as a businesswoman. In 1851, at the age of 54, she came to Mrs. Anderson’s to work as the boarding house manager. In 1855 she purchased the property for $3,000.00. Louisa added a second story to the house adding an additional four rooms. Folks from all over came to St. Augustine for the fresh air, delightful food, and famed southern hospitality. In addition to her keen business sense, Louisa was an accomplished woman. She spoke English, French, Spanish and always Italian at meals. She travelled extensively, most notably to Central and South America. The table at Miss Fatio’s was a culinary dream. Meals of venison, turtle soup, oysters, sour orange pie, curlew stew, were guest favorites. Imagine Thanksgiving dinner every single day! You may also imagine the unseen hands behind the preparation, serving, and cleanup of these elaborate meals. Louisa was a beloved aunt to her nieces and nephews and godmother to thirteen children. After the death of sister Leonora Colt in 1848, she took in her five children adopting them as her own and they lived in the boarding house. Her half-sister Sophia also lived in the house and helped to care for the children and the management of the business. Louisa’s life in St. Augustine was one of happiness surrounded by her family and her loved ones managing her business as a single woman entrepreneur. Louisa passed away in the house in 1875 at the age of 78.
The Dames After the death of Louisa the future of the house was uncertain. Nephew David Dunham was the first male owner in 45 years as Louisa left the home to him in her will. The newly constructed Hotel Ponce de Leon was just blocks away with electric lights and indoor plumbing, and boarding house lifestyle soon fell out of favor. Various businesses operated from the building and the structure soon fell into disrepair. Enter: The ladies of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Florida (NSCDA-FL). After members successfully saved the Old City Gates, the NSCDA-FL set their eyes on the Old Fatio House. The property was purchased in 1939 and restoration work set about immediately. For almost 10 years, weekends were spent in St. Augustine restoring woodwork, re-limewashing walls, purchasing antiques, and planting gardens. In 1946 the house was opened to the public as the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum. For over 75 years the museum has served the community teaching women’s history, Florida history, and African American history, among other topics. The museum is managed by women, just as the boarding house was for over 50 years and still owned by the NSCDA-FL. The NSCDA-FL and the staff of the museum see that it is their responsibility to teach the history of days gone by in a fun, but thoughtful way. Their newest program “I Lived Here, As Well – A Woman’s Story” is a one-woman performance with local actress Charmin Russell as the lead. The program follows the stories of six enslaved and formerly enslaved women who lived and worked in the house and for its various owners from 1806 to 1891. The performance runs from now until April 2nd, 2022. For more information visit www.ximenezfatiohouse.org.
Photography by Julia Delbecchi
LOT STA / 15