Hispanic Heritage in American Landmarks

Each year from September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic-American Heritage Month. When we celebrate the countless contributions of more than 60 million Hispanic and Latin Americans in the U.S. to our society, do you know there are many National Park Service lands associated with Hispanic culture and identity? Their history and heritage can be found in hundreds of historical landmarks and national parks across the country.

Here I am going to introduce three lands associated with Hispanic heritage.

The first one is Castillo de San Marcos (St. Augustine, Florida). When I visited it with my mom and brother, I was only 10. But I can still remember the old distinctive masonry walls, beautiful waterfront, diverse range of objects and specimens inside the museum. My mom was an architect, so she was really astonished by the star-shaped layout of the fortification. She told me this design has many benefits, such as better defense, improved visibility and flexibility. Its four bastions extend outward, exemplifying these advantages and reflects the evolution of military architecture during that period. This design is a successful combination of fort’s defensibility and its architectural appeal.

Historic Landmarks: St. Augustine’s Castillo de San Marcos, April 2013

The second one is Farragut Square in Washington DC. It is a prominent public square located in the heart of D.C.  Since there are two Metro stations- Farragut north and Farragut west near the square, it’s a point of confluence for people who work or live in the area. Most important, White House is just blocks away from it. Farragut Square was named in honor of Civil Was hero Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, son of two Spanish parents, who was raised in Tennessee. President Andrew Johnson and the U.S. Congress commissioned Farragut the Navy’s first full admiral in 1866. Farragut is famous for the phrase, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” In the center of the park is a statue to Admiral Farragut and nearby a description about him. Benches align throughout the park and lots of restaurants nearby. Farragut Square Park is one of many green spaces maintained by the National Park Service within DC.

Farragut Square in Washington DC.

The third one is Casa Amadeo in New York City. Casa Amadeo represents a significant part of the migrant story of Puerto Ricans in the 20th century and the Latin musical traditions that developed in New York City. The store was opened in 1941 and is recognized as the oldest Puerto Rican-owned music store. Along with other Latin music stores, it played an important role in the dissemination of Latin music in the United States from the 1920s to the early 1970s. Rhythms and styles known as charanga, cha-cha-cha, and mambo, were played by live orchestras in it. This store also holds architectural significance within the city. It is located in the Manhanset apartment building (1905), which is a Renaissance Revival apartment building with commercial storefronts that retain the architectural style of the period. Luckily, it had survived the redevelopment of the Bronx during the 1970s and 1980s. Today, as one of the National Registered Historic Places, Casa Amadeo helps the community maintain its cultural connection to the island.

Casa Amadeo Store Facade

Works Cited

Barton, Craig E.,ed.  “Site of Memory: Perspectives on American Architecture and Race.” New York: Princeton Architecturel Press, 2000.

Novas, Himilce. “Everything You Need to Know About Laino History.” New York: Plume (Penguin Group), 2003

Brian D. Joyner, National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior,  “Hispanic Reflections On the American Landscape: Identifying and Intrepreting Hispanic Heritage”, 2009