Few People Know Florida Was Home To The First Thanksgiving In America
By Marisa Roman|Published April 04, 2023
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
This one might upheave everything you thought you knew about Plymouth Rock and the origin of Thanksgiving. And yet, buckle up! Thanks to information provided by the National Parks Service, it’s been discovered that Florida was the home of the very first Mass of Thanksgiving in America. In St. Augustine, 56 years before the Puritan Pilgrim Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, another Thanksgiving occurred just 300 yards north of Castillo de San Marcos. Take a look at how the first Thanksgiving took place in Florida, contrary to popular belief.
We’ve all been told the same story about how Thanksgiving came to be - but never once have we been told it involves the state of Florida.
As the story goes, Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock (Massachusetts) and ended up having a welcome feast with the Wampanoag tribe that already existed in what is now known as America.
But, many historians have discovered that this story isn’t the story of the first Thanksgiving. In fact, there was a Mass of Thanksgiving that took place in St. Augustine over 50 years before.
On September 8, 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and 800 Spanish settlers founded the city of St. Augustine, Florida. Quickly after they came ashore, the landing group celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving.
Menéndez prepared a meal consisting of what was on board the five ships, likely including salted pork and garbanzo beans, hard sea biscuits, and red wine.
The Spanish settlers incited the nearby Seloy (Timicuan) tribe to participate in the meal, which, if they contributed to the food, was likely to involve venison, turkey, gopher tortoise, mullet, maize, beans, squash, or more.
It was said this was the first community act of thanksgiving in the first European settlement in North America, just 300 yards from Castillo de San Marcos.
This event of thanksgiving is commemorated today with a 250-foot cross, standing at the original landing site at what is now the Mission of Nombre de Dios.
Did you know the first Thanksgiving took place in Florida? What an interesting piece of history! Share your thoughts with us in the comments section. Or, if you need another reason to visit the area, take a look at why St. Augustine is one of the most historic towns in America.
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