Places to Visit
De Soto Winter Encampment Site
B. Calvin Jones Center for Archaeology
at the Governor Martin House
1001 De Soto Park Drive
850-245-6444
The site of the 1539-1540 Hernando de Soto Winter Encampment is located at the B. Calvin Jones Center, home to the offices of the Florida Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Archaeological Research. Archaeological investigations confirm that the Hernando de Soto expedition camped at this location during its first winter in North America in 1539-1540.
Museum of Florida History
500 South Bronough Street
850-245-6400
http://www.museumoffloridahistory.com/
The 1700s Spanish Shipwrecks exhibit displays artifacts from the 1715 and 1733 Spanish plate fleet shipwrecks. The Florida Memory Project presents a selection of historical records that illustrate significant moments in Florida history, educational resources for students of all ages and archival collections for historical research. Among the collections are the Spanish Land Grants, the confirmed Spanish land grant claims related to the territory that Spain ceded to the United States in 1821.
Mission San Luis
2100 West Tennessee Street
Tallahassee, FL 32304
850-245-6406
http://www.missionsanluis.org/
The village that Spaniards called San Luis was always a prominent entity in Apalachee Province. It first appeared in the historical record as the capital village called Anhaica where de Soto wintered in 1539-40. Shortly after the founding of St. Augustine in 1565, missions were established along the Atlantic coastal plain and westward into north Florida. In 1633, Pedro Muñoz and Francisco Martínez launched a formal mission effort in Apalachee Province. In 1656, Spanish authorities decided to establish their western capital on one of the region's highest hilltops for strategic purposes, and the chief of San Luis (Anhaica) moved his village to be near them. In 1675, San Luis and its satellite villages had a population of more than 1,400 native residents.
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park
148 Old Fort Road
St. Marks, FL 32355
850-925-6216
http://www.floridastateparks.org/sanmarcos/
The many different flags welcoming visitors to the park demonstrate the colorful history of this site, from the first Spanish explorers to the present day. The history of this National Landmark began in 1528 when Panfilo de Narvaez arrived in the area with 300 men; however, the first fort was not built until 1679. Andrew Jackson occupied the fort for a brief time in the early 1800s. The museum at the park displays pottery and tools unearthed near the original fort and explains the history of the San Marcos site. A self-guided trail is open to visitors and guided tours are available with two weeks advance notice.
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
1 South Castillo Drive
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-829-6506
http://www.nps.gov/casa/
The Monument site consists of 20.5 acres and includes a reconstructed section of the walled defense line surrounding the city of St. Augustine incorporating the original city gate. The Castillo de San Marcos' architecture and detail are distinctive and unique. It is the oldest masonry and only extant 17th century fort in North America. As such it is an excellent example of the "bastion system" of fortification.
Fort Mose Historic State Park
15 Fort Mose Trail
St. Augustine, FL 32080
904-823-2232
http://www.floridastateparks.org/fortmose/default.cfm
The power politics of 18th century England and Spain reached across the Atlantic to the Florida frontier. In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida chartered Fort Mose as a settlement for freed Africans who had fled slavery in the British Carolinas. When Spain ceded Florida to Britain in 1763, the inhabitants of Fort Mose migrated to Cuba. Although nothing remains of the fort, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 for its importance in American history. Visitors may view the site from a boardwalk and stop for a picnic in a covered pavilion.
Anastasia State Park
1340-A State Road A1A South
St. Augustine, FL 32080
904-461-2033
http://www.floridastateparks.org/anastasia/default.cfm
Anastasia State Park includes more than 1,600 acres featuring four miles of pristine beach, a tidal salt marsh, and a maritime and upland hammock. There is also an archaeological site where coquina rock was mined to create the nearby fortress, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. It is believed that Juan Ponce de León's original arrival site is in this vicinity.
