1 - The first of 3 or 4 soldiers came to Apalachee in 1638 to explore for ports and purchase foodstuffs for the governor. There is no evidence that any fort was built for them or that they had a common domicile. The soldiers traveled around living in council houses and did not constitute a garrison. 2 - The first deputy governor, Claudio Luis de Florencia, arrived in 1645 and lived with his extended family at old San Luis. Nothing is known about the nature of his residence. From 1645 to 1651 soldiers lived at Asile Hacienda on Apalachee's eastern border. The soldiers and deputy governor were both removed late in 1651 and did not return until mid-1654 under a new governor.

3 - Old San Luis's inhabitants moved to the present site after mid-1656 at the request of the Spaniards. The garrison was expanded to 12 and San Luis's chief promised to build a substantial blockhouse for them. Under pressure from other Apalachee, San Luis's chief said that 6 soldiers would suffice. Although the governor planned for further expansion of the garrison and building a regular fort, Apalachee opposition to the project stalled it for well over a generation. The blockhouse at San Luis was described in 1675 as a "fortified country house." From 1656 to 1680 the size of the garrison varied between 12, 19, and 25 men.

4 - The tottering blockhouse was pulled down early in the 1680s and replaced with a temporary makeshift barracks. The garrison was permanently expanded to 40, and sometimes even more for special expeditions. The fort at St. Marks was also built at this time. Lumber was cut for a fort at San Luis 1688, but it was left to rot when the skilled laborers were diverted to construct a fort in Apalachicola country in 1689. This fort was staffed by 20 soldiers and 20 Apalachee warriors.

5 - San Luis's new blockhouse was finally built between October of 1695 and mid-1697. In mid-April of 1696, the governor reported that it was completed except for one-third of the roof. Work was then suspended because of the spring planting. Only in October of 1702, in the wake of a disasterous defeat of a largely Apalachee force on the banks of the Flint River, did they attempt to turn the blockhouse into a proper fort. Work began on the palisade and parapets, as well as a dry moat. It appears to have been completed in 1703 despite the impact of a severe epidemic. At the end of July 1704, the diminished Spanish garrison destroyed the fort and withdrew to St. Augustine.

6 - The only cartographic documentation we have of San Luis is the Admiral Antonio de Landeche map of 1705 which depicts Apalachee Province the year after San Luis was burned and abandoned. Although the spatial relationships of features on the map are incorrect, the generalized depiction of the fort is believed to be relatively accurate. It was a common practice during this time to emphasize the most important element; in this case the fort. Since part of the palisade was still standing in 1705, and one of the soldiers who accompanied Admiral Landeche had been stationed at San Luis and recalled its appearance, we believe that the sketch of the fort complex is probably not too far off the mark.

7 - The fort complex has been an area of intense archaeological interest since the 1940s. Archaeologists who have made their mark here include three founding fathers of Florida archaeology: John W. Griifin, Hale G. Smith, and Charles H. Fairbanks. To date, the blockhouse has been identified, the moat has been located on the north, east and south sides, and one palisade post has been profiled. These remains are believed to be

8 - Although Landeche described the fort as being "faced with palm posts and backed with clay bricks and above strengthened within and without by a platform of planks," there is no archaeological evidence that bricks were used in its construction. There is, however, a different description by Fuentes who described the blockhouse as having walls of mud that were sheathed with boards about three fingers thick. Pine sapling fragments about two inches in diameter, and daub with wattle impressions of similar size, were recovered from the fort and suggest that the blockhouse was a wattle and daub building constructed with saplings as indicated by Fuentes.

9 - Our limited excavations in the blockhouse have revealed that the building contained a number of internal partitions, however, to date we haven't been able to determine the function of various rooms based on artifact distributions. We know from documentary evidence that the fort complex contained the following areas: "...a guardroom, high and low quarters for the soldiers, a room for the powder, and warehouses for the provisions, its curtains and four bastions with artillery and wall-guns..." 10 - Although the fort is generally associated with Spaniards, the importance of Apalachee natives in San Luis's military activities cannot

ission San Luis is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday 10-4. Admission is free. For special tour arrangements or information on living history and educational programming, please call (850) 487-3711. Archaeological and historical research staff may be reached at (850) 487-3655.