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Founded in 1565 by Spanish Captain General Pedro Menendez de Aviles, St. Augustine was named in honor of St. Augustine's Day, the day on which Menendez first saw land in Florida. This inception came in response to ongoing European exploration and territorial claims in the Americas, particularly following the voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492.
Notably, many will confuse this first settlement with others such as Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic, established in 1496, or Roanoke Colony in 1585. However, St. Augustine holds the unique title of being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the continental United States.