The Bellamy Road was the first major U.S. federal highway in early territorial Florida. Land travel and transportation in Florida prior to its acquisition by the United States was by foot over trails. The Spanish used existing Native American trails to reach missions established in the interior of Florida. The main route from St. Augustine to the Apalachee Province was known as el Camino Real, the Royal Road. In the latter part of the 17th century the Spanish tried, with limited success, to improve the Royal Road to allow use by ox carts.