The circa 1798 historic house in St. Augustine, Florida is an original coquina structure
St. Augustine, FL — The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $173,544 Semiquincentennial Grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
“This generous grant from the NPS is essential to the completion of our two-year conservation/preservation campaign to have our museum in its best condition in time for the 2026 Semiquincentennial Celebration of the Declaration of Independence,” said Payson Tilden, Executive Director of the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum.
“Our 226-year-old museum is one of only 31 remaining coquina and tabby structures in St. Augustine and we will be able to address the repair and restoration of many aspects of this remarkable building, showing visitors the craftsmanship needed to perform these very specific and unique processes which will preserve the building, its history, and its stories for many generations to come.”
This photo from 1874 shows owner Louisa Fabio on the balcony of the former boarding house located on Aviles Street in St. Augustine, Florida. The original coquina house is now the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum, open to the public for tours and special events.
The National Park Service has awarded $10M to historic sites and structures in nine states to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
Created by Congress in 2020 and funded through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), Semiquincentennial Grants fund projects that restore and preserve sites and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places that commemorate the founding of the nation.
Grants from this year will support 19 historic preservation projects across nine states, including the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in St. Augustine, Florida.
“Since its founding, our nation has been shaped by an exceptionally diverse collection of cultures, events, and places” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “The Semiquincentennial Grant Program supports our efforts to present a more complete telling of our country’s history as we approach its 250th anniversary in 2026, and beyond.”
The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum is an original coquina structure in historic St. Augustine, Florida. Self-guided audio tours and guided tours are available Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last tour leaves at 3:45 p.m.). The Fig Tree Gift Shop features a variety of items, including museum merchandise, fig jam from our historic fig tree on the property, books by local and Florida authors, and a variety of souvenirs that make great gifts. Follow on social media on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Ximenez-Fatio House Museum events are sponsored in part by the St. Johns Cultural Council and the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council.
The Ximenez-Fatio House is located at 20 Aviles Street in historic St. Augustine, Florida. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and a Florida Heritage Landmark.
The historic property was purchased in 1939 by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Florida. Visit ximenezfatiohouse.org for more details.
