In the Sunshine State on this day in 1565 Pedro Menendez de Aviles, in command of the Spanish expedition to Florida, sailed into a natural harbor on the Florida coast. He and his party celebrated the Feast of San Augustin with a High Mass. As was the custom, Menendez gave the location the name of the saint. Thus, St. Augustine was named. Not until September 8, however, would Menendez and his party return to the site to begin the first permanent settlement by Europeans in Florida.

From the Diary of Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, Chaplain to Pedro Menendez’s expedition to Florida...

"Later Tuesday, the 28th, it dawned with a calm greater than any since the beginning of the voyage. We were a league and a half from the Captiana and the rest [of the ships]. I being weary and tired of reciting and petitioning God and His Mother to remedy the weather, about two in the afternoon, my God provided from His mercy and sent us a good wind. Immediately with full sails we joined the Captiana, and this which I now say I take for a miracle; That when we were in the calm and joined to the other vessels, none of the pilots of the Armada knew where we were (and there were some who said that we were 100 leagues from Florida); and God and the prayers of His Blessed Mother permitted that this same afternoon we recognized land. We drew near to discover what land it was and anchored a league off shore, and this all the rest did also. We found ourselves in Florida not far from our enemies, which was a great consolation and joy to all of us. This night the General ordered all the pilots to the Captiana to discuss their duties."

Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, Laudonniere and Fort Caroline.