Where was the first European settlement in Pensacola?
For centuries, the exact location of Tristán de Luna y Arellano’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola — the first multi-year European settlement in the United States — has been a mystery. Not anymore.
Is Pensacola the oldest city in Florida?
Pensacola and St. Augustine continually compete for the title of most ancient city in America. Pensacola is actually a tad older, but St. Augustine touts itself as being the oldest "continuously occupied" city in America. Pensacola Beach is a short hop across the waterway and has some of the finest white sand beaches in Florida.
What happened to the original Pensacola?
A hurricane drove the French from Pensacola in 1722 and the Spanish moved the town from the storm-vulnerable barrier island to the mainland. The French captured the settlement in 1719 and remained in control for three years. They burned the settlement upon their retreat in 1722. The area was rebuilt, but ravaged by hurricanes in 1752 and 1761.
What was the first Spanish settlement in Florida?
Pensacola was permanently reestablished by the Spanish in 1698 and became the largest city in Florida and the capital of the colony of West Florida. Another important Spanish settlement was established at Saint Marks in Wakulla county (San Marcos de Apalache).
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Is Pensacola FL The oldest city?
Researchers at the University of West Florida say they've proved Spanish Explorer, Tristan de Luna established his Spanish colony of Pensacola in August of 1559. That's six years before St. Augustine, which claims it's the oldest because it's been continuously occupied.
What is the oldest settlement in Florida?
St. AugustineFounded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States. Forty-two years before the English colonized Jamestown and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the Spanish established at St.
Was Pensacola the first capital of Florida?
The capital of East Florida was St. Augustine, and the capital of West Florida was Pensacola. Most settlers lived in the northern portion of Florida, with Seminole Indians scattered throughout the peninsula. The Legislative Council of the new Florida Territory first met on July 22, 1822 in Pensacola.
Why is Pensacola famous?
Pensacola is one of the most popular destinations both in the Florida Panhandle and the whole state of Florida, thanks to its numerous attractions that the whole family can enjoy. The white, sandy beaches are just the beginning of the Emerald Coast's offerings.
What is the 2nd oldest city in Florida?
The only city in the U.S. older than Punta Gorda is The Villages, a Census-designated retirement community in Central Florida, whose median age is 67.5. The second- and third-oldest cities are also in Florida: Homosassa Springs and Vero Beach.
Who were the 1st settlers in America?
Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson set foot in North America and established a settlement.
What's the oldest settlement in America?
St. AugustineSt. Augustine, founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States – more commonly called the "Nation's Oldest City."
What was America's first settlement?
The invasion of the North American continent and its peoples began with the Spanish in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida, then British in 1587 when the Plymouth Company established a settlement that they dubbed Roanoke in present-day Virginia.
What does the word Pensacola mean?
hair-peoplecity on the Gulf coast of the Florida panhandle, named for a Muskogean tribe, from Choctaw, literally "hair-people," from pashi "hair of the head" + oklah "people."
What's the oldest building in Pensacola?
Dating back to 1810, the Quina House Museum is Pensacola's oldest building still in its original location. Visit the museum free of charge to learn more!
When was Pensacola abandoned?
1561The troubles of the Spanish settlers increased when a violent storm arose. It resulted in the loss of ships, supplies, and men. In 1561, the Pensacola settlement was abandoned.
Is Pensacola better than Panama City?
In comparison to Panama City, Pensacola has a much more laid-back and quiet vibe. Pensacola is the westernmost major city on the Florida panhandle, located just 25 miles from Alabama. It is a little more out-of-the-way for most travelers than Panama City, and therefore is less touristy.
Where is the oldest place in Florida?
St. Augustine San AgustínSt. Augustine, FloridaSt. Augustine San Agustín (Spanish)CountryUnited StatesStateFloridaCountySt. JohnsEstablishedSeptember 8, 156529 more rows
Who were the first people to settle there in Florida?
Early Settlers The first European settlement in Florida was established by French Protestants in 1564. They were led by French explorer Rene de Laudonniere and built Fort Caroline near current day Jacksonville. A year later, in 1565, the Spanish built a fort at St. Augustine.
What are the three oldest cities in Florida?
This list highlights the seven oldest cities in Florida, which all still exist today.Quincy. Year Established: 1828. ... Marianna. Year Established: 1827. ... Tallahassee. Year Established: 1824. ... Key West. Year Established: informally settled in the 16th century; officially claimed by the U.S. in 1822. ... Fernandina Beach. ... Pensacola. ... St.
What is the oldest settlement in the United States?
St. AugustineSt. Augustine, founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States – more commonly called the "Nation's Oldest City."
When did the Spanish capture Pensacola?
