The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1945-03-22
hostess and honor guests.
FLORIDA TRIP

Continued from last weekly
We had heard much of St. Angus
tine, the oldest city in the Z. S. and
found it to be city of magnificent
hotels and some good looking business
places, although not very large
as cities go. Our first inquiry was
concerning the old fort built by the
Spaniards in the early history of the
state. It Is located on high point of
ground overlooking the entrance to
the harbor.
From here lookout could be kept
in all directions and guns were mount
ed upon the upper part of the thick
wall. 1t was surrounded by moat
and entered over a drawbridge. A
man in our party said he had seen
an exact duplicate of this fort in
Spain. Inside the thick walls was an
open court and adjacent to the wall
rooms had been made in which TO
sleep, bake, one room was a chapel
and back of one of the rooms was
dungeon that had only a three foot
door. When the guide turned off the
one electric light, we really were in
darkness so black than it was terrify-
ing to some. We enjoyed going up
on the wall where the guns were
mounted to look out over the city and
the sea.
As we left the fort and neared
the sea wall we were greeted by gal
liant colored gentlemen who offered to
take us a jaunt around the city in a
"surry with the fringe on the top" for
two dollars per hour. Many of the
soldier boys and their gals were en-
joying the tour but we decided to do
our own touring.
The Ponce de Leon Hotel of white
stucco and red roof surrounded by
palms and flowers occupied an entire
city block and is now occupied by
Uncle Sans Coast Guard and is sur
rounded by guards. We drove slowly
around it drinking in its beauty, and
wondered where all the people came
from who had money enough to fill
up all these beautiful hotels of the
South.
We had the choice of two roads
from here to Daytona Beach--one u.
S. highway No. 1.-THE inland route or
an older road down the island by the
ocean. We had no reason to hurry so
chose to cross the bridge and take the
road along the sea. There was little
traffic and most of the roadside
stands, hotels and amusement centers
along the way were closed for the
duration as there were not enough
people on the highway these days to
keep them going.
We finally reach Daytona Beach
with its famous beach extending thir-
ty-three miles along the seashore and
as smooth as floor. We took five
mile drive up the beach to see the
beautiful homes and watch the bath
ers who were trying to acquire a
tan. Some were so black it seemed
that they never could bleach out. 1t
was easy to spot the new arrivals
with their white skin.
Across the river on the mainland is
Daytona, thriving southern city with
| all the business places on one side
of the street facing broad street and
park on the river. 1t has north
ern atmosphere and much traffic and
you have to move along. In the truly
southern city they always have time
to be courteous and an auto will stop
to wait for you to cross the street
where there are no traffic lights. /
was impressed by the courtesy of the
southern people, their soft voices and
their southern dialect.
Next week we will take you back
to Gainesville and tell you something
about the college and service center.