Our Valley Santa Clarita 2019 September | Page 15

HISPANIC HERITAGE Before Jamestown, Virginia, and the English settlers, Spanish explorers Ponce de Leon, Hernando De Soto and Francisco Vazquez de Coronado combed what is now the United States. In fact, the very oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine, Florida was established by the Spanish in 1565, 42 years before Jamestown. In 1819, Florida became part of the United States. 15