Mission San Luis: 1,400 Apalachee, burned in 1704 (Tallahassee, 1656–1704)

SUMMARYMission San Luis: 1,400 Apalachee, burned in 1704 (Tallahassee, 1656–1704) [Connections: Tallahassee & Orlando, Nov 5, 2026]

RECORDThe mission was built in 1656. "By 1675 more than 1,400 Apalachee and several hundred Spanish lived under the jurisdiction of San Luis" (uncited on the page). After raids by Carolina colonists and their Creek allies, "At the end of July 1704... the Apalachee washed their hands of the Spanish," and "the Apalachee and Spanish together burned the fort and the entire village to the ground." The Apalachee "dispersed to the west, east, and north; some willingly, while many others were enslaved by the English" (citing Hann 1988, 234–236). Tallahassee's history says the missions were built to supply "food and labor for the colony."

PATTERNThe Spanish mission was a labor system built on Apalachee towns; its end sent many Apalachee into English slavery

LENS (WW9)The mission was a work camp in a church's clothing, and its end put the Apalachee in chains

OPENWhether people of African descent lived at San Luis is not stated on the page: needs deep research (Hann and McEwan 1998)

SOURCEMission San Luis de Apalache (Wikipedia), citing John H. Hann, Apalachee: The Land between the Rivers (1988), 234–236.