$150 Million Dollar Treasure Found On A Beach By Accident 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. When you go in the attic you expect to find something old. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure - CAROLYN ARNOLD Inside was a tattered map of the Hillsborough River, century-old coins, a family picture and a hand wearing a ring. He was well-liked in court, but when he abandoned one lover for another, his spurned lover falsely accused him of stealing the crown jewels. He vowed revenge on those who had framed him and was forced to turn to a life of piracy. But Rodney Kite-Powell, a Tampa-Bay curator, doesn't believe that the legendary figure was even real. 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. 6 reviews of Jose Gaspar Treasure "This sweet little shell shop is nestled in along A1A and the beautiful Atlantic shoreline. He remembers their grandfather telling stories when they were children of Ernesto finding the treasure of Tampa Bay pirate legend Jose Gaspar. In his early pirate career, he teamed up with a few other pirates and eventually took over a ship named The Revenge. Peace River treasure hunters make cable TV debut in search of And to this day, Jose Gaspar returns on board his pirate ship every year to capture the city.". Gilchrist intended to turn the area into a community. Texas is also a logical location for this pirate to bury treasure. The vessel was said to be transporting gold, silver and precious gems collected in the South . 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. Blackbeard also spend some time in North Carolina, in fact he secured a Royal Pardon in the town of Bath. When Gasparilla requested that they accompany him and his crew on a raid, the two young lovers assumed they would be slaughtered. However, if they do, they are still up for grabs. From real buried treasure, to massive pearl finds, these . Youll read about many that are hidden and a few that were found, so it can happen. He found a hillside where he buried 2 pirate chests filled with valuable metals and jewels. Gaspar is presented as dignified, noble in heart and rich and titled in some versions. He weighed in on the treasure map as well and believes it was a blueprint for the area during the 1920s and 1930s, but nothing more. So, a real figure or a tall tale told by Floridians? The prices are great and you can walk more than one foot without seeing some adorable little trinket that you just can't live without. 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. "So, it's interesting how Tampa, in a sense, stole; we were pirates ourselves. A Treasured History: The Story of Gasparilla, Tampa's Most Prized Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Supposedly a group of pirates traveled from the gulf inland via river to a spot in Indiana where they hid a bunch of gold coins east of the town of Freedom. We are constantly looking for opportunities to metal detect, magnet fish, pan for gold, and search for real life lost treasures. Ancient Viking treasures found in England actually seems to be a thing, as many of relative value have been found throughout the years. This story seems to border on the outer limits, but a local historian doesnt believe that the hand belongs to the famed pirate. A treasure said to be worth $30 million. Later that fall, he captured a large French slave ship bound for some sugar plantations. Gaspar's Lost Treasure - WTF Florida? The legend of pirate Jose Gaspar, or Gasparilla as he is sometimes known, is shrouded in mystery. His men, who numbered in the hundreds, also buried their smaller caches on these islands. Strap yourself in for a wild ride and buy this international bestselling book today! 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. There are many differing versions about the pirates origins and life, but there is no real historical evidence that he ever existed. Shopping, Gift & Specialty Shops. If you choose to embark on a hunt for any treasure do so at your own risk. Or at least thats what Florida folklore would have you believe. The map is estimated to be from the 1930s and shows the Tampa area. If the legend is true, Gasparilla was extremely successful and plundered more than 400 ships. Much of his treasure was carried to him up the Peace River. 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. He enjoyed telling stories about his adventures on the high seas and a large amount of Gasparillas treasure that was never discovered. This activity is a great way to enjoy some peaceful quite time outdoors or can be a unique experience for 8 Super Fun Family Treasure Hunt Ideas: With Real Treasure. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. He soon picked a good spot in Charlotte Harbor, and began to build his pirate kingdom. I have never found any real evidence he lived. According to historians, it was a real man named Juan "Panther John" Gomez from Gasparilla Island, or as he was known locally, John, or Panther Key John. The brochure relied heavily on the stories told by John Gomez. Spain and Great Britain were adversaries in the complex tangle of European politics . Many took the deal. It's located on the north side of town, next door to the Turtle Shack cafe. It is said that he and his brother buried all of his money on the islands in and around Charlotte Harbor. If marriage was selected, there would be a ceremony, and the marriage promise would be strictly enforced. Gaspar was a rebel from an aristocratic upbringing. "Maybe my great-grandparents were pirates," Mike Lopez said. 