From Minorca to Florida

From Minorca to Florida is a digital humanities project, currently in its very early and exploratory stages, dedicated to recovering, preserving, and making accessible the historical documentation surrounding a significant colonial episode in Florida.

In 1768, more than 1,400 settlers from across the Mediterranean —including Greeks, Italians, Corsicans, and a large group from the island of Minorca— were brought to Florida by Scottish entrepreneur Andrew Turnbull to establish an agricultural colony in New Smyrna. Promised land and prosperity, they instead faced years of disease, endentured labor, and harsh treatment. By 1777, the colony had collapsed. The surviving settlers walked nearly 70 miles north to St. Augustine, where they petitioned the British governor, Patrick Tonyn, for refuge. There, they established a new life and became part of Florida’s diverse colonial community since nowadays (see Resources).

The long-term goal is to build a digital archive of manuscripts, letters, petitions, legal documents, and ecclesiastical records preserved across several institutions, including the Saint Augustine Historical Society, to reconstruct the human dimensions of this migration.

If you wish to join the project, please get in Contact!