Pensacola Fact Sheet

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History: Pensacola, nestled along the picturesque Gulf Coast in Northwest Florida, is home to one of our state’s richest cultural and historical origins. Spanish sailor Don Tristán de Luna arrived in Pensacola on August 15, 1559 and made the first major European settlement attempt in the United States. One month later, a hurricane destroyed supplies, eventually causing the Spanish to flee the area. In 1698, Fort San Carlos de Austria became the first permanent settlement in Northwest Florida. Remains of the fort can be found at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Pensacola 450th Anniversary: To commemorate Pensacola’s 450th anniversary, VISIT FLORIDA and Celebrate Anniversary: Pensacola, Inc., a non-profit organization, banded together to create a 450-day experiential campaign. Events commenced in 2008 with a 450-day celebration of Pensacola’s 450th anniversary and ended on August 15, 2009.

Quick Facts:

• Having been ruled by Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy and the United States, Pensacola has earned the nickname City of Five Flags.
• Emmanuel Point II is the second-oldest shipwreck in the country. Discovered in 2006 by University of West Florida archaeology students, the ship belonged to Don Tristan de Luna’s expedition, dating back to 1559.
• Pensacola was the original capital of Florida, and it was here that General Andrew Jackson changed flags with Spanish Governor Jose Callava, bringing West Florida under the control of the United States.
• The first Catholic Mass in the United States was held on Pensacola Beach shortly after the sailors arrived in August 1559.
• Old Christ Church in Historic Pensacola Village is the oldest church in Florida still on its original site.
• St. Michael’s Cemetery is one of the oldest extant cemeteries in the state of Florida, with burials dating back to the late 1700s.

Must See Sites:

• Archaeology Institute, University of West Florida
• Fort Barrancas • Historic Pensacola Village and T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum
• Pensacola Historical Museum
• Presidio Santa María de Galve
• St. Michael’s Cemetery
• Pensacola Lighthouse
• Pensacola Historical Dives - Beneath the modern city of Pensacola and its surrounding waters, the colonial past is abundantly preserved.