Name of The Day. Other than news articles, the first story ever published in print about the Story of Gasparilla was commissioned by the Charlotte Harbor & Northern Railroad. The American Continents have a rich treasure history dating back to ancient civilizations of the Toltecs and Aztecs who understood the mining and smelting of gold and silver from which they made ornaments shields and household utensils. Louisiana makes sense because during most of his time here, he was considered a fugitive by the US. Many believe it is Edward Teach, but some claim it is Edward Thatch. He ignored this order and stayed in Galveston for about another year before the Army returned forcing him to leave. Most confirm that the "Floridablanca" was the name of his pirate ship and the one that he served upon in the Navy. Shopping, Gift & Specialty Shops. Spending most of his time here and running a larger business would provide ample opportunity and necessity to hide valuables. Indian River Shores, Florida A trove of Spanish coins dating back to a 1715 shipwreck during a storm have been found along a beach in Florida. Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. Gaspar's legend is one of a murderous, bloodthirsty swashbuckler who stole money from Spain, stole a ship, kidnapped a Spanish Princess, and left a trail of death and gold throughout the high seas. Groups gather in St. Petersburg park to shed light on local violence, Tampas St. Josephs Childrens Hospital holds prom for pediatric patients, Photos: Rays back at Trop in spring game against Twins, Photos: Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic, Photos: New York's Naked Cowboy makes brief appearance in Tampa, Photos: Opening day for the Florida Strawberry Festival, Photos: IndyCar Series takes over streets of St. Petersburg, Hundreds of USF students join statewide walkout to protest DeSantis education policies, Photos: Lightning return home to take on Ducks, Photo Gallery: Family mourns Josiah Pinner during a candlelight vigil. Just a salty pirate looking to explore and document the wonders of the Caribbean. This Plantation is said to be roughly 5 miles West of the town of Iowa. Here is what we have been able to piece together about this controversial pirate. The story was included in a brochure in 1900 for a hotel on Gasparilla Island, where the pirate supposedly stored his vast treasures in a hidden den that had never been found. The 300,000 partiers who will swarm the streets Saturday in Tampa for the annual Gasparilla pirate parade wont care. Gaspar caught wind of his coming doom, and escaped via ship to America. Pirate treasure rumors. He relocated to Galveston Island around 1817 where he set up a pirate empire. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! The treasure: Slave-turned-pirate Henri Caesar stole a ship in Haiti to seek his fortune on the Spanish Main and Florida waters. However, perhaps the most famous story of Gaspar concerns his death. Michael Gattuso lends a hand to his wife Lauren as they dock on a wetland on the Peace River in Arcadia. Rather than be captured by the United States Navy, he wrapped an anchor chain around his leg and jumped overboard, the heavy metal dragging him out of sight into the deep blue waters. When he was captured and offered the option of going to prison or joining the navy, he chose the latter, serving with distinction for several years before organizing a mutiny against a dictatorial captain and fleeing to Florida with a stolen ship. The pirate, whose full name is Jos Gaspar, is a legend from the 18th and 19th century. Gattuso leads a a small group called the The Treasure Hunters who spend their weekends hiking the wilderness near the Peace River in search of lost treasure believed to have been left behind by Jose Gaspar. From a four-mile long parade of pirates and period memorabilia on display, to specialty packages and a waterfront half . "We do have some treasure maps, and we're working on them," Gattuso said. His treasure might have been on the ship with him during this battle. As the legends go, the famed Spanish pirate Jose Gaspar, better known as Gasparilla, used the island as his home base of operations throughout the late 18th century and into the early 19th century. This hoard was allegedly buried by a group of pirates in the early 1800s. Later that fall, he captured a large French slave ship bound for some sugar plantations. There are multiple stories about his life that vary greatly depending upon the source of the information, leading some to conclude that he was not a real person. Having spent some time here, Blackbeard built a fort near a swamp west of Charleston. New Castle Island in Delaware is said to house treasure hidden by pirates from Madagascar in 1699. The battle raged and the story goes that as Jose Gaspar realized the inevitable, he stood on the bow of the ship and stated something like Gaspar dies by his own hands. The Real Treasure Hunters have come a long way from social media in their hunt for the treasure of Jose Gaspar in the Peace River. Since the 1870s, treasure hunters have been trying unsuccessfully to crack this code you see below: Some say its Spanish. After sustaining heavy damage, the famed Spanish pirate tied himself to his anchor and leaped to his watery death apparently not wanting to be killed at the hands of the enemy. Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Strap yourself in for a wild ride and buy this international bestselling book today! Gaspar is presented as dignified, noble in heart and rich and titled in some versions. Mike Lopez said his sister was not expecting to find a human hand, a treasure map, and gold coins. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. We actually located the great great, great, great-granddaughter of Juan Gomez. was reading about Jose Gaspar aka Gasparilla Pirate and one story tells of his friend Roderigo Lopez wanting to leave the Pirate life and Gaspar helped him leave, so it seems Maria Lopez great great grandfather may have been Roderigo. And she actually had maps, and she had stories that were passed down to the family about these treasures. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, no pirate was more feared in the southern United States than Jose Gaspar. "Either my great-grandfather made the best, most elaborate pirate hoax ever and never shared it with anyone or he really did find some treasure on the Hillsborough River. Jean Lafitte. Gasparilla not only granted Lopez permission but also bestowed his blessing on his long-time friend, providing a ship and several men to accompany him back to Spain. However, even from the first we run into different versions of the story. Find the treasure, don't report it, melt it down or sell it on the black market using a different name. Another report states that he hid several chests in a small river somewhere in the vicinity of the Bay. Treasure hunter Stacey Hunt holds an old nail found under the ground on a wetland believed to have lost treasure. Caesar was forced to push his pirate pack north to the Gulf of Mexico. There are numerous legends and tales of buried treasure on this island. He apparently helped repeal a British Invasion on New Orleans. Tales of love and marriage, an aristocratic captain with nobility in his crew, a handsome and debonair adventurer: all these stories seem too good to be true. How did the legend of Gaspar begin? May 4, 1904Gasparilla Pirate Festival / First event date. He continued the diving operation, but while they were working, his wife came down with a fever and died. A few months ago, Gattuso found a Calusa bone tool that is now part of the Useppa Island museum's collection. Treasure hunter Erin Melcher drives his boat as Michael Gattuso navigates directions to a wetland believed to have lost treasure on the Peace River in Arcadia on Sunday, January 13, 2019. Bald Point is another hotspot but for rumors of pirate treasure. Gasparilla seized her ship, and the hostages were brought to his hideout on Gasparilla Island. Before deciding to pursue this ship, Gaspar left some of his men behind with the treasure. Treasure hunter Michael Gattuso digs a hole in front of treasure hunters Stacey Hunt and Erin Melcher in an area where metal detectors notify of gold on a wetland believed to have lost treasure on the Peace River in Arcadia on Sunday, January 13, 2019. According to other versions of the narrative, Gaspar was a nobleman who rose through the ranks of the Spanish Royal Navy and became a councilor to King Charles III of Spain. He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. He soon picked a good spot in Charlotte Harbor, and began to build his pirate kingdom. Source: Theartofphoto / Adobe Stock. But treasure hunters believe there is truth in his tall tale, and buried treasure is out there. He spoke to local TV news network WFLA about the discovery, and the story kept getting stranger. On the Hawaiian island of Oahu there is said to be six chests buried along a stone wall somewhere around Kaena Point. However, if they do, they are still up for grabs. The gold coins were too thin and too old to pass as authentic Spanish treasure. The poem, maps, comments from other searchers, and other guides to finding the treasure are online and easy to find. He stated that it was buried beside 2 wind damaged trees and a large rock (one would think that with treasure this valuable one would choose landmarks a little more cautiously, but I guess trees and a rock is all we have to go on here). A few years later, he fell out of favor with the government and turned to a life of piracy. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Gilchrist intended to turn the area into a community. All had been going along fine for Gasparilla until the year 1822. Blackbeard captured an estimated 40 different ships and vessels in a little less than 2 years off the east coast of America and across the Caribbean. What we do know is that he is considered a hero to some and a villain to others. