Santa Isabel de Utinahica facts for kids
Santa Isabel de Utinahica was a Spanish mission that existed from about 1610 to 1640. Experts from the Fernbank Museum of Natural History believe it was located in what is now Telfair County, Georgia, near a town called Jacksonville. This small mission served the Utinahica tribe, who lived in that area.
The mission was part of a group of missions set up by Spain in the northern parts of its colony called Spanish Florida. These missions were similar to the famous Spanish missions in California or those in Mexico.
What Was the Mission For?
The Santa Isabel de Utinahica mission operated for about 20 years in the early 1600s. It was a religious outpost, meaning it was a place where one Catholic friar (a type of priest) was sent. His job was to teach the local Native American people about Christianity and to keep an eye on them at the edge of the Spanish colony.
The name "Utinahica" came from the local Native American chiefdom (a group led by a chief). These people were part of the larger Timucua group and might have been ancestors of today's Creek people.
Where Was Santa Isabel de Utinahica?
The exact spot where the Santa Isabel de Utinahica mission was located is not known for sure today. In April 2006, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources started looking for it. They spent three summers digging in the area where the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers join to form the Altamaha River.
However, they did not find any clear proof of the mission itself. They only found buildings and items from the Muskogean (early Creek) people. They also found some trade items that probably came from the Spanish. In the 1600s, the Spanish called the Altamaha River the "Rio de Santa Isabel," named after this mission that did not last very long.
See Also
In Spanish: Santa Isabel de Utinahica para niños
