57 Chapin Street

Note: This is a private residence. If you plan to visit this site to view the historical marker, be respectful.

Willie Lee "The Wisp" Galimore (March 30, 1935 – July 27, 1964) is the most famous athlete to call the "Ancient City" home.

As a child, Galimore attended Excelsior High School in St. Augustine's Lincolnville Historic District. After playing college football for Florida A&M University, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1956.

The St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement

In 1964, during the height of Dr. Martin Luther King's campaign here, Willie Galimore visited his hometown of St. Augustine to join the protests. That summer, Galimore desegregated the Ponce de Leon Motor Lodge, becoming the first Black person to register as a guest there.

On July 27 1964, Willie Galimore was in a tragic car accident that took his life — mere weeks after his final visit to St. Augustine.

Galimore's Legacy

In 1984, the Willie Galimore Center was built in the Lincolnville neighborhood, only blocks away from where he attended high school. (Learn more about visiting the Willie Galimore Recreation Center on VisitStAugustine.com.)

Galimore was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

The ACCORD Freedom Trail Marker at 57 Chapin Street was unveiled to the public in July of 2007.

Resources

Tap the blue underlined text to view the following online resources.

Willie Galimore Bio and Career Highlights from the College Football Hall of Fame.

"Remembering St. Augustine Legend Willie Galimore" 2014 article from the St. Augustine Record.

#FaceofthePlaces Facebook Post about Willie Galimore, from the City of St. Augustine's Facebook page 

Willie Lee Galimore's obituary, from Newspapers.com