During the 17th century, various Spanish Catholic missions were established in the indigenous Apalachee Province, where present-day Tallahassee, Florida, is located. During his 1539 expedition, Hernando de Soto (ca. 1500-1542) occupied the Apalachee town of Anhaica, which is now known as Tallhassee. Nearly hree centuries later, in 1824, Tallahassee was selected as the capital of the Territory of Florida. During the first half of the 19th century, Tallahassee stood at the center of Florida’s Cotton Belt and was a major hub for the slave trade. Various colleges were established in the 1840s and 1850s, such as the Tallahassee Female Academy and the Florida Institute, which would evolve into Florida State University (FSU). During the American Civil War, Tallahassee became the only Confederate state capitol east of the Mississippi River to not be captured by Union forces. During the 20th century, Tallahassee’s economy was primarily driven by its colleges and state government.
