For centuries, historians have searched for the exact location of Tristán de Luna y Arellano’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola — the first multi-year European settlement in what is now the United States. Today, that mystery has been solved.
Archaeologists from the University of West Florida (UWF) announced the groundbreaking discovery of the long-lost de Luna settlement beneath a residential neighborhood in East Pensacola Heights.
“Our archaeological team has discovered and can support the statement that the land settlement site of Tristán de Luna has been located within the city limits of Pensacola, Florida,” said Dr. Judy Bense, UWF President and founder of the university’s archaeology program.
The discovery began when Pensacola native Tom Garner unearthed Spanish colonial and Native American artifacts on a residential lot near Pensacola Bay — in view of two previously discovered shipwrecks associated with de Luna’s fleet.
Garner’s findings provided definitive archaeological evidence of the 1559–1561 settlement, predating St. Augustine by six years and Jamestown by 48. The artifacts were immediately brought to UWF’s archaeology lab, where Dr. John Worth confirmed their significance.
“What we saw in front of us was an amazing assemblage of mid-16th century Spanish colonial artifacts,” said Worth. “People have looked for this site for a long time.”
Excavations revealed Spanish ceramics, olive jars, cookware, and personal items like fishing weights and iron nails. Trade beads linked to Native Americans were also recovered. These items match artifacts found in the shipwrecks nearby, affirming the settlement’s location.
The de Luna expedition included 1,500 individuals — soldiers, colonists, slaves, and Aztecs — arriving from Veracruz in 11 ships. A devastating hurricane struck weeks later, sinking many vessels and crippling the colony. After two years of struggle, survivors were rescued and returned to Mexico.
“If the Luna expedition hadn’t been devastated by a hurricane, St. Augustine may never have been founded,” explained Worth. “The entire course of U.S. history might have changed.”
This site is now the second confirmed early European habitation in the southeastern U.S., after Hernando de Soto’s 1539–1540 encampment in Tallahassee. Earlier Spanish colonies — such as those of Ponce de León and de Ayllón — were short-lived and remain undiscovered.
The shipwrecks in Pensacola Bay now appear to have been anchored at the main settlement site. One wreck was found in 1992, another in 2006. UWF is actively excavating the second wreck with state funding, and the new discovery may guide searches for more.
With continued support from residents and property owners, archaeologists aim to define the full extent of the site. For now, the exact location remains undisclosed to protect the site’s integrity.
“This kind of archaeology gives us a window into who the Spanish were after coming to the New World,” said Worth. “It’s hard to believe that this opportunity is finally here. Now we get to explore it.”