West Florida, Historical region along Gulf of Mexico, United States.
West Florida is a former colony along the Gulf coast that spanned parts of present-day Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The territory reached from the Perdido River in the east to the Mississippi River in the west and included coastal lowlands as well as forested inland regions.
Britain received the area in 1763 after the Seven Years' War and established it as a separate colony. Spain took control in 1783 and held it until annexation by the United States in the early 19th century.
The name comes from the British colonial period and distinguished the territory from the eastern part of Florida. Visitors today still see Spanish place names and architecture that recall the changing rulers, while old trade routes along the coast remain traceable.
Many places across the former region have local archives and museums that display documents and maps from the colonial period. Some coastal stretches preserve remnants of fortifications and settlements that can be reached on day trips.
A short-lived republic emerged in 1810 in Baton Rouge with its own flag and constitution. This independence lasted only 74 days before American forces took over the area and incorporated it into the Louisiana Territory.
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