La Florida The whole southeastern couivt.ry, in tho carl;/ centuries, -..-as the Spanish territory of la Florida. There were neither minor, .or fur-trading there for wealth supply. Stone did riot exist for constructing such majestic mission churches and buildi'.v r, as in Mexico and the Vjeit. On the Atlantic Seaboard l&nor t;-pc missions of oyster shell cement ware built, -Vt Mobile fj fur-trading draw tV. pioneers up tho Mobile liivor and its affluents. 'Thrui'^y. the : ietioGinpi Valla;-, mobile end TJsav Orleans contacted with the French at ' tho Groat Likes and in Canada. The fine harbors along tine Gulf of Mcx.loo and tho Atlantic Coast offered opportunities for important cities, shipbuilding raid commerce. The inland oour.try was inviting for tho gay lifo of tho 5punish people, Tho clients, the closeness to the Homelands, tho hills, forest,, rivers and bays attracted their early attention. The great haciendas, the herds of livestock, agriculture, orchards and other developments sc cove-on in other Spanish calorics -,.-culd have flourished in la Florida. But that was a country of pov/orful and partly civilized Indian tribes and though Spain sent to La Florida some of tho strongest ox- i peditionc in How for Id history, and names like Ponco do Loon, liarvabo, 'De Soto, Luna y Arellano.and others aro historic characters, sho failed there in important, development, Indian valor in that country wrote interesting pages in the annal3 of thoso Spanish centuries. California , 'V" . Spain was lato in getting her standards plantod in California. Pacific winds and storms -..-ere persistent obstacles to the little sailing ships. The desorts and arid lands of tho •• out'r.:ost prevonted overland approach. Poor living conditions in California could not oavo tho intrepid men that did roaoh that country from the scurvy and siclmcss that stalked with then. Tho Revolutionary bar was at hand on tho Atlantic feaho.ard whon Spain at last did get safely established on tho western coast. They did not find tho gold of that country but they did bring in, over long end fearsome trails, livostock, seeds and shrubs and transformed it into a land of groon fields and haciendas alivo with vast herds of livestock, Missions and homes dispensed open-handed hospitality to tho wayfarer. The Indian tribes of California were woalc. Spanish genius for development had relatively uninterrupted opportunity. Their achievement;, during that half century in California are among tho marvels of pioneering. XVS Indians v.'eak and Strong While the Indians remained masters in La Florida and ySbri^ed^irT^ali f nrw nia.they varied from weaJ'necs to strength in Toxas“”and the Southwost. A-pachos and Comanchcs, mounted on tho horsos introduced, by the Spaniards, bc-carao mounted torrors that hold sway until comparatively recent years. But. Spain^was -eaCsly entrenched in Moxioo and she steadily prossod hor conquests r- northward from Mexican bases. They worc(Sin Hew bexico by 159S.. .... in the 31 Paso Valloy by 1659.....in southern Arizona by 169S«,...in Hast Texas by 1690 and South Texac by 1715—-and Spain's progross was steady after thoso years. •^4 xnrt A Book of Anclont '-iistory The Old Spanish Trail rofleots tiio oldest history in tho United States. ITith its associated camino reals in this southern bordorland country a book of history is opened to the traveler of an era of heroic works that were old whon the American Revolution was being fought. It spans the continent (thru)tho most varied, unusual and interesting scenes of any continental highway. The Santa Fe Trail from St. Louis to Hants. ¥