The Apalachee Indians of northwest Florida and their Spanish conquerors come alive in this story -- lavishly illustrated with 120 color reproductions -- of their premier community, San Luis. With a cast of characters that includes friars, soldiers, civilians, a Spanish governor, and a diverse native population, the book portrays the dwellings, daily life, religious practices, social structures, and recreation activities at the mission.From their prehistoric ancestors and first contact with Europeans in the 1500s to their dispersal following attacks by the English and by their Native American allies in the early 1700s, the Apalachee played important roles in the history of Florida and of native peoples throughout the Southeast. The San Luis community near Tallahassee, the most thoroughly documented missiori in Florida, served as Spain's provincial capital in America. From the 1670s to its conquest by the English, it flourished as the only significant Spanish settlement in Florida outside of St. Augustine.Written by two of the foremost authorities on the Florida Apalachee, this full-color volume offers general readers a compelling combination of archaeology and history.