Los Adaes Historic Site

What is now the Los Adaes State Historic Site was the site of a Spanish mission established in 1716 as San Miguel de los Adaes. The purpose of the mission was to convert the Caddo Adai American Indians living west of Natchitoches and also an attempt to stop French expansion and influence into the region. In 1721, a new mission was built slightly to the east of the original along with a presidio to bolster the outposts military presence. Los Adaes was the capital of Spanish Texas from 1729-1770.

The Los Adaes military outposts were built as a response to the French fort St. Jean Baptiste in Natchitoches. Even though the French and Spanish were rivals fighting for American territory, both outposts formed strong communal bonds. They would intermarry between the two and engage in extensive illegal border trade. Life at Los Adaes was difficult due to bad weather causing cop failures and supply shortages. Without trade with the French settlers, the Spanish residents of Los Adaes would have starved. The French territory west of the Mississippi River, including New Orleans, was ceded to Spain as a result of the losses in the French and Indian War. The change of territory erased the Los Adaes border, rendering the Spanish fort at Los Adaes obsolete. The fort officially closed in 1772, Los Adaes was abandoned in 1773. With the closing, the Spanish and American Indian inhabitants faced a forced migration to San Antonio Texas. Many families that are linked to the original inhabitants of Los Adaes still inhabit the Cane River Region.

The American Indians who converted to Christianity still carry on the legacy of the original mission at the Church of St. Anne. Today, nothing remains of the mission or presidio that comprised Los Adaes. The site of the fort is considered to be an extremely important archeological site. The site was established as a State Park in 1979 and a small visitors center was built. The Los Adaes State Historic Site is staffed by the Cane River National Heritage Area and Los Adaes Foundation.   

Los Adaes, National Park Service. Accessed November 14th 2020. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/caneriver/los.htm.

Los Adaes: 18th-Century Capital of Spanish Texas, Texas Beyond History. Accessed November 14th 2020. https://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/adaes/index.html.

Los Adaes State Historic Site, Louisiana State Parks. Accessed November 14th 2020. https://www.lastateparks.com/historic-sites/los-adaes-state-historic-site.

LouisianaTravel.com Staff. Los Adaes State Historic Site, Louisiana. Accessed November 14th 2020. https://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/los-adaes-state-historic-site.