Flagler's Legacy to offer limited tours of Markland House

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL (10/31/2013)(readMedia)-- Flagler's Legacy Historic Tours will offer special holiday tours of Flagler College's Markland House, 102 King St., on December 28 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. These are limited tours to help continue the 125th anniversary of the Hotel Ponce de Leon.

This property shares a rich history with both the Hotel Ponce de Leon and Flagler College. It was home to Henry Flagler's personal physician during the hotel's early days and later to State Rep. Bill Proctor when he became president of Flagler College.

Today, Markland House is primarily used for special events at the college, as well as some faculty and staff offices. The downstairs level retains much of its original look, particularly the dining room and library.

During the tour, visitors will glimpse some of the original grandeur of this historic home as well as learn some background on the residence and its importance in St. Augustine's rich history.

"We get requests all the time from people who want to see the inside of Markland House," said Flagler's Legacy Director Samantha Palmer. "They want to see what's behind the gates. We are so excited to once again offer this tour to the St. Augustine community."

Admission for the tours is just $12 and reservations are required. For more information, visit http://legacy.flagler.edu. To make reservations for the Markland House tour, call Flagler's Legacy at (904) 823-3378.

___

Flagler College is an independent, four-year, comprehensive baccalaureate college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 29 majors, 34 minors and two pre-professional programs, the largest majors being business, education and communication. Small by intent, Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as a satellite campus at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost. A Flagler education is less than half the cost of similar private colleges, and competitive with many state universities. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for its historic beauty. The centerpiece of the campus is the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, a grand resort built in 1888 by Henry M. Flagler, industrialist, railroad pioneer and co-founder of Standard Oil. The Ponce has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.