Opening in 1926-1927, as Atlantic Boulevard, it was frequently referred to instead as the Coastal Highway, but also, State Road 1, becoming the primary route to the south, delivering goods to the northern states and offering tourists the luxury of a warm winter vacation in the Sunshine State. By 1929 the Coastal Highway extended from Maine to Miami and was all but complete. By the 1930s, A1A had different local names and highway numbers dependent on whether you drove the stretch north or south of St. Augustine.

In 1945, the highway (SR-1) was renamed, A1A in order to curb confusion with the nearby US-1. In 2024, the road name was changed to Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway. The Florida Legislature unanimously passed this name change into law and was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in June 2024.]]> The following books, articles, websites, and photographers were used to find the above photographs or illustrations:

Map (c.1929): Ponce de Leon Celebration First Week in April: St. Augustine, Florida. City Commission of St. Augustine on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Printed by The Record Company, [1929].

Photograph 1 (1946): Browning, Vivian C., Sallie L. O’Hara, John T. Pilechi, and Vilano Beach Main Street. Images of America: Vilano and the North Beaches. Acadia Publishing, 2015.

Photograph 2 (1995): Browning, Vivian C., Sallie L. O’Hara, John T. Pilechi, and Vilano Beach Main Street. Images of America: Vilano and the North Beaches. Acadia Publishing, 2015.

Photograph 3 (2025): Kozlowski, Beata. "Florida Scenic Highway A1A Sign North and South." July 1, 2025.

Photograph 4 (2025): Zufelt, Holly. "A1A South." July 25, 2025.

Photograph 5 (2025): Zufelt, Holly. "A1A North." October 24, 2025.

The following articles and/or websites were used to find information about this location:

Graham, Thomas. Mr. Flagler’s St. Augustine. Univ. of Florida Press, 2014.

Kim’s Guide to Florida. Anna Maria, FL: Ethel Byrum Kimball, 1937.

Kleinberg, Eliot. “Florida History: A1A Is Arguably the Most Romantic Road in Florida.” The Palm Beach Post, July 30, 2020. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/history/2020/07/30/florida-history-a1a-is-arguably-most-romantic-road-in-florida/112604154/.

Overdeep, Meghan. “Florida Historic A1A Officially Named After Beloved Music Legend.” Southern Living, September 6, 2024. https://www.southernliving.com/florida-a1a-jimmy-buffett-8707956.

Ponce de Leon Celebration First Week in April: St. Augustine, Florida. City Commission of St. Augustine on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Printed by The Record Company, [1929].

Real Estate Reporter. “The Story of Florida’s Famous HWY A1A & Its Impact on Volusia County.” Grizzard Real Estate, August 31, 2018. https://blog.eragrizzard.com/hometalk/the-story-of-floridas-famous-hwy-a1a-its-impact-on-volusia-county.]]> Anastasia Island.]]> Anastasia State Park is bordered to the west by HWY A1A.]]> The Bridge of Lions is part of Highway A1A.]]> The east and west parts of Butler Beach are divided by HWY A1A.]]> Capo's Bathhouse used to be accessed from Bay Street.]]> Castillo de San Marcos is on the San Marcos Avenue stretch of this road.]]> Crescent Beach.]]> The eastern terminus of Cuna Street deadends into S. Castillo Drive.]]> HWY A1A runs through the GTMNERR conservation lands.]]> Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille is on Avenida Menendez.]]> Huguenot Cemetery is on San Marco Avenue.]]> Avenida Menendez intersect with the eastern terminus of Hypolita Street.]]> The King's Road used to be part of the Shell Road (the San Marco Avenue Street of this road).]]> Highway A1A splits the Marineland property.]]> Highway A1A crosses the Matanzas River/Bay/Intercoastal several times.]]> HWY A1A borders the western boundary of Micker's Landing.]]> The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios is bordered by the San Marco Avenue stretch of road.]]> HWY A1A runs through North Beach and is the northern edge of Vilano Beach.]]> O.C. Whites is on Avenida Menendez.]]> The Old City Gates would have merged St. George Street and the S. Castillo Drive section of this road before St. George Street stopped at Orange Street and the Old City Gates became a tourist landmark.]]> The Old Jail Museum is located on the San Marco Avenue stretch of HWY A1A.]]> HWY A1A runs through Ponte Vedra Beach.]]> Ripley's Believe It or Not! is on the San Marcos Avenue stretch of this road.]]> Highway A1A merges with San Marco/Castillo Drive/Avenida Menendez for several miles through town.]]> The Seawall borders all of the Avenida Menendez stretch of this road.]]> The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is bordered by HWY A1A on the eastern side.]]> Summer Haven.]]> The eastern terminus of Treasury Street is on Avenida Menendez.]]> The Visitor Information Center and the Old Spanish Trail Zero Marker are both on San Marco Avenue where the San Marco Hotel had been.]]> The following St. Augustine Fiction books feature this historic site as a location:

Forbidden Area
Stepping Off a Cliff
Sugar Cage]]>