The Minorcan Studies Project
The Minorcan Studies Project provides "Minorcan" resources for researchers, students, descendants, as well as readers with a more casual interest.
The Minorcans in Florida are like the Cajuns of Louisiana-- their closest historic parallel. Both groups arrived about 250 years ago, spoke another language, and went on to stay through various changes of flags to become the old-timers.
In 1768, 1,403 Minorcans sailed to Florida as indentured laborers for the Dr. Andrew Turnbull plantation. They were the largest single group to immigrate from Europe to North America in colonial times--including the Plymouth and Jamestown settlements.
Minorcan contributions include the first U.S. Navy admiral, David Farragut; Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Stephen Vincent Benét and William Rose Benét; and Hollywood singer, actor, and comedienne, Judy Canova. Minorcans in the Spanish Balearic Islands originated mayonnaise, and today St. Augustine Minorcans market popular their chowders and hot sauces with their signature Datil pepper.
The Minorcan Studies Project began in the fall of 2021 with the goal of increasing the under-appreciated national reputation of Minorcan cultural heritage. Funding has been provided by the St. Augustine Foundation. The Project has involved Flagler College students and members of the community in sponsoring speakers and exhibits, supporting Minorcan-related initiatives, and developing this digital resource.
In 2027, the Minorcans will celebrate 250 years of residence in the Ancient City of St. Augustine, Florida. An estimated 30,000 Minorcans descendants still live in the area today. In future years, the Minorcan story will be increasingly valuable to St. Augustine's national identity—and Flagler College has contributed to its 21st century renaissance.
Featured Item
Philip D. Rasico, Professor and Linguist: Creolization of Catalan in the St. Augustine Minorcan Story
"Nobody had really done a serious study of the language, at that time." --Philip Rasico, Ph.D., Professor of Spanish and Catalan, Vanderbilt…
Featured Collection
Literary Descriptions of Minorcans
Minorcans were first featured in American literature in the late 18th century and, since then, references can be found in the pages of many authors,…
Featured Exhibit
"Bottling Hell: Datil Peppers of St. Augustine" by Anna Hamilton
An investigation into all things Datil pepper: https://bottlinghell.wordpress.com/
Recently Added Items
Les Thomas, Minorcan Architect
Les Thomas was the lead architect for the beloved St. Augustine Amphitheatre, a premier concert venue that Billboard Magazine named "Top East Coast…
Minorcan Buildings and Builders
Historian David Nolan, author of The Houses of St. Augustine, spotlights the Minorcan architectural contributions to the Ancient City's landscape.
