▁artifact s ▁from ▁the ▁Swift ▁Creek ▁culture . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁named ▁the ▁bay ▁Bah ía ▁de ▁San ▁José ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁occup y ▁or ▁explo it ▁the ▁area ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century . ▁In ▁ 1 7 0 1 ▁they ▁built ▁a ▁fort ification , ▁the ▁Pres id io ▁Bah ía ▁de ▁San ▁José ▁de ▁Vall ader es , ▁on ▁the ▁main land ▁opposite ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁Point , ▁with ▁a ▁look out ▁post ▁on ▁the ▁point , ▁but ▁left ▁two ▁years ▁later . ▁In ▁ 1 7 1 8 , ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Qu ad ru ple ▁Alliance , ▁the ▁French ▁inv aded ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁Bay ▁and ▁established ▁Fort ▁Cre vec ou er ▁on ▁the ▁sh ores ▁of ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁Bay ▁opposite ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁Point . ▁The ▁Spanish ▁in ▁turn ▁sent ▁ 8 0 0 ▁men ▁to ▁re take ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁Bay . ▁After ▁pushing ▁the ▁French ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 9 , ▁the ▁Pres id io ▁Bah ía ▁de ▁San ▁José ▁de ▁Nueva ▁Ast ur ias ▁was ▁established ▁on ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁Point . ▁With ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁P ens ac ola ▁to ▁France ▁that ▁year , ▁the ▁new ▁pres id io ▁was ▁designated ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁Province ▁of ▁the ▁Princi p ality ▁of ▁Nueva ▁Ast ur ias . ▁The ▁pres id io , ▁with ▁about ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁inhabitants ,