While it hasn’t gotten much local notice, this year, 2019, marks the 200th anniversary of signing of the Adams-Onis Treaty, which led to Southwest Louisiana becoming an “undisputed” part of the United States.

Our area was part of what was known as the Neutral Ground between Spanish Colonial Texas and the United States. The area was also called the Neutral Strip, No Man’s Land and the Sabine Free State.

It took years of negotiations between the U.S. and Spain before the boundaries could be agreed to, with the singing of the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819, and ratification in 1821.

Also part of the negotiation and treaty was Spanish West Florida, which included Louisiana’s West Florida Parishes in the southeastern part of the state.

After the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, Spain still claimed the area from Arroyo Hondo in Nachitoches Parish, to the Calcasieu River and Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Louisiana.

In 1805, negotiations between Spain and the U.S. broke down and Spain broke off diplomatic relations with the U.S. and both nations sent troops into the disputed area to enforce their claims.

Verbal and military skirmishing around the Sabine River took place and to avoid all out war, U.S. Gen. James Wilkins and Lt. Col. Simon de Herrera for Spain, signed an agreement in 1806 declaring the area Neutral Ground and soldiers and settlers were prohibited from entering it.

However, settlers from both New Spain and the U.S. flocked to the area, as well as fugitives from the law and outlaw gangs. Organized gangs became so powerful, they could set up outposts and espionage rings to enforce their power over residents and travelers through the area.

The breakdown of law and order prompted both countries to send in joint military expeditions into the area in 1810 and 1812 to clear out the lawbreakers.

After the treaty had been ratified, then colonel, later general and president, Zachary Taylor received orders in 1822 to build Fort Jessup near Many, and later a garrison at Lake Charles, Cantonment Atkinson, to bring stability to the area.

So, this year marks an important historical turning point for Southwest Louisiana and the whole state and nation.