A Spanish military post was established c. 1780 in Marksville by Carlos de Grandpre, Civil Lieutenant Governor of the Red and Ouachita River Settlements to protect the Avoyel Indians from the encroachment of white settlers on Indian lands and to provide civil and military jurisdictions to the local settlers.
Presumably at first near the Prehistoric Indian Park site on Old River, the post was later moved to this area. Post commanders were Jacques Gaignard, Noel Soileau, Domingo de Apereto and Estevan de la Morandier, brother-in-law of Soileau. Spanish authorities remained at the Avoyelles Post until 1805 when American authorities assumed control following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

There were ___ colonial posts and settlements established the colony of Louisiana:
1721 Los Adaes (Spanish capital of Texas, now in Louisiana)
1699 Old Biloxi (now Mississippi)
1702 Old Mobile (now Alambama)
1714 Natchitoches
1716 Natchez (now Mississippi)
1717 Illinois annexed to French Province of Louisiana, no longer governed by Quebec 1718 New Orleans
1718 Fort de Chartres (now Illinois) Yazoo Post
1720s Pointe Coupee
1720 Baton Rouge
1721 Arkansas Post (now Arkansas)
1723 Rapides
1760s Attakapas
1780 Avoyelles Post
1785 Ouachita (Orginally named Fort Miro)
Pays des Illinois Posts and Forts in mid 1700s: Fort de Chartres (capital), Vincennes (1732), Ft. St. Joseph, Fort Miami, Ft. Ouiatenon, Ft. St. Louis (1682 on Illinois River), Ft. Orleans (1723 on Missouri River), Fort CrevecouurCahokia (1699, Kaskaskia (1703 Mission),, Ste. Genevieve (1750), Saint Philippe, and Prairie du Rocher In 1686, the Post de Arkansae was the first permanent French colony in the Mississippi River Valley and played a vital role in the lucrative fur trade