Pensacola History

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Pensacola was the major Spanish colonial settlement in western Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. In 1516, Diego Miruelo discovered Pensacola Bay. Although Tristán de Luna attempted to colonize the area in 1559, the settlers abandoned the location two years later. Because of French efforts to expand their Louisiana colony eastwards in the late 1600s, Andrés de Arriola and Captain Juan Jordán established a permanent settlement at Pensacola in 1698 guarded by Ft. San Carlos. During the Spanish-French War of 1719-1720, Pensacola exchanged hands between the Spanish and French four times. The French burned Pensacola before the Spanish finally regained it by treaty. Although the Spanish rebuilt the town, a hurricane devastated it in 1754.

During the British colonial period (1763-1783), Pensacola served as the capital of the British colony of West Florida. During the American Revolution, Pensacola became a haven for Loyalist refugees from Georgia and the Carolinas. The Spanish Governor of New Orleans, Bernardo de Gálvez, captured the town, thereby helping the United States to win its independence. The Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the American Revolution, also confirmed the return of Florida to Spain. During the War of 1812, the British seized Pensacola, but U.S. forces led by Andrew Jackson expelled them. Jackson returned to Pensacola during the First Seminole War, in 1818, and seized it from the Spanish. In 1821, the Spanish Government transferred all of Florida to the United States under the terms of the Adams-Onís Treaty. Pensacola served as the temporary capital of the new territory of Florida until 1822. Andrew Jackson resided in Pensacola during his tenure as military governor of the territory. In 1824, Pensacola received its city charter and was selected as the site of a federal navy yard. The navy yard site is now Pensacola Naval Air Station, one of the nation's leading naval flight training schools.

Other sites:

Wikipedia: Pensacola

Pensapedia

Pensacola Little Theatre