Los Adaes
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| Los Adaes | |
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| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
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| Nearest city: | Robeline, Louisiana |
| Built/Founded: | 1721 |
| Designated as NHL: | June 23, 1986[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | June 07, 1978[2] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 78001427 |
| Governing body: | State |
Los Adaes was the capital of Tejas on the northeastern frontier of New Spain from 1729 to 1770. It included a mission, San Miguel de Linares de los Adaes, and a presidio, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes (Our Lady of Pilar of the Adaes). The site is located in the present-day Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. The Los Adaes State Historic Site preserves the site.
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[edit] History
The mission at Los Adaes was founded by Domingo Ramón some time prior to 1719, but it was abandoned in that year when threated by the French. The Marqués de Aguayo led an expedition to the region in 1721, and recoccupied the mission. Upon Aguayo's departure from the area, he left a presidio manned by 100 Spanish cavalry troops and several Franciscans.[3]
In 1729, Los Adaes was named the capital of Tejas. But at the same time, the garrison was reduced to sixty troops in order to lessen administrative costs.[3]
Although the Spanish settlers in the area did not encounter hostile Native Americans, since the local Caddoan speaking peoples were friendly, the Franciscan missionaries were unsuccsessful in converting the local people to Catholicism. After several years of frustration in this regard, in 1768 the College of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Zacatecas, which was the sponsor of the missionaries at Los Adaes, recalled their missionaries, and the mission was closed.[3]
Because of the long distance between Los Adaes and the rest of the populated portions of Tejas, the settlers in the area turned most often to the French colonists in neighboring Natchitoches, Louisiana for trade. Thus the colony of Los Adaes, which had been established to prevent the spread of French influence in the area, grew to depend upon the French themselves for its survival. In addition, the French trade goods spread among the local Native Americans, in itself helping to spread French influence. [3]
In 1762, ownership of Louisiana was passed from France to Spain. Thus the purpose for existence of the colony of Los Adaes came at an end, since it was no longer needed as a buffer against French expansion. In 1772, the Spanish crown ordered the abandonment of Los Adaes, and the transfer of the inhabitants to San Antonio de Bexar, present-day San Antonio. The inhabitants of Los Adaes, although required to abandon their homes, did not, in fact, transfer to San Antonio, but instead founded what is now Nacogdoches, Texas. The last inhabitants left Los Adaes in 1773.[3]
The site of Los Adaes was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986.[1][5]
[edit] Present day
Today the site of Los Adaes is the Los Adaes State Historic Site near the town of Robeline, Louisiana. The Los Adaes site has proven to be one of the most important archaeological sites for the study of colonial Spanish culture.
Dr Hiram F. "Pete" Gregory Jr., an archaeologist at nearby Northwestern State University and one-time Louisiana Division of Archaeology regional archaeologist for northwest Louisiana, conducted landmark excavations at the historic presidio during the 1960's through the 1980's.[citation needed] In the 1990's, Dr George Avery was appointed to the newly-created position of station archaeologist of the Los Adaes State Park.[citation needed] In this capacity, Avery picked up where Gregory left off and contributed a great deal in his own right.[citation needed] Los Adaes has since lost its station archaeologist position.[citation needed] However, Avery, Gregory, and other archaeologists specializing in the Spanish colonial borderlands continue to advance the knowledge of this frontier outpost.[citation needed] Gregory, in particular, has championed the need for more academic interest in Los Adaes and the colonial history of northern and central Louisiana in general.[citation needed]
Many of the descendants of the original Spanish population of Los Adaes live seven mile north of Los Adaes in the Spanish Lake community and in Nacogdoches Texas, as well as a small rural community near Toledo Bend Lake called Ebarb, where several hundred direct descendants of Y'Barbo still reside.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Los Adaes. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved on 2008-02-01.
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ a b c d e Los Adaes. The Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association (2008-01-18). Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
- ^ Los Adaes
- ^ Mark R. Barnes (September 24, 1992), National Historic Landmark Nomination: LOS ADAES / Nuestra Senora del Pilar Presidio (16NA8); San Miguel de Los Adaes Mission (16NA16)PDF (1.45 MiB), National Park Service
[edit] External links
- virtual museum showing the history of Los Adaes
- Los Adaes State Historic Site (LA)
- Los Adaes: An 18th-Century Capital of Texas in Northwestern Louisiana by George Avery, Los Adaes Station Archaeologist.
- The Story of St. Denis
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