other artifacts include majolica, Columbia plain, and glazed redware, all types of pottery that dates to the 16th century. The town was also plagued with hurricanes, fires, and flooding.

The town expanded during two periods following the initial settlement. The first expansion took place after the Spanish abandonment of Santa Elena, a colony located to the north of St. Augustine, in 1587. The second coincided with the construction of the new plaza and the Castillo de San Marcos beginning in 1598. By 1600, the city held over a hundred homes and more than 600 people making it the largest Spanish colonial town in Florida.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Kelcie Lloyd