St. Francis Barracks, St. Augustine

St. Francis Barracks is a historic military structure located in St. Augustine. Constructed between 1724 and 1755 by Franciscan friars using coquina stone, the barracks were named in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. They replaced a series of wooden buildings that were destroyed by the tropical climate and fires, including the razing of the city by the English in 1702.

When Florida became a British possession in 1763 after the conclusion of the French and Indian War, the barracks were converted for military use by the British. The Franciscan friars and most of the Spanish residents vacated St. Augustine at that time. The barracks served as a military structure until the United States took control of Florida, at which time the U.S. Army took control of the barracks until 1900. After this, the barracks were leased to the Florida State Troops who later became the present-day National Guard. Congress then gave the barracks to the State of Florida to operate as the State Arsenal, and the barracks were rebuilt using the original coquina walls.

Today, the St. Francis Barracks serves as the headquarters for the Florida Army National Guard and the Florida Air National Guard. Visitors can schedule a visit to the small onsite museum to learn about Florida's military history by calling. The name St. Francis Barracks also applies to the larger military reservation which developed around the barracks on the shore of the Matanzas River. The area includes other historic structures, such as senior military officer housing and The King's Bakery, the only extant structure in St. Augustine constructed entirely within the twenty-year period of the British occupation.