flagler college - ponce de leon hotel

Flagler College, formerly the Ponce de Leon Hotel was built in 1888 by Henry Morrison Flagler, oil magnate and railroad pioneer. Made of poured concrete, the interior is decorated in marble, carved oak, and extensive murals. The stained glass windows were made by Louis Tiffany. In 1968 the hotel was converted to a four year liberal arts college, with its campus said by many to be "the most beautiful in the United States." The historic campus now consists of 15 buildings scattered around downtown St. Augustine, Florida, with the focal point being Ponce de Leon Hall.

luxury then and now

This Hotel was the Jewel of the World in the 50s. These folks enjoyed their luxurious stay in August of 1957 as I was slaving away as a sophomore in high school. Originally built in the 1920s as The Stevens, the hotel cost the then astronomical sum of $30 million dollars, had 3000 rooms and was the grandest and largest in the world for many, many years. During World War II it was sold to the Army and housed 10,000 air cadets. After several renovations and name changes, in 1984 it was closed for a year and underwent the most comprehensive overhaul in hotel history at a cost of $185 million and resulting in a reduction to 1543 larger and more elegant rooms. Make sure to click on the postcard to enlarge picture so you can note that in 1957 the height of luxury was "radio and television available" and telephone numbers started with a word instead of area code. Today the hotel is known as the Hilton Chicago Hotel and is still the city's premier luxury destination.