Matt Armstrong, who was hired to execute the revival of Governor’s House’s collections, handles photographs.
When the University of Florida (UF) took control of Governor’s House (previously called Government House) in 2010, it had been closed for several years. The historic sixteenth-century structure on the old city’s central plaza served as the center for St. Augustine’s burgeoning preservation movement during the 1960s. But its archives, which contain collections of national importance—including extensive Spanish colonial correspondence and a wealth of historic maps spanning three colonial regimes—had fallen into disarray. An NEH grant for the Unearthing St. Augustine’s Colonial Heritage project made these collections available again, not only to visitors to the library, but users of the open-access UF Digital Collections.
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Before the grant, the archives had descended into disorganization and disrepair. Photo Courtesy of Governor’s House Libraries.
Through the project, more than 20,000 items were digitized, 10% of the entire collection and more than twice the original target of 10,000 items. And the digitization process continues; UF is now using georeferencing to precisely locate historic images and colonial maps produced according to distinct systems of measurement. Governor’s House librarians also leveraged the NEH grant to secure a second grant, enabling them to fine-tune the revived collections’ system of organization. They carefully labeled all contents, physically and digitally, and hired a full-time collections coordinator to ensure that the collection does not descend into disorganization and disuse again.
Governor’s House is once again an important center for historical research and preservation efforts in St. Augustine and beyond. In addition to its colonial collection, the archives include the largest and most comprehensive collection of materials from “living history” museums across the country, such as Colonial Williamsburg and Plimoth Plantation, found anywhere. This collection was compiled by the creators of St. Augustine’s living history exhibits to inform their work; it now serves as a crucial resource to historians of the preservation movement. Meanwhile, library staff have offered their expertise and equipment obtained with grant funds to other local institutions, including the St. Augustine Historical Society, Flagler College, the Florida National Guard, the Women’s Exchange, and the City of St. Augustine’s Historic Preservation division. In 2016, Governor’s House staff spearheaded the formation of the St. Augustine Archival Society, which meets monthly to discuss challenges and share resources.
