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.
Treasure on Sunken Spanish Galleon Could Be Biggest Ever - History A unique legend of pirate treasure in Indiana is intriguing. Read another story from us:Norways Saint Olaf Uncovered: Archaeologists Believe They have Discovered the Shrine of the Lost Viking King. Once again our legend states that he hid 3 large chests among a group of trees on San Jose Island. Not much is known of his early life before his pirating career. Over and out from somewhere south, RumShopRyan. 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. Seeing the writing on the wall, he decided to scuttle his own ship and hide with his crew in the forrest. The Gasparilla Inn was a hotel on the island. What year did Gasparilla start? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? 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. From seashells to lost treasure, this shop has it all.
The Legend of the Pirate Gasparilla | Coastal History Sign up for our WTFF Newsletter to get weird Florida news delivered straight to your email: WTFF News: Because regular news is depressing. So that's why we believe that it was Juan Gomez. To learn more, visit our. But Rodney Kite-Powell, a Tampa-Bay curator, doesnt believe that the legendary figure was even real. Legend states they marked a tree by driving a sword into it. To add more to the story, the treasure map contained the name of the infamous mythical pirate Gaspar. Or they were always togahter. He even set up a blockade of the port of Charleston in South Carolina for 6 days. A Florida family may have discovered some unusual treasure belonging to legendary pirate Jose "Gasparilla" Gaspar. Gilchrist intended to turn the area into a community. 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. | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate.
Treasure hunters search for Jose Gaspar's lost riches - Tampa Bay Times So, we stole Jose Gaspar.
On the Trail of Gasparilla'S Treasure Haunted by The Ghost of Notorious 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. Lots of shells and jewelry and other gifts. From real buried treasure, to massive pearl finds, these . Aged Rum.
Jose Gaspar | bakersfield.com "It's a bunch of heartbreak with little reward and a lot of imagination," said treasure hunter Erin Melcher. Jos Gaspar allegedly lived between 1756 and 1821 and was based on southwest Florida, on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! Hitting the scene in the early 1800s Billy Bowlegs Rogers was a pirate to be reckoned with. Pirate treasure rumors. Was there really a pirate named Jose Gaspar? He has taken his place in local folklore and culture and has an annual festival in his honor. He told of the looting of ships, the massacre of innocents, and last of all, when his life had nearly passed, he told the story of 'The Little Spanish Princess,' whose name he did not remember. A few years later, he fell out of favor with the government and turned to a life of piracy. Most of the suspected locations are in and around the state of Florida. What remains of Jos Gaspar today are his stories and legends, but most significant of them all is the secret of these mysterious cherries. It may not display this or other websites correctly. (story from treasurelore.com). In fact, we dont even know for certain his real name. Source: Theartofphoto / Adobe Stock. While doing some spring cleaning a few weeks ago, Maria Lopez made an unusual discovery in her grandfathers attic. 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. One of the most popular pirates in Florida folklore is Jose' Gaspar. Available at: https://ymkg.com/the-legend-of-jose-gasparilla/. 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. Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. 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. ", The story said Gaspar hid in the Charlotte Harbor area, and "while taking the census of 1900, two gentlemen stopped at Panther Key and spent the night with *John Gomez. 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. 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.
Old hand, coins and treasure map found in Florida attic - The Vintage News A treasure said to be worth $30 million.
The Severed Hand of Florida Pirate Jose Gaspar Found in Attic! jose gaspar, coins, and treasuremap found. | TreasureNet The Original Mysterious Pirate Treasure Box Found in Tampa Bay Attic - Cult of Weird And indeed there are serious problems with the stories of Gasparilla. Canceled2021 Gasparilla Pirate Festival / Date These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Tyrons Landing located between the towns of Wethersfield and Naubuc. We also participate in programs from eBay, CJ, Bluehost, Clickbank, ShareASale, and other sites. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. You are using an out of date browser. It's located on the north side of town, next door to the Turtle Shack cafe. 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. His sister found a box in their grandfather's attic in Tampa, Fla., a few weeks ago while doing some spring cleaning.
Photos: Treasure Including Spanish Gold Found on Colombia Shipwreck The story goes that Lafitte and his men used an old barn on LeBleau Plantation as a gathering location and perhaps buried treasure here. St. Vincent Island off the coast of Florida is said to have been an island frequented by early pirates. He relocated to Galveston Island around 1817 where he set up a pirate empire. Louisiana makes sense because during most of his time here, he was considered a fugitive by the US. My grandfather had a book on all these when I was younger. What Became of Anne Bonny, Irish Pirate of the Caribbean? Professional blogger, rum judge, consultant, marketer, and consumer of blue water beauty.
10 Lost Treasures in America Waiting to be Found - History Collection 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. Still, it was not very soon after that, that Tampa captured that myth," Kite-Powell said. It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue. It seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. 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.
Hand in Tampa Attic Stirs Up Memories of Dread Pirate Gaspar This is extremely suspect as this is the same location rumored to hide the treasure of Billy Bowlegs Rogers. Here Lafitte had a very fair treasure distribution policy that everyone seemed to like. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Treasure hunter Erin Melcher. (386) 439-3061. If there is one thing pirates are known for it is treasure. Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla (supposedly lived c. He spoke to local TV news network WFLA about the discovery, and the story kept getting stranger. Before deciding to pursue this ship, Gaspar left some of his men behind with the treasure. The latter two locations being the most logical. 2119 N Ocean Shore Blvd, Flagler Beach, FL 32136-2802.
