Fort Saint Louis (1)

Fort Saint Louis (1) (1685-1687) - A French post established in 1685 by explorer Rene Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle in present day Victoria County, Texas. Abandoned in 1687.

Fort Saint Louis Marker in Inez, Texas	Fort Saint Louis Marker Location in Inez, Texas
View from Highway Bridge over Garcitas Creek toward the Approximate Location of Fort Saint Louis

Fort Saint Louis (1) History

Fort Saint Louis was established in 1685 by French explorer Rene Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle. His expedition brought 180 French colonists to the mouth of Garcitas Creek on Matagorda Bay in February 1685. The colony later moved five miles up the creek to a more favorable location on the west bank. One of La Salle's two ships was wrecked in the initial landing and the other had returned to France for additional help. The wrecked supply ship furnished some materials for the colonists and they struggled to build crude buildings.

La Salle left the colony after two year to continue his exploration and seek help for the remaining colonists. Only 50 colonists were still alive when La Salle departed in January 1687. La Salle was killed by mutineers and help never arrived for the colonists. Two years after La Salle departed, the colony was wiped out by hostile Indians and only two survivors managed to find their way to the French settlement at Arkansas Post.

The Spanish found the remains of La Salle's post, burned it and buried the eight cannons that had been salvaged from the wrecked supply ship. In later years the Spanish established the Presidio Nuestra Senora de Loreto de La Bahia over the site of Fort Saint Louis. The buried French cannons and thousands of French and Spanish artifacts were later dug up from the common site by archeologists.

Current Status

On Private Property, Victoria County, Texas. Map point is approximate.

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Location: The fort site is on private property, along Garcitas Creek in Victoria County, Texas. The marker is at the southeast corner of FM444 and Highway 58 in Inez, Texas. Maps & Images Lat: 28.7722238 Long: -96.6920806 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 7'

Sources:

• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 774

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Saint Louis
• Texas Handbook On Line - La Salle's Texas Settlement
• Texas Beyond History - Fort Saint Louis
• Texas Historical Commission - Fort Saint louis
• Texas Handbook On Line - La Salle's Texas Settlement

Visited: 8 Dec 2011

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