Los Adaes

Los Adaes
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
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Location	Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, USA
Nearest city	Robeline, Louisiana
Built	1721
NRHP reference No.	78001427 (original) 93001622 (increase)
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	June 7, 1978[1]
Boundary increase	November 4, 1993
Designated NHL	June 23, 1986[2]

Los Adaes was the capital of Tejas (Texas) on the northeastern frontier of New Spain from 1721 to 1773. It included a Franciscan mission, San Miguel de Cuellar de los Adaes,^[3] and a presidio, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes (Our Lady of the Pillar of the Adaes). The name Adaes derives from the indigenous Adai people, members of the Caddoan confederacy of Indians who were the people the missionaries aimed to convert to Christianity. The presidio and mission were established to counter French influence in Louisiana territory and defend New Spain (Mexico, including Texas) from possible invasion or encroachment by the French. In 1763 Louisiana came under the control of Spain and the Los Adaes outpost was no longer necessary for defense. In 1773 the Spanish closed the mission and presidio and forced the population to move to San Antonio.

The site, now preserved in the state-run Los Adaes State Historic Site, is located on Louisiana Highway 485 in present-day Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.