Potano

The Potano (also Potanou or Potavou) tribe lived in north-central Florida at the time of first European contact. Their territory included what is now Alachua County, the northern half of Marion County and the western part of Putnam County. This territory corresponds to that of the Alachua culture, which lasted from about 700 until 1700. The Potano were among the many tribes of the Timucua people, and spoke a dialect of the Timucua language. The Pánfilo de Narváez expedition passed to the west of Potano territory in 1528. While not engaging with the Potano, the Spanish incursion spread new infectious diseases and incited warfare by competing tribes in the area. In 1539 Hernando de Soto led an army through Potano territory. There were 700 or more people in de Soto's army. They forced villagers to give up stored food to them. By the time de Soto's army reached Potano territory, he was intent on spending the winter in the Apalachee domain, and the army passed through quickly. The army passed through Potano towns that the Spanish called Itaraholata (or Ytara) (probably in western Marion County), Potano (near present-day Evinston), Utinamochana (or Utinama or Untinamocharro) (west of present-day Gainesville, near Moon Lake), Mala-paz (near the present-day city of Alachua) and Cholupa (in the Robinson Sinks near the Santa Fe River in northwestern Alachua County). At the time the French established Fort Caroline, the Potano were at war with the Utina, a chiefdom ruled by Chief Utina or Outina. The French supported the Utina and helped defeat the Potano. After Spain expelled France from Florida, it also supported the Utina. In 1584 the Potano killed a Spanish captain leading an invasion into Potano territory. To punish them, a second Spanish expedition attacked and killed many Potano and drove the rest from their towns. After that attack, the town of Potano was moved to the Fox Pond site near the Devil's Millhopper northwest of Gainesville. In the 1580s Spanish Franciscan missionaries reached the Potano, first with visits by an itinerant missionary.