Fort San Juan in Morganton, NC

Fort San Juan in Morganton, NC was built when Juan Pardo’s expedition landed in North Carolina. It was constructed in 1567 to be a resting place for the Spanish during their expeditions (1). The Spanish also wanted to create permanent outposts to connect their established towns. It was used by Spanish explorers up until its destruction due to neighboring Indians (2).

Today, Fort San Juan is a historic site that is used in archeological digs to unearth the history of Burke County and the relations with foreign settlers and the Natives that lived there. Now named the Berry Site, after the landowners, historians and archaeologists alike come to the site to discover the past of Spanish exploration in North Carolina.

Early History

Fort San Juan was considered the first European settlement in North Carolina (3). Once Spanish explorers came to the New World, they wanted to create fortifications surrounding their territory. They also wanted to start trade relations with the Natives while they were named subjects under the Spanish crown (3). One of these fortifications became Fort San Juan, located in the Native town of Joara (it is in present-day Morganton, NC). On Juan Pardo's journey north into North Carolina, he continued to trade goods with the Natives and their Chiefs. He happened upon the town of Joara, one of the most powerful Native towns in the piedmont of North Carolina (3). He then changed the name from Joara to Cuenca, his hometown in Spain, and built Fort San Juan named after the day they arrived, the Day of San Juan (3). Fort San Juan was intended to be the largest and most important Spanish outpost located in the Southeastern interior (2).

Unfortunately, after 18 months of living with the Natives of Joara, the fort was destroyed by the Natives and abandoned by the Spanish (4). There are theorized to be many reasons why the fort was destroyed by the Natives and the leading theory is that the Spanish started to heavily rely on the Natives and their food supply which angered the Natives of Joara (1). Also, the relationship between the Spanish and the Natives became rocky due to violent encounters between the two people groups. (1). Due to their anger, the Native population burned and destroyed the 6 fortifications (see Figure 6) of Fort San Juan and potentially killed some of the Spanish (4).

Modern History

Due to its untimely demise into the lost pages of history, Fort San Juan represents the Spanish failure to gain a stronghold in North Carolina (1). Today, no one knows for sure how pivotal this fort could have been in North Carolina's history. Most likely it could have created a stronger Spanish influence and culture in North Carolina if it wasn't for its destruction (1). After this event, Spanish colonialism shifted its focus from "exploration and military operations to missionization and trade" (2).

Since the 1980s, the site of Fort San Juan has been excavated and unearthed to uncover North Carolina's Spanish past (1). Archaeologists from Warren Wilson College, along with many other universities, have studied the Berry Site (present-day name) to find clues about the fort and its inhabitants (3). Archaeologists have discovered housing structures, earthen mounds, glass beads, nails, and ceramics that the Spanish used (see figure 4). The architecture of the fort's structure is mostly resemblant to Native dwellings with some European styling (2).

Interesting Facts

• Considered the first European settlement in North Carolina (before the Roanoke colony) (3)
• One fort out of the many Spanish forts that connected Spanish territory (2)
• Today, the fort's moat has been excavated by archaeologists. It was 2 meters deep. (2)

1. Kickler, Troy L. Fort San Juan, North Carolina History Project. Accessed February 28th, 2022. https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/fort-san-juan/.

2. Fort San Juan (Burke County), Ancient North Carolinians. Accessed February 28th, 2022. https://ancientnc.web.unc.edu/colonial-heritage/by-time/early-colonial-period/fort-san-juan-burke-county/.

3. Moore, David G. Fort San Juan: Finding a Lost Spanish Fort (North Carolina's Real First Colony), NCpedia. Accessed March 23rd, 2022. https://www.ncpedia.org/history/colonial/fort-san-juan.

4. Unearthing Our Forgotten Past, The History Museum of North Carolina. Accessed March 23rd, 2022. https://www.thehistorymuseumofburke.org/unearthing-our-forgotten-past.