ANCIENT GATE OF ST. AUGUSTINE San A'gustin, was settled in 15G5, the oldest city in the United States. Ponce de Leon landed in 151c? The De Narvaez expedition landed at Tampa Bay in 1528 and De Soto in 1539, and both fought their way around westward. De Luna landed at Pensacola Bay in 1559 with the largest expedition of them all. While the Spaniards were exploring the Floridas other remarkable expeditions were moving northward from Mexico into New Spain (Texas) and into New Mexico and California. Santa Fc became the second oldest city in the U. S.. while others lay claim to existence back in the dim past. When the thirteen states were fighting for independence Spain controlled an empire south and west, and was fcst beginning to build the California missions. Florida was Spanish until 1821 : Spain sold Old Louisiana back to France in 1800; France sold to the U. S- in 1803; Texas independence was won in 183G and that territory was annexed by the U. S. in 1845. The Mexican War was 1846-47. The New Mexico-Arizona-Southern California territory was ceded to the U. S. by Mexico in 1848. The Gadsden Purchase of part of southern New Mexico and Arizona was in 1853. The Old Spanish Trail of today is a thread binding together for all time the old Spanish history and legend of three and four centuries past. In these lands the padres sought riches to lay up in heaven and the conquisladoros sought riches for personal glory and often found disaster for their vain but romantic search. Now a new race is finding riches in the crucibles of industry.
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