De Soto National Memorial
Encyclopedia
De Soto National Memorial, 5 miles (8 km) west of Bradenton, Florida
, commemorates the 1539 landing of Hernando de Soto
and the first extensive organized exploration by Europeans of what is now the southern United States
.
In May of 1539, Hernando de Soto and an army of over 600 soldiers landed in the Tampa Bay
area. They arrived in nine ships laden with supplies: two hundred and twenty horses, a herd of pigs
, war dogs, cannon, matchlock muskets, armor, tools, and rations. They were executing the order of King Charles V
to sail to La Florida
and "conquer, populate, and pacify" the land.
The expedition did not yield the gold
and treasure these men sought. Instead, they marched from one village to the next, taking food and enslaving the native peoples to use as guides and porters. Hundreds of lives were lost on this calamitous four year, 4000 miles (6,437.4 km) journey. The de Soto expedition would change the face of the American Southeast forever, and cause Spain
to reevaluate her role in the New World. Ultimately, it was the first hand accounts of survivors, describing the native cultures and the richness of the land, which became the journey's enduring legacy.
was authorized on March 11, 1948. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the national memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on October 15, 1966.
The mission of De Soto National Memorial is to preserve the controversial story of this exploration and interpret its significance in American history. Visitors can attend living history demonstrations, try on a piece of armor, or walk the nature trail through a Florida coastal landscape similar to the one encountered by conquistadors almost five hundred years ago.
Visitors can attend Camp Uzita, a living history camp that runs from December through April. The camp season ends with a re-enactment of DeSoto's landing on the beaches of Tampa Bay.
Other park activities include the nature trails and guided trail walks, fishing, bird watching, and picnicking.
Admission to the park and Visitor Center is free.
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
, commemorates the 1539 landing of Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (explorer)
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European documented to have crossed the Mississippi River....
and the first extensive organized exploration by Europeans of what is now the southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
De Soto expedition
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
area. They arrived in nine ships laden with supplies: two hundred and twenty horses, a herd of pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
, war dogs, cannon, matchlock muskets, armor, tools, and rations. They were executing the order of King Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
to sail to La Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and "conquer, populate, and pacify" the land.
The expedition did not yield the gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and treasure these men sought. Instead, they marched from one village to the next, taking food and enslaving the native peoples to use as guides and porters. Hundreds of lives were lost on this calamitous four year, 4000 miles (6,437.4 km) journey. The de Soto expedition would change the face of the American Southeast forever, and cause Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to reevaluate her role in the New World. Ultimately, it was the first hand accounts of survivors, describing the native cultures and the richness of the land, which became the journey's enduring legacy.
Historic recognition
The national memorialNational Memorial
National Memorial is a designation in the United States for a protected area that memorializes a historic person or event. National memorials are authorized by the United States Congress...
was authorized on March 11, 1948. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the national memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on October 15, 1966.
The mission of De Soto National Memorial is to preserve the controversial story of this exploration and interpret its significance in American history. Visitors can attend living history demonstrations, try on a piece of armor, or walk the nature trail through a Florida coastal landscape similar to the one encountered by conquistadors almost five hundred years ago.
Activities
Exhibits at the visitor center include historic armor, weapons and period artifacts. A theater displays the movie Hernando de Soto in America, about the DeSoto Expedition and the area's Native American population. A bookstore is also available.Visitors can attend Camp Uzita, a living history camp that runs from December through April. The camp season ends with a re-enactment of DeSoto's landing on the beaches of Tampa Bay.
Other park activities include the nature trails and guided trail walks, fishing, bird watching, and picnicking.
Admission to the park and Visitor Center is free.