St. Augustine · South Old City
St. Francis Inn
The Garcia-Dummett House, built after a 1791 Spanish land grant and taking in lodgers since 1845: the city's oldest inn, with free on-site parking.
- Built
- 1791–95Garcia-Dummett House; the lot was granted in 1791 and the house built shortly after (inn); NR inventory dates it 1791–1795. Third floor and mansard roof added 1888–1890.
- Style
- Spanish Colonial core with Second Empire mansard (1888–90)
- Type
- B&B
- Rooms
- 17
- Area
- South Old City
- Credentials
- Inside a National Register historic district
The story
Gaspar Garcia, a sergeant in the Third Battalion of the Infantry Regiment of Cuba, received the lot from the King of Spain in 1791 and built a house soon after. Colonel Thomas Henry Dummett, a retired Royal Marine and sugar planter, later owned it, and after his death his daughter Anna Marie Dummett turned the family home into a lodging house in 1845. Philanthropist John L. Wilson bought it in 1888 and added the third floor and mansard roof. It was named the St. Francis Inn in 1948, and the Finnegan family have owned it since 1985.
The ghost story
Guests and employees report apparitions of 'Lily', said to be a young house servant, in Lily's Room and the halls. Other reported happenings include whispers, a hand seen on the back-stair railing, and lights and coffee makers switching on by themselves.
Source: stfrancisinn.com
Good to know
- Breakfast: included
- Parking: on-site free
- Pets welcome
- Address: 279 St. George Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Things to do
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Sources (2)
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.