Los Adaes State Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

A map of Passport and Places to Go locations for National Historic Trails.Los Adaes, the symbol of New Spain in Louisiana, was once the capital of Texas. The founding of Natchitoches in 1714 by the French resulted in Spain's establishment, within two years, of six missions and one fort in east Texas. In 1719, a French attack on nearby Mission San Miguel alarmed the Spanish and they built a new presidio, or fort, to counter any further French intrusion into Spanish territory. The Presidio Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes (Fort of Our Lady of Pilar at the Adaes) was surrounded by a hexagonal stockade with three bulwarks. In 1729, Spain designated Los Adaes the capital of the province of Texas. This made Los Adaes the official residence of the governor, and a house was constructed for him within the presidio. Los Adaes remained the administrative seat of government for the entire province until 1772 (10 years after Louisiana was transferred to Spain); Los Adaes closed that year and t...