Florida Coquina

Black And White Photography, C.S. Young Jr., Photography
Coquina Composition 1
Coquina Composition 1

Coquina is a sedimentary rock composed mostly of seashell material which becomes cemented over time.  I found this sample serving as a wall on St George Street in St Augustine, Florida.  My post last week featured the Castillo de San Marcos fort, which was originally constructed out of coquina. 

Fort builders favored conquina stonework because of its ability to absorb cannonball impacts.  In fact, often an embedded cannonball was recovered and then fired back at attacking forces.  For the best viewing experience, click to view a high-resolution version.

Cheers,

C. S.

Castillo de San Marcos

Black And White Photography, C.S. Young Jr., Photography
Castillo de San Marcos West Façade
Castillo de San Marcos West Façade

Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine, Florida is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Construction started in 1672 to replace the previous wooden fort after raids by English privateers in 1668, when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire.  The photo shows the west side of the fort and moat, the east side sits on the Matanzas Bay waterfront.

For the best viewing experience, click to view a high resolution version.

Cheers,

C. S.