Lightner Museum
Like the Ponce de Leon Hotel which now houses
Flagler College, the Alcazar Hotel was built by Henry Flagler.
The Alcazar was built in 1887, the year before the Ponce de Leon,
and they are across the street from each other. Today, this
facility houses the Lightner Museum. According to the Lightner
website, "Chicago
publisher, Otto C. Lightner, purchased the building to house his
extensive collection of Victoriana in 1946 and opened the museum two
years later. He
gave the museum to the city of St. Augustine. The building is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places". The museum
contains a bit of everything. We were told on the guided
trolley tour that Lightner's hobby was collecting everyone else's
hobbies!
In addition to the museum, the building houses a
number of St. Augustine municipal offices.
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