Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Baram, Uzi

Keywords

St. Augustine, Florida, Fountain of Youth, Living Museum, Ethnography

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

As the 450th commemoration of the establishment of St. Augustine, Florida approaches, the theme park located on the site of the original Spanish encampment prepares for the celebration. The Ponce de Leon Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park attempts to present local historical events in an entertaining manner. Historically, the park has emphasized a false connection with Juan Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth myth, primarily as a method of attracting more paying visitors. However, in recent decades, active involvement with the St. Augustine Archaeological Society and archaeologists from the Florida Museum of Natural History have resulted in a change in focus to a more accurate depiction of historical events validated by the archaeological record. My research examines the park as a living museum in the context of this development, in order to understand the complexities in presenting historical information while still appealing to the visitors' sense of heritage. This thesis features a thorough reconstruction of the self-guided walking tour (as of January 2014) for future documentation and comparison. Using the ethnographic methods of participant observation and informal interviews, I analyze what visitors respond to positively and negatively in the park presentations. I consider these findings in the greater context of present-day St. Augustine as a themed space and to the communities of the city.

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