Los Adaes facts for kids
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Los Adaes
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Los Adaes flag.
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| Location | Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, USA |
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| Nearest city | Robeline, Louisiana |
| Built | 1721 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001427 (original) 93001622 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 7, 1978 |
| Boundary increase | November 4, 1993 |
| Designated NHL | June 23, 1986 |
Los Adaes was once the capital of Spanish Texas. It was located on the far eastern edge of New Spain, a huge Spanish territory. Los Adaes served as the capital from 1729 to 1770.
The site included a mission called San Miguel de Cuellar de los Adaes. It also had a presidio, which was a fort, named Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes. The name "Adaes" comes from the Adai people, who were the local Native Americans the mission was meant to help.
Today, Los Adaes is a protected area called the Los Adaes State Historic Site. It is located on Louisiana Highway 485 in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. In 1986, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark because of its importance.
Contents
History of Los Adaes
Early European Rivalry
Spain claimed much of the Gulf Coast in North America. But for a long time, they didn't pay much attention to the land east of the Rio Grande. This changed in 1699 when French explorers built forts at Biloxi Bay and on the Mississippi River.
Spain realized that the French were getting too close. They worried that French settlements could threaten other Spanish areas. So, Spain decided to re-establish control over Texas. Texas would act as a buffer zone between Spanish lands and the new French settlements in Louisiana.
Building the Spanish Outpost
On April 12, 1716, an expedition led by Domingo Ramon left for Texas. Their goal was to set up four missions and a presidio (fort). At the same time, the French were building a fort in Natchitoches, Louisiana, which they had founded in 1714.
To counter the French, the Spanish built two more missions just west of Natchitoches. One of these was San Miguel de los Adaes. These missions were in a disputed area. France believed the Sabine River was the border of their Louisiana colony. Spain, however, claimed the Red River was the border of Texas. This meant there was a 45-mile (72 km) overlap that both countries claimed.
The "Chicken War" Incident
In 1719, European countries were fighting in a conflict known as the War of the Quadruple Alliance. In June 1719, seven French soldiers from Natchitoches attacked the mission of San Miguel de los Adaes. The Spanish defender didn't even know the countries were at war.
The French soldiers claimed that 100 more soldiers were on their way. Because of this threat, the Spanish colonists, missionaries, and remaining soldiers quickly left the area. They fled to San Antonio for safety.
Los Adaes Becomes Capital
The Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo offered to help Spain take back Texas. He gathered an army of 500 soldiers. By July 1721, Aguayo reached the Neches River. There, his group met a French force that was planning to attack San Antonio.
The French soldiers were outnumbered and agreed to go back to Louisiana. Aguayo then ordered the building of a new presidio. This fort was named Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes. It was built near present-day Robeline, Louisiana, only 12 miles (19 km) from Natchitoches.
This new fort became the very first capital of Spanish Texas. It was protected by six cannons and 100 soldiers. All six of the Spanish missions in eastern Texas were reopened under the protection of this new presidio.
Daily Life and Challenges
Spain had strict rules about trade in its colonies. They didn't want their colonies to make their own goods. Instead, all trade had to be with Spanish goods, carried by Spanish ships and merchants. Most ports, including those in Texas, were closed to other ships to stop smuggling.
By law, all goods for Texas had to be sent to Vera Cruz in Mexico. Then, they were transported over mountains to Mexico City before finally reaching Texas. This made goods very expensive in Texas settlements. Because Los Adaes was so far from other Spanish towns, settlers often traded with the French in nearby Natchitoches.
The Spanish missionaries and colonists didn't have many goods to trade. This meant they had little to offer the local Indians. The Native Americans remained loyal to the French traders, who had more to offer.
Even though the local Caddoan-speaking people were friendly, the Franciscan missionaries struggled. They were not successful in converting the local people to Catholicism. After many years, the group that sponsored the missionaries at Los Adaes called them back. The mission was then closed in 1768.
Changes in Control and Relocation
On November 3, 1762, France gave the part of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River to Spain. This was part of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. With France no longer a threat, Spain didn't need Los Adaes to be so close to Natchitoches.
The Spanish monarchy asked the Marquis de Rubi to check all the forts on the northern border of New Spain. Rubi suggested that eastern Texas should be completely abandoned. He recommended that everyone move to San Antonio.
In August 1768, the acting governor moved his headquarters and soldiers to San Antonio. In 1772, San Antonio officially became the new capital of Spanish Texas.
The settlers who lived near Los Adaes were forced to move to San Antonio in 1773. In just six years, the population of eastern Texas had grown from 200 European settlers to 500 people. This group included Spanish, French, Native Americans, and some Black people. The settlers were given only five days to get ready for the move. Many died during the three-month journey, and others died soon after arriving.
After many protests, the former residents of eastern Texas were allowed to leave San Antonio in 1774. But they could not settle beyond the Trinity River, which was 175 miles (282 km) from Natchitoches. In 1779, the Comanches started raiding this new settlement.
The former Los Adaes settlers decided to move further east. They went to the old mission of Nacogdoches. There, they founded the town of the same name. This new town quickly became a place for illegal trade.
The site of Los Adaes was named a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
Present Day Site
Today, the site of Los Adaes is the Los Adaes State Historic Site. It is located near the town of Robeline, Louisiana. The Los Adaes site is very important for studying Spanish colonial culture in the United States.
Dr. Hiram F. "Pete" Gregory Jr., an archaeologist from nearby Northwestern State University, led important excavations at the historic fort from the 1960s to the 1980s. In the 1990s, Dr. George Avery became the station archaeologist for the site. He also made many important discoveries.
Even though the site no longer has a full-time archaeologist, Dr. Avery, Dr. Gregory, and other experts continue to learn more about this important frontier outpost. Dr. Gregory, in particular, has pushed for more academic interest in Los Adaes and the colonial history of Louisiana.
