A Clash of Two Cultures: Presidio La Bahía on the Texas Coast as a Deterrent to French Incursion

Presidio La Bahia was built in 1722 over the remains of a 1685 French fort constructed by Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. The presidio served as a deterrent against future French aggression along the Texas Gulf Coast. Archaeological investigations conducted at the site from 1999 to 2002 recovered substantial information about the presidio and its relationship to the French fort. This work demonstrated that the Spanish erected an elaborate 16-point star-shaped fortification over the remains of the French fort, thus highlighting the importance Spain placed on defending the Texas Gulf Coast from future French threats.