In 1539, when Hernando de Soto first discovered the area around what is now the city of Bradenton, Florida, he brought along enough supplies to start a colony. In fact, the Spanish conquistador arrived with nine heavily laden ships, 600 soldiers, over 200 horses, a herd of pigs, and packs of vicious war dogs! It was everything he needed to carry out King Charles V’s command to "conquer, populate and pacify" while searching for gold.
If you’re unfamiliar with De Soto’s expedition and its controversial impact on Floridian and American history, the best place for a quick and entertaining education is at De Soto National Memorial. Situated along the calm shores of the Manatee River and Tampa Bay, this free waterfront park includes an outdoor encampment, picnic area, and hiking trails. Although the park is not the exact landing site of the de Soto expedition, it does provide an accurate representation of the natural landscape that would have been found around Tampa Bay nearly five hundred years ago.
Inside the Visitor Center, a short informative film narrates how, without benefit of maps or modern equipment, de Soto and his soldiers spent four years—December 1539 to September 1543—trekking across 4,000 miles of what is now the Southeastern United States in search of gold and other riches. The men often marched 12 miles a day while wearing 80 pounds of armor! A good collection of artifacts, armor, weapons, and Native American pottery is on display.
Now in its 35th season, outdoor Camp Ucita, a replica of de Soto’s base camp, vividly brings to life stories of hostile conflicts between conquistadors and local inhabitants. Although not original, the camp setting provides a feel for what life was like in the 16th century along the west coast of Florida. The Living History presentations, including firing demonstrations of the crossbow and the arquebus (a black powder weapon) by costumed park rangers and volunteers, runs through April 26.
Hernando de Soto’s 4-year expedition did not yield the gold and treasures he and his men so desperately sought, nor did a Spanish colony take hold as originally intended (which explains why the city of Bradenton wasn’t founded until the 1850s and was named for Joseph Braden, an early settler who grew sugar cane and operated a sugar mill). Instead, native peoples were enslaved, villages pillaged, and by 1543, de Soto and half his men were dead. The few remaining soldiers abandoned the quest and headed to Mexico.
Hopefully you’ll pack much lighter than de Soto did when you head to Florida. Although you don’t want to skimp on the sunscreen, you can definitely leave your vicious war dog at home!
Pirates Baseball
If you’re a Pirates fan (baseball, not Johnny Depp), the team’s official spring training weekend is March 20 - March 23. McKechnie Field is where all the action will be, so stop by the Pirates' spring training facilities while you’re in Bradenton. Maybe the Pirates baseball team will perform like their city's football team!