San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
12720 N.W. 109 Lane
Alachua, FL 32615
386-462-7905
http://www.floridastateparks.org/sanfelascohammock/default.cfm
This preserve has one of the few remaining mature forests in Florida. The limestone outcrops and extreme changes in elevation provide ideal conditions for many species of hardwood trees, including several champion trees. Bobcats, white-tailed deer, gray foxes, turkeys, and many species of songbirds make their homes in the 18 natural communities found in the preserve. The park offers outdoor adventure to hikers, off-road bicyclists, horseback riders, and nature lovers. A 17th century Spanish mission was once located in the southeastern corner of the preserve.
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
100 Savannah Boulevard
Micanopy, FL 32667
352-466-3397
http://www.floridastateparks.org/paynesprairie/default.cfm
Paynes Prairie is biologically, geologically and historically unique. This park became Florida´s first state preserve in 1971 and is now designated as a National Natural Landmark. Noted artist and naturalist William Bartram called it the great Alachua Savannah when he wrote about his visit to the prairie in 1774. This was the site of largest cattle ranch in Spanish Florida. Cattle and wild horses seen today are descendents of those brought to Florida by the Spanish.
The Florida Museum of Natural History
SW 34th Street and Hull Road
352-846-2000
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu
The "South Florida People and Environments" hall has various interpretive areas and objects related to Spanish colonial topics, including: early Spanish contact with native people of South Florida, mission efforts, consequences of contact, Cuban fishing ranchos, and native use of salvaged material from Spanish shipwrecks.
Sebastian Inlet State Park
9700 South State Road A1A
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
321-984-4852
http://www.floridastateparks.org/sebastianinlet/default.cfm
The premier saltwater fishing spot on Florida's east coast, this park is a favorite for anglers nationwide for catching snook, redfish, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel from its jetties. Two museums provide a history of the area. The McLarty Treasure Museum features the history of the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet; the Sebastian Fishing Museum tells the history of the area's fishing industry.
Ybor City Museum State Park
1818 Ninth Avenue
Tampa, FL 33601
813-247-6323
http://www.floridastateparks.org/yborcity/default.cfm
http://www.ybormuseum.org/
Don Vicente Martinez Ybor came to the frontier near Tampa and built a city that became the "Cigar Capital of the World." From the opening of the first cigar factory in 1886 until the 1930s, Ybor City flourished. This urban park is dedicated to the preservation of Ybor City's unique cultural heritage. The museum, housed in the historic Ferlita Bakery, traces the rich cultural history of Ybor City and the cigar making industry. The museum has self-guided exhibits, with written and audio information, and a video presentation. La Casita, a restored cigar worker's house, is open for viewing 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Guided tours are available Monday through Saturday. The ornamental garden can be rented for events after regular park hours. Located at the corner of 9th Avenue and 19th Street in Tampa.
Mound Key Archaeological State Park
U.S. 41
Estero, FL 33928
239-992-0311
http://www.floridastateparks.org/moundkey/default.cfm
Framed in forests of mangrove trees, the shell mounds and ridges of Mound Key rise more than 30 feet above the waters of Estero Bay. Prehistoric Native Americans are credited with creating this island's complex of mounds with an accumulation of seashells, fish bones, and pottery. Mound Key is believed to have been the ceremonial center of the Calusa Indians when the Spaniards first attempted to colonize Southwest Florida. In 1566, the Spanish governor of Florida established a settlement on the island with a fort and the first Jesuit mission in the Spanish New World. The settlement was abandoned three years later after violent clashes with the Indians. The only access to the island is by boat; there are no facilities. Interpretive displays can be found along a trail that spans the width of the island. Located in Estero Bay, several miles by boat from Koreshan State Historic Site or Lovers Key State Park.
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Southard Street
Key West, FL 33041
305-292-6713
http://www.floridastateparks.org/forttaylor/default.cfm
Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, Florida's southernmost state park is popular for recreation, as well as U.S. military history. The fort was one of a series built in the mid-1800s to defend the nation's southeastern coastline. Completed in 1866, Fort Zachary Taylor played important roles in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. A beautiful beach at the southern end of the park provides opportunities for picnicking, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. Visitors can also enjoy a short nature trail and bicycling within the park. A refreshment stand at the beach offers snacks, cold beverages, beach sundries, and souvenirs. Guided tours of the fort are available daily. Located in Key West at the end of Southard Street on Truman Annex.
