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Following are some photos of reconstruction projects.
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Reconstruction at Mission San Luis |
| The mission church at San Luis was an important symbol of Christianity for the Apalachee and Spaniards alike. It was probably one of the first buildings constructed at San Luis shortly after the site was founded in 1656. Drawing on years of archaeological and historical research, the mission church was the first public building reconstructed on San Luis's central plaza. |  |
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The church measured 50 feet wide by 110 feet long and was built on an east-west orientation. It was a timberframe construction with a massive thatch roof. The main architectural features were the nave, the sanctuary, and a choir loft. The baptistry was located inside the front door on the left-hand side of the entrance. |
| Using two inventories of church furnishings from Spanish Florida, we believe that there were at least six statues (santos), 13 paintings, 2 engravings and 6 brass candlesticks, along with other religious paraphernalia inside the church. It is also likley that since San Luis was the provincial capital, its church had one of the two gilded reredos (altar screens) present in Spanish Florida. |  |
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On October 22, 2000, with more than 600 people in attendance, Most Reverend Bishop John H. Ricard presided overthe first formal mass at Mission San Luis since 1704. |
Two Apalachee buildings have been found through archaeological investigations at San Luis: the council house and a chief’s house. Both of these structures were located on the central plaza and have been reconstructed exactly where they were found.
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The council house was the focus of daily life among the Apalachee, and was the site of most of their political, administrative and ceremonial activities. It was also where the Apalachee prepared for war, held their evening dances, displayed recently taken scalps, brewed their stimulant "Black Drink" or native tea, and it served as an inn for visiting natives and Europeans. |
Niches and cabins around the walls provided beds and seats for native leaders, ordinary Indians, visiting soldiers and other travelers. Leaders’ seats were elevated above the rest and faced the small entrance that opened onto the central plaza at San Luis.
At over 120 feet in diameter, the council house at San Luis is the largest historic period native building found to date in the Southeast. It was made entirely of post and thatch, two concentric rows of benches and a large central hearth. Documents reveal that the council house held between 2,000 and 3,000 people, and that it had a wide opening or skylight in the roof. |
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Native pottery, projectile points, and debitage (flintknapping residue) were found in abundance, along with a modest amount of European materials. Plant remains from the central hearth included Ilex vomitoria used in the preparation of their black drink. These suggest that traditional activities such as deerskin preparation, flintknapping, and black drink ceremonies continued throughout the mission period.
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The chief’s house was equally impressive at 70 feet in diameter (typical Apalachee houses measured between 18-24 feet in diameter). Similar to the council house, the chief’s house was a round, pole and thatch building. It contained a single row of sleeping benches around the wall and a central hearth. |
Artifacts from the chief’s house were predominately native in origin, such as pottery, lithics, and food remains. However, some European materials were also found including glazed pottery, parts of a flintlock, and bone fragments from cow and pig indicating that Apalachee chiefs had access to imported goods and domesticated animals. An unusual find was the large number of quarts crystal beads and pendants that may reflect the dual political and religious authority of native leaders. |
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Since both the council house and the chief’s house were most closely associated with the paramount leader, they were a physical expression of his power. The design, construction methods, and contents of both of these native buildings reveal little direct evidence of Spanish influence on social or political aspects of Apalachee lifeways. | |
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Chief Gilmer
Bennett, his son Art, and five grandchildren of the Talimali
Band of Apalachee Indians, sitting on the chief's bench in the
San Luis council house. Chief Bennett and his family are descendants of those
Apalachee who evacuated San Luis in 1704 and eventually
relocated to the Red River region of Louisiana. They have
visited San Luis several times and returned on March 19, 2000 to see
the Apalachee reconstructions. |
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ission San Luis is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday 10-4, closed Monday.
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.