Extensive archaeological investigations have already been conducted on the Apalachee council house and village, the fort, Spanish village and friary. As the capital of the Spanish mission chain in western Florida from 1656 to 1704, Mission San Luis was second in importance only to St. Augustine. The mission town was home to a deputy governor and garrison, Spanish civilians, friars, and more than 1400 Apalachee Indians. The site is a pristine resource for understanding the decline of a powerful Mississippian chiefdom and the effects of missionization on this native society prior to its virtual annihilation. It also provides ideal conditions to evaluate Spanish colonial policy in the hinterland, and to explore the nature of Spanish-Indian relations over a period of several generations.
Admission is free and daily tours are provided.
We are always looking for new and interesting archaeological samples for photography under the microscope. If you have samples that you think we will be interested in, please contact us for shipping instructions. We will be happy to exchange photographs of the samples for their use for a limited time. All Rights Reserved . No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders.