History of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States de Oñate. In all, Spaniards probed half of today's lower 48 states before the first English colonization attempt (Roanoke Island, 1585). The Spanish didn't just explore, they settled, creating the first permanent European settlement in the continental United States, at St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. Santa Fe, New Mexico also predates Jamestown, Virginia (of Pocahontas fame, founded in 1607) and Plymouth Colony (of "Mayflower", Pilgrims and Thanksgiving fame). In 1566 Pedro Menendez established Fort San Felipe on Santa Elena- which is present day Parris Island near Beaufort South Carolina. The fort was part of the Spanish King’s ongoing effort to
Saint Augustine Blues from Menorca and a smaller group of Italians and Greeks from Italy and Greece collectively referred to in this instance as the Menorcans, that fled Andrew Turnbull's failed colony at New Smyrna and were granted sanctuary in St. Augustine by the governor of then British East Florida Patrick Tonyn. Some former members of the Blues as well as other Confederate veterans are buried in the Tolomato Cemetery a historic Catholic cemetery in Saint Augustine. Saint Augustine Blues The Saint Augustine Blues were a militia unit formed on May 12, 1860 in St. Augustine, Florida during the period of political instability