 During this tumultuous period, St. Augustine was crowded with people requiring room and board.In 1845, when Florida joined the Union as the 27th state, the boarding house industry was firmly established, with a reputation as a healing destination for invalids.The Ximenez-Fatio House has been the site of more than 15 archaeological digs — more than any other property in St. Augustine, according to St. Augustine City Archaeologist Carl Halbirt.