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TALLAHASSEE – Committed to protecting the state’s historical resources, Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet voted today to acquire more than 3.5 acres as an addition to the Mission San Luis. The acquisition will protect the archaeological resources on the property and prevent future development near the Mission.
“Mission San Luis, which houses one of the largest and most diverse collections of 17th century Spanish and Apalachee artifacts, is one of Florida’s most extraordinary cultural treasures,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “Today’s purchase will ensure that future generations of residents and visitors alike can enjoy the educational, cultural and historical significance of the Mission.”
Three centuries ago, Mission San Luis was the western capital of Spanish Florida and home to 1,500 Apalachee Indians and Spaniards. The 60-acre site, the largest of more than one hundred Franciscan missions that existed in Florida during the 16th and 17th centuries, is the only reconstructed Spanish mission in the Southeast. The Mission’s highly successful research and educational programs explore the rich Hispanic-American cultural heritage to visitors of all ages.
Recognizing it as an important archaeological site, Mission San Luis was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 by the U.S. Department of Interior, one of only 39 such sites in Florida. The Mission has received numerous grants from the National Endowment from the Humanities, and recently was recognized with a Preserve America Award from President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
The 10-year, $3 billion Florida Forever program established by Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature conserves environmentally sensitive land, restores waterways and preserves important cultural and historical resources. For more information on the program, visit
www.FloridaForever.org. For more information on Mission San Luis, visit
www.MissionSanLuis.org.
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