A new documentary telling the story of one of St. Augustine’s most iconic buildings is now available to watch on PBS. Preserving the Ponce follows the history, restoration and continued importance of Ponce de Leon Hall at Flagler College, the former Hotel Ponce de Leon built by industrialist Henry Flagler in 1888. Presented locally by Jax PBS, the documentary brings viewers inside the landmark’s evolution from Gilded Age luxury hotel to National Historic Landmark and architectural centerpiece of Flagler College.
The Ponce was extraordinary from the beginning. Designed in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style, the hotel helped establish St. Augustine as a premier winter destination during the Gilded Age. It featured electricity installed with the involvement of Thomas Edison, more than 200 Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows, elaborate murals, detailed woodwork and poured concrete construction that was innovative for its time.
The documentary places that grandeur in context, showing how Flagler’s vision changed St. Augustine and helped shape the future of tourism in Florida. It also highlights the building’s second life as the heart of Flagler College, which opened in 1968 after the former hotel was transformed into a private liberal arts college.
Much of the film centers on the enormous preservation work now underway. After a July 4, 2022 water leak exposed serious issues behind the walls, Flagler College was forced to confront the building’s aging systems, structural concerns and historic materials at a deeper level than expected. What could have been viewed simply as damage became, in the words of those involved, a kind of “divine intervention” that allowed preservationists, contractors and artisans to fully assess what the Ponce needed.
The work has included modernizing mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems while protecting original plaster, woodwork, fireplaces, tile, murals and architectural details. In several cases, crews uncovered long-hidden historic elements, including fireplaces that had been covered by later renovations and original paint colors identified through microscopic analysis.
Preserving the Ponce was produced by Kennetic Productions, a Jacksonville-based documentary production company. The film is directed by Keagan Anfuso and produced by Kevin Dunkin and Christopher Kennelly.
