Spanish West Florida, U.S., Archives of the Spanish Government, 1782-1816

While Spain established the first European colonies in Florida as early as the sixteenth century, its Florida territory was lost to the British Empire in 1763 as a result of the Seven Years War. That territory was returned to Spain in 1783 by the British after the end of the American Revolution, though border disputes followed, during which portions of the territory were gradually annexed by the United States. In 1821, the remainder of Spanish West Florida (along with East Florida) was finally ceded by Spain to the United States.

This collection consists of transcribed and translated records of the Spanish Empire related to the Spanish province of West Florida. Today, this region encompasses the panhandle of the state of Florida, the southernmost parts of the states of Mississippi and Alabama, and the Florida Parishes of the state of Louisiana (the area east of the Mississippi River and north of Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas).

The rich details available in these records can provide a great deal of insight into the homes, businesses, and personal lives of early residents of Spanish West Florida. Included are a wide variety of documents, such as records related to property sales, mortgages, inventories and assessments, money lending and debt settlements, wills and probates, inquests, and records related to slavery in Spanish West Florida. For best search results, search by name and date range.