The Spanish recaptured Pensacola in 1781 and retained control until 1821 (excepting three short-lived invasions by American General Andrew Jackson in 1813, 1814, and 1818). It developed as a frontier garrison town and trading post, where European men took Creek and African women as partners and developed mixed-race families. In 1821 under the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain ceded all of Spanish Florida to the United States in exchange for payment.
When was Pensacola Bay discovered?
The area's recorded history begins in the 16th century, when the first European explorers came there. Early exploration of Pensacola Bay (called Polonza or Ochuse by the Spanish) spanned decades, with members of expeditions under Pánfilo de Narváez (1528), and Hernando de Soto (1539) visiting the area.
What was the first European settlement in the United States?
The historical era begins with the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 16th century. In 1559 Tristan de Luna established a short-lived settlement at Pensacola Bay ; it was the first multi-year European settlement in what is now the continental United States but was abandoned after two years. In the late 17th century the Spanish returned to the area to found the modern Pensacola as an outpost from which to defend their claims to Spanish Florida. The city's strategic but isolated position, combined with continued European rivalries played out in North America, led to it changing hands among different Western powers a number of times. At different times it was held by the Spanish, the French, the British, the United States, and the Confederate States of America.
What was the British colony of Florida?
West and East Florida were transferred from French and Spanish control to British control. The British colony of West Florida , with its capital at Pensacola, included all of the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, as well as southwestern Alabama, southern Mississippi, and the Florida parishes of modern Louisiana. West Flori da included the important cities of Pensacola, Mobile, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, and, disputably, Natchez. In 1763, the British laid out Pensacola 's modern street plan. British East Florida, with its capital at Saint Augustine, included the rest of modern Florida, including the eastern part of the Panhandle.
What was the British plan for Pensacola?
Following Great Britain's victory over both France and Spain in the Seven Years War (known in America as the French and Indian War ), in 1763 the British took control of Pensacola under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763).
What was the greatest threat to colonial Florida?
Conflict with French and British interests was common. Spain's informal alliance with France meant that the greatest threat to colonial Florida was from British privateers, smugglers and traders. Their ability to sell goods to the Indians and Spanish colonists more cheaply than companies from Spain did diminished local support for the Bourbon monarchy in Madrid .
What colony was West Florida?
The British colony of West Florida, with its capital at Pensacola, included all of the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, as well as southwestern Alabama, southern Mississippi, and the Florida parishes of modern Louisiana.
Where did the name Pensacola come from?
The name Pensacola came from the Spanish word for the Indians they found in this area in the 1500's when Panfilo de Narvaez and Hernando de Soto were stomping around. Pensacola, Florida celebrated its 450th birthday in 2009. Tristan de Luna y Arellano came to Pensacola in 1559 with 1400 people on 11 ships to settle the area.
Where is Pensacola Beach?
Pensacola Beach is a short hop across the waterway and has some of the finest white sand beaches in Florida.
When did Spain give Florida back to the United States?
Spain ceded Florida to the British in 1763, but Britain gave it back after the Revolutionary War. Finally Spain sold Florida to the United States and Pensacola was in the United States as of 1821.
How long did the Spanish stay in Florida?
The Spanish decided not to settle northwest Florida for a while and abandoned the area for more than 100 years.
When is the Fiesta of Five Flags in Pensacola Florida?
The Fiesta of Five Flags is held the first two weeks of June, and is a ten day event.
When did Spain leave Florida?
The Spanish decided not to settle northwest Florida for a while and abandoned the area for more than 100 years. Spain ceded Florida to the British in 1763, but Britain gave it back after the Revolutionary War. Finally Spain sold Florida to the United States and Pensacola was in the United States as of 1821.
When did the first people come to Florida?
Settlers began to arrive from other states in the 1820s not long after Florida became a territory.
What is the history of Pensacola?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. Pensacola, Florida has had an impressive history, being the first European settlement in the continental United States. Pensacola has been under the possession of the Spanish, French, British, United States, Confederate States, ...
Why was Pensacola named Pensacola?
The city and its bay were named after the Panzacola Indians, a tribe that lived near the bay when the Spanish arrived. The name was changed to Pensacola to make it easier to pronounce for the Spanish. Despite the original settlement's destruction, the name was preserved and used when the area was re-settled during the 17th Century.
What was the British colony of Florida?
West and East Florida were transferred from French and Spanish control to British control. The British colony of West Florida , with its capital at Pensacola, included all of the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, as well as southwestern Alabama, southern Mississippi, and the Florida parishes of modern Louisiana. West Florida included the important cities of Pensacola , Mobile, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, and, disputably, Natchez. In 1763, the British laid out Pensacola 's modern street plan. This period included the major introduction of the slave-based cotton plantation economy and new settlement by Protestant Anglo-British-Americans and black slaves. British East Florida, with its capital at Saint Augustine, included the rest of modern Florida, including the eastern part of the Panhandle.
What was the second Spanish period?
Second Spanish period (1722-1763) The area was rebuilt, but ravaged by hurricanes in 1752 and 1761. Population growth remained modest during this period, which was characterized by missionary work with Indians and the development of Pensacola as an important port and military outpost.
How did the reconstruction of Florida affect the economy?
The ravages of Reconstruction greatly damaged the region's economy , but also allowed newly freed slaves an opportunity that they did not possess prior to the Civil War. Within the years following the end of the Civil War, the Freedman's Bureau helped to establish schools to teach African-Americans and poor whites to read, helping them to become more active participants in the local government and the community as a whole. Florida was readmitted to the Union on June 25, 1868. Within years, Pensacola had for its first time several African-Americans, some who were enslaved only a few years before, serving in local government. One man, Salvador Pons, even served as mayor of Pensacola in 1878. However, with the end of Reconstruction, came a reassertion of white hegemony on the local political landscape that lasted for over a century afterward.
What was the name of the colony of West Florida?
West and East Florida were transferred from French and Spanish control to British control. The British colony of West Florida, with its capital at Pensacola, included all of the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, as well as southwestern Alabama, southern Mississippi, and the Florida parishes of modern Louisiana.
When did the Spanish recapture Pensacola?
Third Spanish period (1781-1819) The Spanish recaptured Pensacola in 1781 and retained control (excepting three short-lived invasions by American General Andrew Jackson in 1813, 1814, and 1818) until 1821, when the Adams-Onís Treaty ceded all of Spanish Florida to the United States.
Who were the original inhabitants of Pensacola?
The original inhabitants of the Pensacola Bay area were Native American peoples. At the time of European contact, a Muskogean -speaking tribe known to the Spanish as the Pensacola lived in the region. This name was not recorded until 1677, but the tribe appears to be the source of the name "Pensacola" for the bay and thence the city. Creek people, also Muskogean-speaking, came regularly from present-day southern Alabama to trade, so the peoples were part of a broader regional and even continental network of relations.
When was Pensacola Bay discovered?
The area's written recorded history begins in the 16th century, with documentation by Spanish explorers who were the first Europeans to reach the area. The expeditions of Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528 and Hernando de Soto in 1539 both visited Pensacola Bay, the latter of which documented the name "Bay of Ochuse".
What was the name of the first European settlement in the United States?
Confederate States of America 1861–1865. United States 1821–1861 and 1865 to present. Pensacola was the site of one of the first European -inhabited settlements in what would later become the United States of America.
What happened after the Spanish captured Florida?
After Spain joined the American Revolution in 1779 on the side of the rebels, Spanish forces captured the city in the 1781 Battle of Pensacola, gaining control of West Florida. After the war, the British officially ceded both West Florida and East Florida to Spain as part of the post-war peace settlement .
When was the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad built?
The line to Pensacola was not rebuilt until 1868, and was acquired by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1880. In 1882, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad was completed from Pensacola to Chattahoochee, Florida, linking Pensacola with the rest of the state. This line was also acquired by the L&N.
Where is Pensacola State College?
The main campus of Pensacola State College is in the City of Pensacola. The University of West Florida (UWF) operates a campus in downtown Pensacola. Its main campus, located north of the city, has the largest library in the region, the John C. Pace Library. UWF is the largest post-secondary institution in the area.
Who owns Pensacola News Journal?
The largest daily newspaper in the area is the Pensacola News Journal, with offices on Romana Street in downtown; the News Journal is owned by the Gannett Company. There is an alternative weekly newspaper, Inweekly .
Overview
The history of Pensacola, Florida, begins long before the Spanish claimed founding of the modern city in 1698. The area around present-day Pensacola was inhabited by Native American peoples thousands of years before the historical era.
The historical era begins with the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 16th century. In 1559 Tristan de Luna established a short-lived settlement at Pensacola Bay; it was the first multi-year European s…
Etymology
This area was first documented as "Panzacola" in 1686, when a maritime expedition, headed by Juan Enríquez Barroto and Antonio Romero, visited Pensacola Bay in February 1686. Barroto and Romero had orders to survey the entire northern Gulf coast from San Marcos de Apalache (near Tallahassee) westward, looking for the new French "lost colony" of Fort St. Louis, which René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle had established at Matagorda Bay in 1685.
Prehistory
The area was largely devoid of indigenous Native American inhabitants. Given the area's advantages, it was frequently a destination for hunting and fishing by Creek people from present-day southern Alabama and Georgia.
