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Jackson County, Florida
Historic Sites and Research
Historic Sites and Research
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San Carlos de Chacatos
Following the Chacato revolt of 1675, a group of
Christian villagers relocated from their original
homes west of the Chipola to a new village site
here on the high bluff overlooking the confluence of
the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers. In response to
their request that a missionary be sent back among
them, the Spanish established a new mission here
in 1680.
Perhaps in memory of their original effort among
the Chacatos, the Spanish named this mission San
Carlos de Chacatos. The same name had earlier
been applied to a mission west of the Chipola, and
many of the villagers living at the new site had
probably been a part of that conversion.
Two important parties of Spanish explorers passed
through Mission San Carlos. The first, in 1686,
was headed by Marcos Delgado who had been sent
as an embassy to the Tallapoosas or Upper Creeks
of Alabama. He stopped at San Carlos briefly
before penetrating as far as the present site of
Montgomery, Alabama. The second, commanded
by Spanish governor designate Don Laureano de
Torres y Ayala, stopped overnight at San Carlos
before continuing on what would become the first
overland crossing of Northwest Florida by
European explorers.
Caught in the crossfire of a growing confrontation
between the Spanish and English, San Carlos was
attacked by English-allied Alibamo warriors in
1696. Dozens of men, women and children were
carried away into slavery. A second raid a short
time later scattered the survivors and ended with
the destruction of the church and other structures.
By the time of the American Revolution, the site of
San Carlos was still visible as an area of "old fields"
and was noted on the Stuart-Purcell map of 1778.
Christian villagers relocated from their original
homes west of the Chipola to a new village site
here on the high bluff overlooking the confluence of
the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers. In response to
their request that a missionary be sent back among
them, the Spanish established a new mission here
in 1680.
Perhaps in memory of their original effort among
the Chacatos, the Spanish named this mission San
Carlos de Chacatos. The same name had earlier
been applied to a mission west of the Chipola, and
many of the villagers living at the new site had
probably been a part of that conversion.
Two important parties of Spanish explorers passed
through Mission San Carlos. The first, in 1686,
was headed by Marcos Delgado who had been sent
as an embassy to the Tallapoosas or Upper Creeks
of Alabama. He stopped at San Carlos briefly
before penetrating as far as the present site of
Montgomery, Alabama. The second, commanded
by Spanish governor designate Don Laureano de
Torres y Ayala, stopped overnight at San Carlos
before continuing on what would become the first
overland crossing of Northwest Florida by
European explorers.
Caught in the crossfire of a growing confrontation
between the Spanish and English, San Carlos was
attacked by English-allied Alibamo warriors in
1696. Dozens of men, women and children were
carried away into slavery. A second raid a short
time later scattered the survivors and ended with
the destruction of the church and other structures.
By the time of the American Revolution, the site of
San Carlos was still visible as an area of "old fields"
and was noted on the Stuart-Purcell map of 1778.
| View from the Mission San Carlos site Established by the Spanish in 1680, the site of this Franciscan mission now overlooks Lake Seminole near Sneads. |
The site was reoccupied by a group of refugee
Uchee villagers following the Creek War of 1813-
1814, but this settlement was abandoned just a few
years later during the First Seminole War of 1817-
1818.
In 1948, Florida Park Service archaeologist Ripley
P. Bullen relocated the mission site while
conducting research work prior to the completion
of the Jim Woodruff Dam. A portion of the site,
now recognizable as the West Bank Overlook area
near Sneads, is open to the public and can be
visited. There are no markers or other interpretive
facilities.
Uchee villagers following the Creek War of 1813-
1814, but this settlement was abandoned just a few
years later during the First Seminole War of 1817-
1818.
In 1948, Florida Park Service archaeologist Ripley
P. Bullen relocated the mission site while
conducting research work prior to the completion
of the Jim Woodruff Dam. A portion of the site,
now recognizable as the West Bank Overlook area
near Sneads, is open to the public and can be
visited. There are no markers or other interpretive
facilities.