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When you read into California's history under the Spanish, much is written about all the missions and fortifications constructed there during the late 1700s. We have a detailed history available along with a general idea of the demographic/social conditions of Spanish California.
However, I find such little information on the web on Spanish Florida. Wikipedia claims that Florida was two colonies; East Florida centered at St. Augustine and East Florida centered at Pensacola. There was a brief mention of a series of Jesuit missions in other parts of the state; however, little else is discussed on such institutions.
Did Spanish Florida have an extensive system of missionaries and forts throughout the state? Or was Spanish Florida mostly just St. Augustine and Pensacola? Why is this part of the state's history so neglected unlike California's Spanish period? Does anything remain of Spanish Florida outside St. Augustine and Pensacola?
Did Spanish Florida have an extensive system of missionaries and forts throughout the state? Or was Spanish Florida mostly just St. Augustine and Pensacola? Why is this part of the state's history so neglected unlike California's Spanish period? Does anything remain of Spanish Florida outside St. Augustine and Pensacola?
My understanding is that the Gulf Coast of Florida was more important to Spain so Tampa Bay was were the initially concentrated their efforts, unfortunately the Spanish talent for diplomacy convinced the Indians that they wanted no part of having Spaniards in their midst. So between the lack of abundance in Florida and the hostility of the native home owners association the Spanish presence was kept to a minimum.
Over on the east coast of Florida the Spaniard had to contend with the not only the unappreciative indigenous peoples but the pesky French and Brits as well who kept razing their missions all along the Atlantic coast. I might add the the Spanish weren't stupid, there was no gold, silver or anything else of value to find in Florida, the natives were exceedingly hostile, and let's face it, no one wanted Florida until they figured out how to entice retired New Yorkers to move there.
Most of Florida was nothing but swamp and wasteland that was mesquito infested, alligator infested, and snake infested. The climate was very harsh as it was hot and humid most of the year and very rainy. The only inhabitable areas were on the coastline where the settlers could be reached by ship. The Seminole Indians had a large presence in Central and Southern FL and were very powerful in the region. They did not take kindly to these new settlers and were often in conflict with them. These factors limited the number of settlers migrating to FL early on.
When the U.S. acquired FL from Spain, FL became a haven for runaway slaves escaping Alabama and Georgia. Many fled south and joined the Seminole tribes for refuge. The U.S. Army waged a series of wars against the Seminole Indians during the 1840's. The U.S. Army set up bases at Fort Dallas (later Miami), Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. From these bases, they shipped in troops and sent battalions inland to engage the Seminole tribes. They coerced the Seminole leader, Chief Osceola, into surrendering based on a false promise that his life would be spared and his people emancipated. Osceola was tricked into cooperating and was later executed at the hands of the U.S. military. Many of the rest of the Seminole Indians were shipped off on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. That is why today you have the Oklahoma Seminole Tribe and the FL Seminole Tribe. They are descendents of the same people, although many blacks joined in the fighting alongside the Seminole Indians against the U.S. Army. Later, these bases became the modern cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
While Central and Southern FL remained low in population, In Northern FL, white Anglo-Americans began migrating en mass to Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville because they were closer to Georgia and Alabama and had more hospitable climates. Central and Southern FL remained largely unpopulated aside from a few settlements until Henry Flagler built the railroad south during the 1890's.
Where else can you find traces of Spanish settlement today? You can find traces in many FL coastal cities like Miami, Naples, and Sarasota. Miami has an old mission just a few blocks south of downtown Miami that still exists and has been renovated. There is also Viscaya located a few blocks away from there which was an old resort on the bay. Other West Coast Florida cities such as Naples and Sarasota have remnants of historic Spanish buildings. There is an old Spanish resort located in a place called Wakulla Springs about 20 miles outside of Tallahassee, FL. It has been renovated and revived as a resort hotel today. It is a neat place if you ever get an opportunity to check it out.
I know I'm leaving out some places and forgetting about something, but you can do some research.
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