Human hand found in Florida attic with coins, treasure map - ajc 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. 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. We actually located the great great, great, great-granddaughter of Juan Gomez. 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. 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. He claimed to be one of the few crew members to escape a fateful attack by American pirate hunting schooner USS Enterprise in 1821. All my curanderos, check out the first word on the second line play the song below for inspiration: Please support WTFFlorida.com by making a donation. Just pick any island and start digging, because Gasparillas loot is buried on many of them, including Cayo Pelau. Once he was a few hundred meters away, the British flag came down and the American flag rose up the mast. So it is a huge, huge draw for people to come to Tampa.". 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. Dropa Stones: Are They 12,000 Year Old Discs? I love this place built around 1640 . Accept Read More. 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.
We have seven maps.". Josh Gates sets sail for Florida chasing the long-lost treasure of bloodthirsty pirate Jose Gaspar.
World's largest 'treasure hoard' worth over $20 billion may soon be found Jos Gaspar - Wikiwand If the legend is true, Gasparilla was extremely successful and plundered more than 400 ships. Name of The Day.
Gaspar's Brew: A cup of treasure - Joffrey's When it comes to spring cleaning, its always nice to have a spare hand to help. Pirate Photo byScott UmstattdonUnsplash, Lafitte Photo By Anonymous Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas, Public Domain, Skully Photo byLuke SouthernonUnsplash. 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. The poem, maps, comments from other searchers, and other guides to finding the treasure are online and easy to find. When you go in the attic you expect to find something old. 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.
Tampa family finds 'pirate treasure' in attic including treasure map Gaspar caught wind of his coming doom, and escaped via ship to America. 1 Review #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach. His death seems to come straight from Hollywood. 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. And she actually had maps, and she had stories that were passed down to the family about these treasures. New details have emerged about the San Jose, a Spanish galleon sunk by British ships 300 years ago.
15 Lost Treasures People Actually Found | TheRichest In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, no pirate was more feared in the southern United States than Jose Gaspar. Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad Company are said to have distributed the brochures. Chasing Treasure: The myth of Gasparilla and the real-life man Juan Gomez. He vowed revenge on those who had framed him and was forced to turn to a life of piracy. Here is what we have been able to piece together about this controversial pirate. Or at least thats what Florida folklore would have you believe. 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. Marias brother Mike believes the couple in the photo may be their great grandparents, Eve and Ernesto Lopez. 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. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. Gaspar realized in this moment that he had found the treasure he was searching for. 3. Just . This happened in the year 1782. He quickly worked his way up the ranks of the Spanish Navy and became an officer. We've been chasing his treasures. Debbie gave us a great tip to hide the tooth in the sand and make our son think he found it. The story of Juan Gomez is also published in the Library of Congress. In his early pirate career, he teamed up with a few other pirates and eventually took over a ship named The Revenge. The legend of pirate Jose Gaspar, or Gasparilla as he is sometimes known, is shrouded in mystery.
Legacy | Useppa Island In the 1690s a war broke out between England and France. Rogers lost interest in the hunt after this and it is said he lived near his treasure to guard it for the remainder of his life.
Gasparilla the Pirate and his Charlotte Harbor Treasure The American Government then decided to get into the act and sent a Navy squadron to end his career. Website. Jos Gaspar. He would then sell these items to local customers in east Texas. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". His men, who numbered in the hundreds, also buried their smaller caches on these islands. His work appears here every third Monday; the views expressed. The rest of the treasure remains hidden, waiting to be found. He successfully captured a few ships during his years long voyage. Just like most pirates, there is little known about his early life. So are you juiced up and just caught the gold fever? Sometime later a large sum of gold coins was found near the Spanish Homestead.
WFLA | What is Gasparilla? Story continues below video. The Search For The Real Captain Morgan. Gaspar did not exist, but never mind that.
Legends of Sanibel's Pirate Past - Sanibel Island Myths of Treasure http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f2/ferret-iii.htm, Florida's Pirate Jose Gaspar and his Treasure Story. Having spent some time here, Blackbeard built a fort near a swamp west of Charleston. . Mike Lopez tells WFLA that his sister was. What year did Jose Gaspar invade Tampa? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Definitely try, Find our recommended Caribbean hotels, restaurants, charters, & tours. While in Florida, Caesar palled up with Jose Gaspar, better known as "Gasparilla.". But, now? Or show us love by sharing articles and leaving great comments. 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. Gasparilla seized their ship, as well as their 11 dowries, but fell madly in love with the Spanish princess. Maybe you can find one and claim the fame and wealth that will ultimilty accompany your successful efforts. Santa Rosa Island has been sort of a local hotspot for finding bags of gold and silver coins. Perhaps this suggested location is merely a case in mistaken identity. So it would seem that Gasparilla is a fiction, no more real a figure than Mickey Mouse. 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. The parade that follows is one of the largest in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to Tampa Bay. The notorious pirate then committed suicide by wrapping a heavy chain around him and jumping over the side. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue.
Jose Gaspar - A Real Pirate? | TreasureNet The Original Treasure However, he spotted a British merchant ship and could not resist one final prize. Much of his treasure was carried to him up the Peace River. Despite his brutal reputation, Gasparilla was supposed to have a soft side as well.
Gaspar's Lost Treasure - WTF Florida?