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. There is a new book out "Pirates of Southwest Florida, Fact and Legend" by James F. and Sarah Jane Kaserman that debunks some of the stories of Gasparilla. History of Gasparilla: Jos Gaspar & his krewe. We" more 2. Box allegedly containing Gaspars hand and related items Photo Credit. Or at least thats what Florida folklore would have you believe. His theft discovered, he deserted his wife and children, gathered together a nice lot of cut-throats, stole the prize vessel of the Spanish fleet, and escaped. He was said to have been extremely active for many years, attacking merchant ships and evading justice, and in this time he won himself a huge fortune. This does not stop the legend of Gasparilla from living on in the Florida folklore; the story of his life is even retold in a hotel brochure at the site where supposedly his treasure was buried, The Huffington Post reported. (3) The Spanish kept meticulous records and there is no mention of Gasparilla in the archives. Enjoy. You must log in or register to reply here. 2 chests are also rumored to be buried on Clarkes Island on the Connecticut River. My grandfather had a book on all these when I was younger. It's located on the north side of town, next door to the Turtle Shack cafe. ", According to the railroad brochure, the "narrative was compiled by the writer from incidents told by John Gomez, better known as Panther Key John, a brother-in-law of Gasparilla and a member of his crew, who died at the age of 120 years, at Panther Key, Florida, 12 miles below Marco, in the year 1900; also from records left by John Gomez, Jr., the cabin-boy on Gasparilla's ship, who was kidnapped by Gasparilla and who witnessed the death of this pirate and all on board his vessel. A Florida family may have discovered some unusual treasure belonging to legendary pirate Jose "Gasparilla" Gaspar. If there is one thing pirates are known for it is treasure. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The most famous Florida pirate was Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla. 1. Santa Rosa Island has been sort of a local hotspot for finding bags of gold and silver coins. RECOMMENDED: The legend of Jose Gaspar and the history of Gasparilla. If we find that buried treasure together, we can split the booty among all of our readers and we never have to work again. "You'll hear more of us, you know; we'll do this until we're old and, you know, can't do it anymore.". We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. By booking through these links, the small commission we earn helps us bring you more Caribbean content so that you can save money and have a better island vacation. Here are some Metal Detectors for you to start your quest. The ship contained $1,000,000 in assorted treasure, and should be there today. This was to prove his doom as the ship he had targeted was no harmless cargo ship but in fact the USS Enterprise, a heavily armed and very dangerous pirate hunter. Stingy Jack and the History of the Jack-o-Lantern, The Varangians: Viking Conquerors turned Byzantium Honor Guard, The Secret Necropolis of Ancient Varna and the First Goldsmiths. Location & Hours 2119 N Oceanshore Blvd Flagler Beach, FL 32136 Get directions Edit business info You Might Also Consider Sponsored Purple Haze 22 23.4 miles away from Jose Gaspar Treasure Marcus E. said "Hand crafted glass smoking utensils. There are many differing versions about the pirates origins and life, but there is no real historical evidence that he ever existed. Mike Lopez tells WFLA that his sister was. Hitting the scene in the early 1800s Billy Bowlegs Rogers was a pirate to be reckoned with. P.S. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. You are using an out of date browser. Professional blogger, rum judge, consultant, marketer, and consumer of blue water beauty. The items found by his sister were neatly packed inside a wooden box. Finding a real human hand is probably not what the Lopezes had in mind, but thats exactly what this family from Florida found in their grandparents attic. New details have emerged about the San Jose, a Spanish galleon sunk by British ships 300 years ago. The race of the old buccaneer was nearly run, but all through that night, he told a story of piracy that could scarce be believed, yet it was a dying man that was clearing his soul before his Maker. He was said to have been extremely active for many years, attacking merchant ships and evading justice, and in this time he won himself a huge fortune. While Gaspar chained the anchor of his ship to his waist and dove into the water to avoid giving the enemy the satisfaction of killing him, Gmez lived to tell the tale. From real buried treasure, to massive pearl finds, these . Most, if not all, historians agree the pirate named Jose Gaspar never existed. The 300,000 partiers who will swarm the streets Saturday in Tampa for the annual Gasparilla pirate parade won't care. No Result Found. link to A Beginners Guide to Magnet Fishing: 15 Sure Fire Tips. The legend states that Gaspar terrorized the western coastal waters of Florida in the late 18th to early 19th century. He spent nearly 30 years plundering ships in and around the gulf coast. He was wanted until 1815 when opinion of him changed. Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? As promised here is the start of your Pirate Treasure stories. One such account concerns Maria Louise, a lovely Spanish princess, who was returning to Spain after a journey to Mexico with 11 Mexican princesses who were to be educated and married in Spain. Jos Gaspar. What he thought was a British cargo ship turned out to be the USS Enterprise, on a mission to end piracy. Who created the man who is now a legend? Strap yourself in for a wild ride and buy this international bestselling book today! 2. Who was this figure, and what was he supposed to have done? Here Lafitte had a very fair treasure distribution policy that everyone seemed to like. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. There are a few pirates who may have hidden treasure at this spot, including Billy. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate. The city of Tampa hosts a Gasparilla Day each year. When he finally realized that it was a warship, it was too late. Before we get to the treasure hunt, let's touch on the historical background of Jose Gaspar and how a now infamous fictitious pirate became a Tampa legend. Jose Gaspar Treasure Co 5 1 #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach Speciality & Gift Shops Visit website Write a review What people are saying " Fun shop with good prices! I have never found any real evidence he lived. 5 Popular Mai Tai Recipes and How To Make Them, Mango Tango Cocktail Recipe Boat Drinks, Taste the New St. John Brewers Love City Hard Seltzer, A Day With Stormy Pirates Charters US Virgin Islands, An Island Interview With Caribbean Adventure Author, John H. Cunningham, Love Pets and a Free Place To Stay? Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla (supposedly lived c. A fortune worth $1 million when it was hidden in 2010 is waiting to be picked up somewhere in the Rocky Mountains just a few miles from Santa Fe, New Mexico. "But if you're gonna make up the myth, you know, go big, and so why not make him, you know, all pirates rolled into one and, you know, the baddest of them all," Rodney Kite-Powell, a historian at the Tampa Bay History Center and Director of the Touchstone Map Library said. https://wtfflorida.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/17-Oru-Para-Todos-Los-Santos-Part-1-Eleggua.mp3, Its gonna be really f*cking cold in Florida; impending snow, death, mayhem, Andrew Van Sickle assigned as prosecutor in the infamous shark case, Lets Make Florida Slightly Less Fucked Up, Alligator attacks Peace River swimmer in Arcadia, Florida Man Cuts off Gator Tail to Impress Girlfriend and Tries to Sell it to Neighbors, Traffic stop leads to meth arrest in Silver Springs. The family thinks the hand belongs to famous Tampa Bay pirate Jose Gaspar. According to Floridian folklore, Gaspar was a fearsome pirate that operated out of a secret base in southwest Florida in the late 18th and early 19th . This story states that the vast treasure was actually siting on the beach in numerous chests waiting to be divided. The pirate is one of the most notorious in the history of pirates. A Tampa, Florida family going through their grandparent's attic made an interesting discovery: a treasure map, some coins, and an old human hand! We're back to the hotel brochure. Do secret rooms conceal unknown treasures? The team found a few nails, a beer can, and a screw during this hunt. Canny readers will already recognize a certain romantic streak in these stories. He was sentenced to prison and eventually released. 1 Review #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. When Maria and Mike were children, their grandfather would tell them stories about his father, Ernesto Lopez, finding Jose Gaspar's pirate treasure. It does not store any personal data. Barnes & Noble Booksellers 10 Bookstores Music & DVDs Toy Stores When it comes to spring cleaning, its always nice to have a spare hand to help. Top Image: Real pirate or later fiction? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Contributing columnist Jose Gaspar is a news anchor/reporter for Telemundo Bakersfield and KGET. For one, there is no evidence of his pirate empire. On one occasion, his right-hand man Lopez had become tired of the pirate life and desired to return to Spain to see his love, Sanibel, after 13 long years.
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