Fort San Juan
Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Fort San Juan. Built by Juan Pardo in 1567 at native town of Joara. Served as Spanish outpost until razed by Indians, 1568. NE 4 mi.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
In 1567 the Spanish captain Juan Pardo built Fort San Juan at Joara, a major native town, planting one of the earliest European outposts in the interior of what is now the United States—decades before Jamestown. The garrison lasted barely a year before the surrounding Indians destroyed it in 1568, ending Spain's bid to hold the Carolina backcountry.
Why it matters
Joara and Fort San Juan reveal a deep Spanish and Native history in the American Southeast that long predates the English colonies most people picture as the beginning.
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Related people
- · Juan Pardo
Related events
- · Pardo expedition
Themes & tags
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