González-Álvarez House Haunted Guide
Nestled south of downtown St. Augustine on St. Francis Street, the González-Álvarez House, also known as the Oldest House, is a historic marvel blending coquina and wooden architecture, showcasing the city’s evolution. Its first floor, built from local coquina rock, supports an upper level with a clapboarded exterior and a hip roof crowned with wooden shingles. Since 1801, the house has witnessed eight families and multiple periods of alteration, reflecting resilience through different colonial administrations. Beyond its architectural charm lies a haunted history, inviting exploration into ghostly encounters that enrich the González-Álvarez House’s tapestry of time.
The González-Álvarez House, also referred to as “The Oldest House,” is a significant historical landmark that offers insights into Florida’s Spanish Colonial past. Its origins trace back to the early 18th century, with its earliest documentation being a map from 1764. Despite numerous alterations over the centuries, the structure retains key characteristic features of Spanish Colonial residential architecture. The house owes its name to two of its residents — Tomás González y Hernández, a soldier and native of Spain who lived there in the late 18th century, and Geronimo Álvarez, a prominent figure in the community who inhabited the house in the mid-19th century. Over its extensive history, the house has withstood wars, hurricanes, and changes in ownership, serving as a resilient testament to the region’s past.