Originally founded in 1877, St. Augustine Transfer Company historically operated as a horse-drawn carriage service - the predominant operator in the city of St. Augustine, and the oldest operating carriage company in the continental United States until 2013.
     Started by Louis A. Colee, Transfer Co. provided standard transportation services throughout the city, along streets designed in 1565 with carriages and horseback traffic in mind. Colee's carriages ferried residents and visitors from the new East Coast Railway depot to Henry Flagler's hotels (as in the photo above). In fact, legend has it that Henry himself first saw the city in a carriage driven by Louis Colee.
     As automobiles became the prevalent mode of transportation, Colee pivoted to tourism, transforming Transfer into sightseeing carriage service, which remained its primary function until 2013.
     In Transfer's current form and under new ownership, we offer tours of the historic downtown district. We're proud of the long history St. Augustine Transfer Company maintains in the city of St. Augustine -- it's a little ways off, but stay tuned for special events celebrating the company's 150th birthday in 2027!