After Florida changed hands between Spain, Britain, and eventually the United States, settlers began moving inland from coastal outposts. By the early 19th century, rural homesteads dotted the region, representing a new chapter in Florida’s transformation from colonial possession to American frontier. The Cracker families who lived here forged a lifestyle distinct from the Spanish aristocracy or Gilded Age magnates. They built log cabins rather than coquina palaces, cleared small plots rather than grand plantations, and raised cattle, corn, and hogs in an unforgiving environment.
The museum helps contextualize this hidden layer of St. Augustine’s story, emphasizing that the city was not just a site of colonial governance but also a gateway to the vast rural hinterland.
The Cracker Homestead as a Living History Site
The St. Augustine Rural History Museum is designed not as a conventional museum with glass cases and placards, but as a living history environment. Visitors step into a recreated Cracker homestead, complete with authentic structures and tools.
Architecture of Necessity
The heart of the site is the Cracker house, a wooden cabin often built from pine, cypress, or oak harvested nearby. These homes typically had puncheon floors (made from split logs), a central fireplace for cooking and heating, and wide front porches for shade. Unlike the coquina stone of St. Augustine’s Spanish-era houses, Cracker architecture was pragmatic, lightweight, and designed to withstand Florida’s hot, humid climate. Raised floors provided ventilation, while pitched roofs allowed rain to run off quickly.
Outbuildings and Surroundings
Around the cabin stand a series of outbuildings: a smokehouse for preserving meat, a corn crib for storing feed, and a chicken coop for small-scale poultry farming. A small garden plot demonstrates the crops that sustained settlers, from sweet potatoes and beans to sugar cane. These details immerse visitors in the daily reality of life on the Florida frontier, emphasizing survival, resourcefulness, and adaptation. shutdown123