We are creating a fairly extensive garden at my school - as the history teacher, Im re-creating a Spanish Mission garden (this being North Florida, one of the earliest places in the Continental US that was settled by the Spanish). We will also be including the "three sisters" of Native American agriculture, Seminole Squash, etc.etc. as well as some African Crops [ basically, the idea is to create a garden that represents the "Columbian Exchange" between these three cultures ]

Im planting grapes, olives, citrus, and figs.  Ive always assumed that the Black Mission type would be the appropriate one for such a garden.  In our research, however, we found that most of the early Spanish explorers / conquistadors hailed from Northern Spain.  Is there a different type of fig that they may have brought over?

Also, Greeks (Florida) and Minorcans (around St. Augustine, specifically) played an important role in the settlement/development of Florida.  Any specific varieties that these peoples may have contributed to our cultural (and agricultural) richness?  

Any help would be most appreciated.  Ive got a pretty nice start on the Black Mission as I made a cutting last year when the project was approved.  The new principal just gave us permission to make the grounds whatever we wish it to be, hahahhah she doesn't know what she has just done... I envision an urban oasis of 10 + acres ... loaded with fruits and veggies..

Sounds like a fun project!  Wish I could help.  In California, Black Mission was brought by the Spanish and planted along the Mission Trail at the churches.  That one is a big part of California History.  Google The National Grape Registry.  You could spend hours there researching the origin of grapes (both table and wine), but each variety will have it's origin listed.

Good luck!

Having grown up in Georgia and Florida , I have always been interested in this question about which was the first fig variety introduced to the Florida/Georgia coast or what grew best.
I seem to remember speaking to someone at an early English settlement on St. Simon's Island , Fort Frederica -http://www.nps.gov/fofr/index.htm who gave me a lead on finding out , but I never followed up on that.
Good luck with the search , but just plant  bunch of the best figs recommended by the Florida figs4fun members anyway to go with the historical winner.
Sounds like a very fun project.

http://www.common-place.org/vol-11/no-03/bherman/
This is an interesting article that talks about early figs in the US.

Nativesun ,
I wonder if the fellow who presented this could be of some help in your search :

http://dspace.nelson.usf.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10806/5933/Early_Footprints_in_the_Sand_Schnur_James_Script.pdf?sequence=6

Thank you so much for your help!

Unfortunately, no Habla Espanol.....

Still fun to watch. Ill have a friend help me translate.

hehehh making Fig Jam to the sounds of Spanish Punk Rock!!!!

I'm not sure which varieties the Spanish brought to Florida.  However for the Southeast in general Brown Turkey and Celeste are two of the oldest and most widely distributed varieties.