Spanish Colonial Era in Florida Photos

Spain ruled Florida as a colony from shortly after Columbus arrived in the new world until shortly after the American revolution. Florida was important to Spain in that as riches of the western hemisphere left Cuba, sailing ships going back to Spain had to go north to catch the Gulf Stream, for purposes of navigation, for defense against pirates & to pick up final supplies. Fortified St Augustine became the point where such ships turned eastward. Many of the artifacts from the Spanish era come from shipwrecks along that coast.
Florida was divided into two provinces with the eastern capital at St Augustine & the western one at Pensacola. When Britain captured the more important Havana in 1763, Spain traded Florida to get Cuba back. After the British lost the American Revolution, they gave Florida back to Spain in 1783 to keep it out of U.S. hands. However, Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1821.

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Map of network of about 100 Spanish mission (1560s-1690s) & King's Highway joining them across northern Florida at San Luis Archeological & Historic Site. Tallahassee, FL	Reconstruction of Mission San Luis de Talimali church established (1656) by Franciscans to serve Apalachee Indians. Tallahassee, FL	Interior of still consecrated San Luis mission church which between 1656 & 1704 served a village of 1,400 Indians & Spaniards. Tallahassee, FL	Reconstructed Spanish house at San Luis Mission site which was Spain's capitol of Western Florida & a major stop on the El Camino Real to St Augustine. Tallahassee, FL

Interior of Spanish house with swinging shelves to alert residents to vermin at San Luis Historic Site. Tallahassee, FL	Original & replica polychrome pottery plates from Spanish colonial era at San Luis Historic Site. Tallahassee, FL	Pottery barber's bowl recovered from Spanish shipwreck in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL	Bottles recovered from Spanish shipwreck in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL

Worked gold plate recovered from Spanish shipwreck in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL	Early Spanish plate, fork & spoon in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL	Colonial Spanish candlestick in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL	Spanish gold coins recovered from Spanish shipwreck in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL

Spanish gold coins in Museum of Florida History. Tallahassee, FL	Gold ear pick with dog motif recovered from Spanish ship wreck off Florida at Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Miami, FL	Engraved gold platter recovered from Spanish ship wreck off Florida at Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Miami, FL	8, 4, 2, & 1 Escudo gold coins (1713-4) from Spanish ship wreck at Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Miami, FL

Gonzales-Alvarez House (1702), known as The Oldest House in Florida. St Augustine, FL. On National Register.	Stone coat of arms with lions in garden of The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Ground floor room of The Oldest House as furnished in Spanish Colonial times. St Augustine, FL	Brazier in center of Spanish Colonial living room in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL

Majolica pottery bowl as might have been used in Spanish Colonial period in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Majolica pottery pitcher in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Majolica pottery pitcher in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Hanging oil lamp in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL

Hanging shelf with Spanish colonial-style pottery in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Spanish colonial desk in The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Astrolabe (1603) in museum of The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Spanish silver coins in museum of The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL

Tile mural of Don Pedro Menendez de-Aviles (1519-74) who founded St Augustine on Sept. 8, 1565 in museum of The Oldest House. St Augustine, FL	Clothing & helmet of Spanish soldier (c1565) who did not have uniforms at Museum of Florida's Military. St Augustine, FL	Mural of Spanish building first St Augustine Cathedral (c1565). St Augustine, FL	Statue of Juan Ponce de Leon near spot where he landed during his discovery of Florida in 1513. St Augustine, FL

Along St George Street with closest reconstructed Lorenzo Gomez (prior to 1763) & other houses of Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum & old city gate at end. St Augustine, FL	Candle making at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Blacksmith making a nail at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Bedroom of house in Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL

Swinging shelves with glass & pottery objects in Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Scribe writes with quill pen at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Tools for pen & ink making & writing in house of scribe at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Carpenter turn wood on treadle lathe at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL

Bedroom of house in Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Dining area in Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Kitchen in Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Leather worker's shop at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL

Leather craftsman at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL	Castillo de San Marcos Spanish fort (1672-95) now run by the National Parks Service guards Matanzas Inlet. St Augustine, FL. On National Register.	Corner guard post of Castillo de San Marcos. St Augustine, FL	Burgundy Cross flag of first Spanish Colonial period in Florida (1506-1785) over Castillo de San Marcos. St Augustine, FL

Sole entrance & second drawbridge of Castillo de San Marcos. St Augustine, FL	National Parks interpreter in mid 18th C Spanish Colonial uniform Castillo de San Marcos. St Augustine, FL	Dry moat of Castillo de San Marcos. Wet moat not required to protect against tunneling sappers because water table is naturally high. St Augustine, FL	Corroded original of Castille et Leon royal shield which graced ravelin of Castillo de San Marcos from 1752-1958. St Augustine, FL

Interior courtyard of Castillo de San Marcos. St Augustine, FL	Antique cannon in courtyard of Castillo de San Marcos. St Augustine, FL	Tableau Ponce de Leon finding Fountain of Youth (1513) at spring site. St Augustine, FL	Statue of Don Pedro Menendez de-Aviles (1519-74) who founded St Augustine on Sept. 8, 1565 as Conquistador Captain General. St Augustine, FL