The vessel was said to be transporting gold, silver and precious gems collected in the South . There's really no way to know which is the case," Maria wrote, in an email to WTSP-TV. 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. 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. He subsequently set fire to all his buildings before sailing out to sea, never to be heard from again. Inside was a tattered map of the Hillsborough River, century-old coins, a family picture and a hand wearing a ring. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The legend of Gaspar began making its way into other writings after that, without any other historical evidence to back it up. P.S. The pirate, whose full name is Jos Gaspar, is a legend from the 18th and 19th century. 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. When his attempts to capture Joseffa's heart were met with contempt, Gaspar used Useppa Island to imprison the proud princess, and the isle came to be known as "Joseffa's Island." Barron G. Collier His work appears here every third Monday; the views expressed. Shopping, Gift & Specialty Shops. The author of the pamphlet readily stated that the spectacular tale was a work of fiction with no genuine facts in it. Despite his brutal reputation, Gasparilla was supposed to have a soft side as well. "Maria came across it and once she told me she found a hand in a box. 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. Jose Gaspar has come in handy for parades and celebrations. 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. His treasure might have been on the ship with him during this battle. In the following years, he accumulated a board estimated at $30,000,000. Rumors take on a life of their own and ultimately cause hurt or expense. Here Lafitte had a very fair treasure distribution policy that everyone seemed to like. Jean Lafitte. A Net Inceptions project. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. The story of the famed pirate may have been the tall tale of a U.S. naval officer. They took the box to a few antique stores. Treasure hunter Stacey Hunt holds an old nail found under the ground on a wetland believed to have lost treasure. While in Florida, Caesar palled up with Jose Gaspar, better known as "Gasparilla.". Powell showed us museum exhibits full of gold coins recovered from shipwrecks and explained how the legend of Jose Gaspar launched the Gasparilla Pirate Festival we know and love today. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. For whatever reason, burial of chests laden with gold and jewels seems to be the norm, but is there any pirate treasure left? When Maria and Mike were children, their grandfather would tell them stories about his father, Ernesto Lopez, finding Jose Gaspar's pirate treasure. Texas is also a logical location for this pirate to bury treasure. 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. We have one with Gomez's name on it. All rights reserved. Sometime later a large sum of gold coins was found near the Spanish Homestead. Hiding treasure under a well constructed fort is a much more logical thought than those previously mentioned. Finally Pirates Cove, which is on the southern tip of Connecticut may house these valuable chests. He remembers their grandfather telling stories when they were children of Ernesto finding the treasure of Tampa Bay pirate legend Jose Gaspar. They bribed the owner with some of the treasure to not divulge their location. Named for legendary pirate, Jose Gaspar, who terrorized the coastal waters of West Florida during the 18th and early 19th centuries, Tampa Bay's destination-wide annual Gasparilla celebration kicks off each January with a full schedule of exciting pirate-themed events. As promised here is the start of your Pirate Treasure stories. However, even from the first we run into different versions of the story. Florida at this time was in its Second Spanish Period which runs from 1783 to 1821. Name of The Day. 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. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. And that's what we've been chasing. The men were executed but Gomez was to be the final survivor of this piratical outfit. In this time Spain controlled a huge swathe of the Americas and Gaspar grew rich. According to the story, Gaspar had underestimated the USS Enterprise as an easy target. The choice of the navy career wasn't courage and thirst for adventure on the part of Jose but an expediency of the moment. What year did Jose Gaspar invade Tampa? Whether the coins are authentic or not, Mike thinks the hand is real, and may belong to Jose Gaspar himself. Story continues below video. Josh Gates sets sail for Florida chasing the long-lost treasure of bloodthirsty pirate Jose Gaspar. We lived not far from Gasparella Island and Charlotte Harbour.where the legend supposedly ended. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". We also participate in programs from eBay, CJ, Bluehost, Clickbank, ShareASale, and other sites. As with any tale of vast hidden riches, these stories can not be 100 percent verified to even exist. So it is a huge, huge draw for people to come to Tampa.". Tales of pirate treasures are very difficult to substantiate due to many factors. Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. However, he spotted a British merchant ship and could not resist one final prize. There are numerous legends and tales of buried treasure on this island. Gasparilla seized her ship, and the hostages were brought to his hideout on Gasparilla Island. This happened in the year 1782. These recommended links below will help you save money and book your trip: We use all the companies listed here or on the resource page. History Gattuso will keep them busy on Useppa and across Florida. But they know long-lost treasures and artifacts are out there. Paluska and ABC Action News photojournalist Reed Moeller took a 20-minute ferry ride from Pine Island to Useppa Island, the location where Gaspar is said to have beheaded a Spanish Princess. Accept Read More. At The Jose Gaspar Treasure Co. visitors and locals can find treasures of all kinds. Blackbeard also spend some time in North Carolina, in fact he secured a Royal Pardon in the town of Bath. But Gasparilla himself did not survive the final battle. If we find that buried treasure together, we can split the booty among all of our readers and we never have to work again. In 1897, he purchased land at Boca Grande, an island outpost. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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During the final combat, the majority of Gasparillas crew was killed, but there were 12 survivors 11 men and a cabin boy called Juan Gomez. You must log in or register to reply here. There are a few theories as to the location of a hidden treasure by Lafitte in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. His flagship was eventually ran aground and he was ultimately killed by English warships off the East Coast of America. Friendly down to earth staff. Or at least thats what Florida folklore would have you believe. This state also holds another possible location on the banks of Blackbird Creek. Jose Gaspar (aka: Gasparilla) was a quasi-mythical Spanish pirate who roamed the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. Once again our legend states that he hid 3 large chests among a group of trees on San Jose Island. You must log in or register to reply here. Enjoy. Whether he was his cabin boy, like it states in the story, or maybe he might have been Gasparilla himself because of all the treasure maps that we have found. Not being able to pass up this giant score, he pursed the ship that was flying a British flag. The parade that follows is one of the largest in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to Tampa Bay. As mentioned above one of the rumored locations for his treasure is on Woodland Beach in Delaware. Bipin Dimri is a writer from India with an educational background in Management Studies. He was wanted until 1815 when opinion of him changed. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, no pirate was more feared in the southern United States than Jose Gaspar. Also check state and local regulations before you begin any activities such as digging or metal detecting. Later that fall, he captured a large French slave ship bound for some sugar plantations. 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. The Gaspar myth in the very beginning was tied to the Charlotte Harbor area. The team, known as the "Temple Twelve," have been . 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. With the help of the Prime Minster she was able to convincingly spread this rumor leading to Gaspars impending arrest by the king. The city of Tampa hosts a Gasparilla Day each year. With Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses, How We Became Mr. and Mrs. His methods were black and bloody, and he stands out among all the pirates who used Florida to bury their wealth. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate. Go find it, unbury it, take tons of pictures, bury it back again, and prove to the world that you found it. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark. And to this day, Jose Gaspar returns on board his pirate ship every year to capture the city.". By Geoff Dobson. Canny readers will already recognize a certain romantic streak in these stories. USEPPA ISLAND, Fla. Most, if not all, historians agree the pirate named Jose Gaspar never existed. Several local antique stores described the contents of the box as authentic and gruesome, though a Tampa Bay historian says they do not appear to be genuine Spanish coins. Ye be walkin the plank if ye so think. Who has not heard the rumor which has been going on in St. Augustine that Six Flags is coming to St. Johns County and will be constructed off of State Road 206? Starting in 1911, though, the event's founders, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, switched . Billy left the vast majority of his crew behind and sailed north to gather supplies to salvage his ship. 1 Review #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach. These wealthy civilizations flourished for hundreds of years spreading It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue. Pirate Photo byScott UmstattdonUnsplash, Lafitte Photo By Anonymous Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas, Public Domain, Skully Photo byLuke SouthernonUnsplash. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. He soon picked a good spot in Charlotte Harbor, and began to build his pirate kingdom. He supposedly buried 3 chests under a palm tree somewhere in the vicinity. It may not display this or other websites correctly. As with any treasure hunting adventure, be sure and obtain permission from any applicable parties before your hunt begins. Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla (supposedly lived c. 2. Here is what we have been able to piece together about this controversial pirate. ", Pirate treasure in grandpa's attic includes human hand. 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. The team found a few nails, a beer can, and a screw during this hunt. In fact, we dont even know for certain his real name. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story. He spent nearly 30 years plundering ships in and around the gulf coast. However, this treasure is also attributed to the infamous pirate Blackbeard. 6 reviews of Jose Gaspar Treasure "This sweet little shell shop is nestled in along A1A and the beautiful Atlantic shoreline. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The team searched the waters at low tide for a canon buried in the sand. 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. Legend states they marked a tree by driving a sword into it. "So, it's interesting how Tampa, in a sense, stole; we were pirates ourselves. Michael Gattuso and his crew got a cable debut Wednesday night in an episode of Discovery Channel's show "Expedition Unknown." For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. We thought that was awesome. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. Jose Gaspar Treasure Co. Is this your business? You are using an out of date browser. What year did Gasparilla start? No contemporaneous mention of his existence or achievements has ever been found in Spanish or American ship logs, court documents, newspapers, or other archives, and no tangible items associated with Gaspar have been unearthed in the area where he is said to have operated. (2) Most of the islands around Charlotte Harbor were named by the Cuban Spanish fishermen that lived there since the 1600's. During his 38 year career as a pirate, Gaspar attacked over four hundred ships in the Gulf waters of Florida, including supposedly the vessel carrying $11.75 million in gold bullion that the United States had paid Napoleon for the Louisiana Purchase. Upon hearing this news, he unloaded his spoils and set sail for America (where he was later arrested and sent back to England). 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. In it, she introduced herself and wrote that her parents were. There are numerous tales and stories of pirate treasures hidden thought the world, some of which are not attributed to any particular pirate. (386) 439-3061. First of all there was a Spanish Catholic missionary named Gasparillo that had a mission on the island that bears his name. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? 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. Deleware holds one more possibility around Woodland Beach. 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 . Some say that as this disguised ship was sailing by, the aging pirate and his crew were in the process of dividing up the spoils as an act of retirement. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! 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. Spain and Great Britain were adversaries in the complex tangle of European politics . Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad Company are said to have distributed the brochures. Mysterious box containing a map, coins and a mummified hand found in Tampa Bay attic. 128 were here. 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. His ship soon followed him to the watery depths. What he thought was a British cargo ship turned out to be the USS Enterprise, on a mission to end piracy. So it would seem that Gasparilla is a fiction, no more real a figure than Mickey Mouse. He ignored this order and stayed in Galveston for about another year before the Army returned forcing him to leave. While doing some spring cleaning a few weeks ago, Maria Lopez made an unusual discovery in her grandfathers attic. Other than news articles, the first story ever published in print about the Story of Gasparilla was commissioned by the Charlotte Harbor & Northern Railroad. History of Gasparilla: Jos Gaspar & his krewe. My grandfather had a book on all these when I was younger. We have seven maps.". He even set up a blockade of the port of Charleston in South Carolina for 6 days. 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 . Not much is known of his early life before his pirating career. The final and perhaps most intriguing possibility is around the Spanish Fort San Carlos in Pensacola. They gave him a first name, Jose Gaspar, and they really gave him the full backstory to create that in 1904. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Chasing Treasure: The myth of Gasparilla and the real-life man Juan Gomez. To learn more, visit our. On my recent visit, I was on a shell mission to use for a hairpiece for a . Though that treasure has never been discovered, the story of the swashbuckling Gaspar was unearthed and his memory revived in 1904 when Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla was formed and adopted the pirate as patron rogue of their city . Aged Rum. I was totally blown away," said Lopez. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 3.5, terrain of 5. The American Government then decided to get into the act and sent a Navy squadron to end his career. He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. Professional blogger, rum judge, consultant, marketer, and consumer of blue water beauty. According to the sources we studied, Gaspar was probably born in Spain in 1756. During this time a woman of the royal family, rumored to be the kings daughter-in-law sought the attention of this young naval officer. Galleon of Gold. Most confirm that the "Floridablanca" was the name of his pirate ship and the one that he served upon in the Navy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The story goes that Lafitte and his men used an old barn on LeBleau Plantation as a gathering location and perhaps buried treasure here. "You'll hear more of us, you know; we'll do this until we're old and, you know, can't do it anymore.". Sarasota's Michael Gattuso and members of his . Or they were always togahter. 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. From a four-mile long parade of pirates and period memorabilia on display, to specialty packages and a waterfront half . Who created the man who is now a legend? This tale doesnt give the Lopezes a helping hand in solving the mystery of the finds from their grandparents attic. Jose Gaspar Treasure Co | Flagler Beach, FL 32136. ", The story of Gaspar begins in 1782; the brochure states, "he stood high in the graces of the Spanish Court, so high indeed that he niched the crown jewels. Lesser and Greater Antilles / Windward and Leeward Islands What is What? Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. "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. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. "Maybe my great-grandparents were pirates," Mike Lopez said. Supposedly this fort had hidden tunnels leading under the fort. When Gasparilla requested that they accompany him and his crew on a raid, the two young lovers assumed they would be slaughtered. I'm here writing on Treasureunknown to provide helpful resources so others can get out and enjoy the thrill of the hunt! He was sentenced to prison and eventually released. A band of pirates in Wisconsin operated out of a cave on Hermit island. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A Tampa, Florida family going through their grandparent's attic made an interesting discovery: a treasure map, some coins, and an old human hand! His death seems to come straight from Hollywood. Many say he buried treasure here during this time. Treasure hunter Erin Melcher. He apparently helped repeal a British Invasion on New Orleans. It seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. The Choctawatchee Bay is an area of a lot of speculation of the location of some of Bowlegs hidden treasure. It seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. What Became of Anne Bonny, Irish Pirate of the Caribbean? "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. What remains of Jos Gaspar today are his stories and legends, but most significant of them all is the secret of these mysterious cherries. again not sure of the thought process of choosing a tree as a landmark for millions of dollars in treasure, but that is how the story goes. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story. Find the treasure, don't report it, melt it down or sell it on the black market using a different name. It's part of our family now.". Show more. 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. This is extremely suspect as this is the same location rumored to hide the treasure of Billy Bowlegs Rogers. Though details about his early life, motivations, and piratical exploits differ in various tellings, they agree that the 'Last of the Buccaneers" was a remarkably active pirate who amassed a huge . $ 6 reviews. He told where the body would be found and a sketch was prepared under his direction, and in recent years in the exact location as described, the skeleton of a beheaded woman was found.".
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