Mala Compra Plantation Historical Site!

Plaque Text for Florida Landmark #F-529:

Joseph Martin Hernandez (1788-1857) purchased and worked Mala Compra Plantation, originally a Spanish land grant, from 1816 to 1836. The name Mala Compra means “bad bargain” or “bad purchase” in Spanish. It served as the center of the largest plantation system in Northeast Florida until burned by the Seminoles in 1836 during the Second Seminole War (1835-1842). He served as Brigadier General through the Second Seminole War and part of the Wars of Indian Removal. Hernandez did not revitalize the plantation after the war.

Mala Compra was one of many coastal plantations in the Southeast that grew long-staple cotton. The physical remnants of the main house, well, and kitchen provide evidence of a coastal plantation. The building remains provide rare structural evidence of coastal plantation layout and residential construction in Florida during the early 19th century. Mala Compra’s relatively undisturbed setting offers a legacy of national importance and its lack of development offers the opportunity for further research about coastal plantations. Flagler County purchased the Mala Compra Plantation property in 1989.

More about Mala Compra Plantation Historic Site:

The name “mala compra” came from Mr. Hernandez’s predecessors, who hadn’t been able to cultivate the land the way they hoped! Here and on his two other plantations, Bella Vista and St. Joseph, he found success with cash crops like sugar, oranges, and sea island cotton, which was more labor intensive than other cotton strains but produced longer, stronger fibers!

Mr. Hernandez served in the territorial militia from 1823 until his court martial in 1835 for ignoring a flag of surrender and capturing Seminole chief Osceola! Never convicted, he served as first Hispanic representative to Congress and contributed to locating the state capital in Tallahassee! He and his wife, Ana Maria, raised their 14 kids on this plantation, but after Ana Maria died in 1849, Mr. Hernandez lived out the rest of his days in Mantas, Cuba.

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