Fortify Yourself—the Lesson of Castillo de San Marcos

What can a centuries-old Spanish fort teach you about banking law? Plenty, if you take the time to study it.

The Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida, is the oldest European fortification in the continental United States. Built starting in 1672 by Spanish naval forces who then occupied the area, the purpose of the fort was to guard the waterways leading to the town of St. Augustine, first founded in 1565.

The fort is made from coquina stone, and features four star-shaped bastions that overlook the water. Cannons on top of each bastion guarded against English privateers who sought to capture Spanish fleets and settlements. And in the centuries it’s been there, this fort has never fallen in battle. It’s been passed by treaty from the Spanish to the English, back to the Spanish, then to the United States. But not once has an enemy force breached its walls or forced it to surrender. This ancient fort, which the Spanish spent enormous effort and money to build, can teach us some lessons about foreclosure. What are those lessons? Attorney Michael Wasylik visited this ancient fort, and in this video, he explains.