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. Santa Rosa Island has been sort of a local hotspot for finding bags of gold and silver coins. Inside, bound to the box by copper wire, she found a dessicated hand wearing a ring with the word "Gaspar" on . Find the treasure, report it, and go to jail for committing a 3rd Degree Felony. (4) The person who gets most of the credit for the Gasparilla myth is John Gomez who drowned around 1900 at the age of 122. He eventually retired and settled down on Shell Creek near Lettuce Lake in DeSoto County, where he lived for many years. Just . What date is Gasparilla 2021? They bribed the owner with some of the treasure to not divulge their location. Gasparilla seized their ship, as well as their 11 dowries, but fell madly in love with the Spanish princess. A unique legend of pirate treasure in Indiana is intriguing. Maybe you can find one and claim the fame and wealth that will ultimilty accompany your successful efforts. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story. Or they were always togahter. In different accounts, details of his early life, motivations, and activities varied. He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. Legends tell how he amassed a huge fortune, and hid an enormous treasure before dying a hero facing the might of the US Navy. The team found a few nails, a beer can, and a screw during this hunt. Some more information on the cruise of the USS, I did not find a reference to Gaspar in Gardner Allen's, I was always Told Jose Gaspar, was also known as Juan Gomez. But, now? Mysterious Pirate Treasure Box Found in Tampa Bay Attic - Cult of Weird The most notorious and successful pirate was Jose Gaspar, better known as Gasparilla. 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. One of the most popular pirates in Florida folklore is Jose' Gaspar. His piratical career always starts with an injustice and he is seen as a lovable rogue rather than a murderous monster. He has taken his place in local folklore and culture and has an annual festival in his honor. Jos Gaspar, also known by his nickname Gasparilla , is an apocryphal Spanish pirate who terrorized the Gulf of Mexico from his base in southwest Florida during Florida's second Spanish period . Hiding treasure under a well constructed fort is a much more logical thought than those previously mentioned. In 1705 the group was killed by French traders who were tired of being robbed by these men. It is said that Captain Kidd came ashore here. You are using an out of date browser. Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. For whatever reason, burial of chests laden with gold and jewels seems to be the norm, but is there any pirate treasure left? Definitely try, Find our recommended Caribbean hotels, restaurants, charters, & tours. Most of the suspected locations are in and around the state of Florida. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Ye be walkin the plank if ye so think. 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. In 1897, he purchased land at Boca Grande, an island outpost. You must log in or register to reply here. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. Michael Gattuso lends a hand to his wife Lauren as they dock on a wetland on the Peace River in Arcadia. According to the story, Gaspar had underestimated the USS Enterprise as an easy target. As mentioned above one of the rumored locations for his treasure is on Woodland Beach in Delaware. (3) The Spanish kept meticulous records and there is no mention of Gasparilla in the archives. Fastened inside the box with copper wire is an old wedding photo, 18th century Spanish and Portuguese coins, a 1930s map of the Hillsborough River and a mummified hand wearing a ring. Box allegedly containing Gaspars hand and related items Photo Credit. History of Gasparilla: Jos Gaspar & his krewe. We have seven maps.". Evidently, though, the treasure is not. When it comes to the legend of Jose Gaspar, Diff told us to "be cautious that the information you present as there are lots of versions of this story and everyone's version is 'true.' Always being on the run from mercenaries, armies, navies, and any and all other law enforcement agencies of the day, often resulted in the necessity to hide their riches. His fleet would capture vessels at sea, and take all the goods back to Galveston. The American Government then decided to get into the act and sent a Navy squadron to end his career. Leaving soon? Or show us love by sharing articles and leaving great comments. 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. The latter two locations being the most logical. It appears Philip Gosse got the story from Bradlee's book. On my recent visit, I was on a shell mission to use for a hairpiece for a . A Net Inceptions project. Legacy | Useppa Island Tampans have embraced Gasparilla for more than a century, whether or not the pirate Jose Gaspar ever came to town It's a huge juxtaposition from the quiet of the Touchton Map Library at the. Cleaning the dreaded attic turned up a darling wedding photo of the Lopezes grandparents, but it also uncovered some interesting but creepy finds. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Gaspar, Sachs, S, 2022. He supposedly buried 3 chests under a palm tree somewhere in the vicinity. Also check state and local regulations before you begin any activities such as digging or metal detecting. He is even said to have buried treasure somewhere on the island near where the lighthouse now stands. They took the box to a few antique stores around Tampa and the contents were described as "gruesome and authentic.". Treasure hunter Todd Stager holds a machete on a wetland where him and a small group of treasure hunters believe lies lost treasure on the Peace River in Arcadia. Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State 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 . These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Jos Gaspar. The author of the pamphlet readily stated that the spectacular tale was a work of fiction with no genuine facts in it. The gold coins were too thin and too old to pass as authentic Spanish treasure. He confirmed that indeed the Lopezes have found a real human hand, but as for Gasparilla, that was a myth. The tale of pirate captain Jos Gaspar who, according to the stories, ravaged the west coast of Spanish Florida for 40 years is the inspiration for a bombastic plundering that continues from 1905. Many believe it is Edward Teach, but some claim it is Edward Thatch. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. In this time Spain controlled a huge swathe of the Americas and Gaspar grew rich. Theyve done this every Sunday for a year, looking for the booty of 19th century pirate Jose Gaspar. Jos Gaspar. 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? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! Plundering the high seas and ports alike resulted in vast riches for some of these ruthless criminals. Gasparilla Pirate Festival - Wikipedia Jean Lafitte. Go find it, unbury it, take tons of pictures, bury it back again, and prove to the world that you found it. His methods were black and bloody, and he stands out among all the pirates who used Florida to bury their wealth. 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. After that, they searched his cabin and found a jar of gold coins and a small sheet of copper engraved with a code indicating the location of buried treasure. Decipher the code, and you might find some of Gaspars lost treasure but as fast as Florida changes, dont be surprised if you find a new shopping mall sitting square on top of it. Still, it was not very soon after that, that Tampa captured that myth," Kite-Powell said. The legend states that Gaspar terrorized the western coastal waters of Florida in the late 18th to early 19th century. Many of the stories about Gasparilla were attributed to Juan Gomez. Read another story from us:Norways Saint Olaf Uncovered: Archaeologists Believe They have Discovered the Shrine of the Lost Viking King. What you don't expect to find is treasure. As with any tale of vast hidden riches, these stories can not be 100 percent verified to even exist. WFLA | What is Gasparilla? Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Friendly down to earth staff. Available at: https://www.wfla.com/news/gasparilla/history-of-gasparilla-jose-gaspar-his-krewe/, ymkg, 2022. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Keep me posted! When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. Perhaps this suggested location is merely a case in mistaken identity. Gaspar realized in this moment that he had found the treasure he was searching for. It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue. I love this place built around 1640 . Buumi . As the story goes, the pirate Jose Gaspar was hunting for the USS Enterprise in 1821; onboard was Juan Gmez, the man who lived to tell the tale. 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. We actually located the great great, great, great-granddaughter of Juan Gomez. USEPPA ISLAND, Fla. Most, if not all, historians agree the pirate named Jose Gaspar never existed. With the help of the Prime Minster she was able to convincingly spread this rumor leading to Gaspars impending arrest by the king. Afterwards, he sailed his ship, the Floridablanca, to the Gulf Coast and set up a pirate base on what is now known as Gasparilla Island in Southwest Florida. All had been going along fine for Gasparilla until the year 1822. However, this treasure is also attributed to the infamous pirate Blackbeard. Instead, he pursued a merchant ship and insisted that it convey Batista and Ann Jeffries to England and that its captain marry them on board after they were out of sight of his ship, the Jose Gasparilla II. Born in 1756 in Spain, Gaspar served in the Spanish Navy until a mutiny in 1783. Lacking experience in seamanship, he and his crew of escaped slaves limited their raids to smaller ships and coastal villages but managed to amass a large amount of treasure, which was hidden in several caches on the . So are you juiced up and just caught the gold fever? Just like most pirates, there is little known about his early life. Josh joins marine archaeologists and treasure hunters working to crack the mysteries of the pirate's life so they can find the riches he left behind. Florida's Pirate Jose Gaspar and his Treasure Story Other possible locations of Kidds treasure include Maryland in Druid Park, and Money Island off the coast of Connecticut is also claimed to be used by Kidd. Having spent some time here, Blackbeard built a fort near a swamp west of Charleston. 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. In the late 1600s a Scottish sailor named William Kidd came to America. However, there is another story, that has some validity, of what happened to his treasure. Marias brother Mike believes the couple in the photo may be their great grandparents, Eve and Ernesto Lopez. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. As promised here is the start of your Pirate Treasure stories. The Gasparilla Inn was a hotel on the island. We're back to the hotel brochure. Once he was a few hundred meters away, the British flag came down and the American flag rose up the mast. Treasure hunters seeking Gasparilla's gold featured on Discovery and Who was this figure, and what was he supposed to have done? | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Available at: https://ymkg.com/the-legend-of-jose-gasparilla/. This Plantation is said to be roughly 5 miles West of the town of Iowa. Barnes & Noble Booksellers 10 Bookstores Music & DVDs Toy Stores Subsequent retellings of the Gaspar tale are based on this imaginative account, including the unintentional inclusion of Jos Gaspar in a 1923 book on genuine pirates, which has created ongoing debate regarding his historical veracity.

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