Pensacola FL History

The city of Pensacola FL is an exciting place to live and work today. But its colorful past is surprisingly little known and is certainly worthy of a comprehensive study.

Pensacola is located at the western tip of the Florida panhandle on the border with Alabama. Throughout its long history, this historic city has played an important role in the community.

Spanish Settlement

On August 15, 1559, a fleet of 11 Spanish ships sailed into Pensacola Bay. Onboard the 570-ton flagship Jesus, a wealthy and ambitious man named Tristan de Luna y Arellano led the expedition.

Spain's king ordered him to establish a permanent colony in Florida. The expedition landed in Pensacola and unloaded equipment, supplies, and weapons over five weeks.

The settlement was located on a high bluff overlooking the entrance to Pensacola Bay and was called Santa Maria de Galve.

A wood stockade fort was constructed and 400 Spanish and Indian soldiers and mestizos were sent there from Mexico.

The settlement was destroyed in 1719 when Spain’s French allies in Mobile attacked. In 1722, the Spanish returned and established a presidio near the entrance to Pensacola Bay. A great read

French Settlement

The French Settlement is an important part of Pensacola FL history. It was the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States.

The first settlers arrived in Pensacola in 1559, led by Tristan de Luna. However, they quickly ran into problems.

A hurricane destroyed the settlement in 1559, leaving a thousand people to fend for themselves. They eventually abandoned the area in 1561 and returned to Mexico.

During this period, France was expanding its presence in the Caribbean. In fact, the French were planning to establish colonies all along the Atlantic seaboard of Florida.

The Spanish were also growing warier than the French and their increasing maritime power. In 1821, under the Adams-Onis Treaty, Spain ceded all of Spanish Florida to the United States in exchange for payment.

British Settlement

The British settled Pensacola in 1763, transferring Florida from Spain as part of the Treaty of Paris. They ruled West Florida, which included the western Panhandle of modern Florida, southwestern Alabama, and southern Mississippi. Check this

In Pensacola, the British laid out the city as it is now, and built Fort George and two redoubts on high ground overlooking the whole town. During this period, the area became prosperous due to a successful trading company called the Panton-Leslie Company that attracted Creek people from southern Alabama and Georgia.

The settlement was governed by a governor and an appointed council. Citizens were given a certain amount of time to pledge allegiance to the crown or sell out and move elsewhere. This was a very unusual situation for the settlers.

American Settlement

Pensacola FL is home to a number of historic sites, many of which are open to the public. The Pensacola Museum of History is located in the former city hall and features changing exhibits. The Historic Pensacola Village is also worth a visit.

Don't forget to check out America's First Settlement Trail during your stay. This three-mile marked path winds through downtown and the historic district. It includes 20 stops and over 70 points of interest.

In the late 1500s, Spanish conquistador Don Tristan de Luna y Arellano established the first multi-year European settlement in the United States in what is now Pensacola. But a hurricane destroyed the fleet and settlement in 1561, and the colonists fled.

Now, archaeologists at the University of West Florida have uncovered an archaeological site they believe was where Luna and his crew settled in Pensacola. This is the only known earlier European habitation site in the United States. In addition to a rim from a Spanish olive jar, they found sherds of pottery and other artifacts that prove the site was used by the early Europeans.

There are a lot of great places to visit and see in Pensacola, FL. We compiled a quick list here.

Point Of Interest # 1 Emerald Republic Brewing 1414 W Government St, Pensacola, FL 32502

Point Of Interest # 2 Seville Square 311 E Government St, Pensacola, FL 32502

Point Of Interest # 3 Fast Eddies Fun Center 505 W Michigan Ave, Pensacola, FL 32505