The best-known Pensacola Culture site in terms of archeology is the Bottle Creek site, a large site located on a low swampy island north of Mobile, Alabama. This site has at least 18 large earthwo…
First Spanish period (1559–1719)
European exploration of the area began in the 16th century. In 1516 Diego Miruelo may have been the first European to sail into Pensacola Bay. Members of the expeditions of Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528 and Hernando de Soto in 1539 visited the bay, during the latter of which Francisco Maldonado recorded its name as the Bay of Ochuse, related to the Indian province.
French period (1719–1722)
Governor of French Louisiana, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, took Pensacola for France on May 14, 1719, arriving with his fleet and a large ground force of allied Indian warriors. The Spanish commander of Pensacola, Metamoras, had not heard that war had been declared between France and Spain, and his garrison was so small that he believed it would be useless to resist. At four o'clock in the afternoon, he surrendered on the conditions that private citizens and property …
Second Spanish period (1722–1763)
The area was rebuilt, but it was ravaged by hurricanes in 1752 and 1761. Population growth remained modest during this period, which was characterized by Spanish missionary work with Indians and the development of Pensacola as an important port and military outpost. Conflict with French and British interests was common. Spain's informal alliance with France meant that the greatest threat to colonial Florida was from British privateers, smugglers and traders. Their abilit…
British West Florida (1763–1781)
Following Great Britain's victory over both France and Spain in the Seven Years War (known in America as the French and Indian War), in 1763 the British took control of Pensacola under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763). During the period of British rule, the area began to prosper following establishment of the Panton, Leslie Company in 1785, which had a trading post attracting Creek pe…
Third Spanish period (1781–1819)
The Spanish recaptured Pensacola in 1781 and retained control until 1821 (excepting three short-lived invasions by American General Andrew Jackson in 1813, 1814, and 1818). It developed as a frontier garrison town and trading post, where European men took Creek and African women as partners and developed mixed-race families. In 1821 under the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain c…
First Spanish Period
French Period
- The French, who had established earlier settlements further west at Mobileand Biloxi, held Pensacola during this period. Overall, French influences were generally dominant among the Creoles on the Gulf Coast west of Pensacola, with Spanish influences dominant among Creoles in the modern Panhandle. A hurricane drove the French from Pensacola in 1722 and the Spanish …
Second Spanish Period
- The area was rebuilt, but ravaged by hurricanes in 1752 and 1761. Population growth remained modest during this period, which was characterized by missionary work with Indians and the development of Pensacola as an important port and military outpost. Conflict with French and British interests was common, although Spain's informal alliance with France meant that the gre…
British West Florida
- At the close of the French and Indian War in 1763 the British took control of Pensacola. It is during the British occupation that the area began to prosper. Pensacola was made the capital of British West Florida and the town was laid out in its current form around the Seville Square district by surveyor and engineer Elias Durnford. At the end of the massive French and Indian War of 1756 …
Third Spanish Period
- The Spanish recaptured Pensacola in 1781 and retained control (excepting three short-lived invasions by American General Andrew Jackson in 1813, 1814, and 1818) until 1821, when the Adams-Onís Treatyceded all of Spanish Florida to the United States. The Spanish now controlled the entire Gulf Coast and Mississippi River Valley, a region vital for shipment of American good…
First United States Period
- In 1825, the area for the Pensacola Navy Yardwas designated and Congress appropriated $6,000 for a lighthouse. The first permanent Protestant Christian congregation (First United Methodist Church) was established in 1827. The Pensacola area is home to three historic U.S. forts, Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas, and Fort McRee, as well as Barrancas National Cemetery. The city an…
Confederate Period
- When Florida seceded from the Union on January 10th, 1861, remaining Union forces in the city evacuated to Fort Pickens. The Confederacy then held Pensacola until the northern invasion of the city in May of 1862. Fort Pickens was never captured by Confederate forces, a feat not duplicated by any other fort in a seceding state. In January of 1861, Florida became the third stat…
Second United States Period
- The ravages of Reconstruction greatly damaged the region's economy, but also allowed newly freed slaves an opportunity that they did not possess prior to the Civil War. Within the years following the end of the Civil War, the Freedman's Bureau helped to establish schools to teach African-Americans and poor whites to read, helping them to become more active participants in t…
Other Notable Facts
- From 1885 to 1887, the famous Apache Indian chief Geronimo was imprisoned in Fort Pickens, along with several of his warriors and their families. Fort Pickens is now a part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and as such, is administered by the United States Park Service. Pensacola was the capital of Florida before Tallahasseewas founded in 1824. _______________________…