With the protestant Elizabeth on the throne of England and her family in shambles, Catholic maiden Gwyneth seeks refuge in the Low Countries of Holland, hoping to soothe her aching soul. But when the Iconoclastic Fury descends and bloodshed overtakes her haven, she has no choice but to trust the rogue who arrives, promising to see her safely home to her uncle’s castle. She doesn’t dare to trust him…and yet doesn’t dare to refuse her one chance to preserve her own life and those of the nuns she rescues from the burning convent.
Bestselling author Jody Hedlund shares about her Colorado Cowboys Series, her eventful summer, her latest writing ventures, and her many upcoming books! For your chance to win a copy of To Tame a Cowboy, check out the giveaway page on our website Historical Bookworm dot com. You also find the giveaway link in the show notes for this episode.
Today’s Pinch of the Past … started as a look at traditions in raising children and somehow morphed into the practices of children in relation to schools throughout history. (Full post here.)
Book Review: Shadows in the Mind by Janyre Tromp. If you’re in the mood for a realistic depiction of mid-century slice of life with a side helping of mystery, then Shadows in the Mind’s Eye is a great read for you! (Full post here.)
Our Pinch of the Past today features the story of the Castillo de San Marcos. In 1513, Ponce de Leon claimed the land he named Florida for Spain. It became an important holding to protect the Spanish ships bearing gold and silver from Central and South America back to Spain. As the French started encroaching on Florida, King Phillip II sent Pedro Menéndez in 1565 who founded the town of St. Augustine. (Read the full blogpost here)
As we are recording today, KyLee isn’t feeling well, so I hope you won’t mind joining me as I try not to nerd out too much about one of the coolest places in the United States – the Castillo de San Marcos.
History and Construction
Photo by Darcy Fornier
In 1513, Ponce de Leon claimed the land he named Florida for Spain. It became an important holding to protect the Spanish ships bearing gold and silver from Central and South America back to Spain. As the French started encroaching on Florida, King Phillip II sent Pedro Menéndez in 1565 who founded the town of St. Augustine.
St. Augustine is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America. It was defended by nine wooden forts which either rotted away, or were burned down by attacking armies.
Coquina stone wall (photo by Darcy Fornier)
Finally, in 1672 – over 100 years after the founding of St. Augustine – construction began on a stone fort. It was built of locally quarried coquina stone and took 23 years to complete. Coquina is a sedimentary rock made of tiny shells that is actually soft and porous, but hardens when it’s exposed to air. So it’s easy to cut and shape.
Possibly the coolest thing about this stone is it maintains some of its flexibility after it hardens. When the British assaulted the fort with cannon fire, the stone didn’t crack and crumble. The cannonballs simply sank into the stone. During the night, Spanish soldiers would dig out the lodged cannonballs and patch the walls with fresh coquina. Next morning, the fort appeared to have suffered no damage at all.
Join us for a chat with Award-winning author, Ann H. Gabhart. Her first historical novel was published 1978 by Warner Books. Since then, she has published over thirty novels. Find out more at AnnHGabhart.com and discover her recent June release, When the Meadow Blooms.
Interview: Angela K. Couch is the winner of story contests, a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the International Digital Awards. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after five munchkins. Join Anglea as she chats with us about her latest WW2 novelA Rose for the Resistance a part of the Heroines of WWII by Barbour.
Interview: Christy Awards finalist Michelle Shocklee shares about her latest release Count the Nights by Stars. She is the author of several historical novels, including Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy Awards finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about.
Join us for an interview with bestselling author Amanda Cabot. Her books have been honored with a starred review from Publishers Weekly and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. In this episode, she shares with us about her latest releaseA Spark of Love.
