Leading a group of escaped convicts, Gaspar with his stolen ship established a home base in 1783 in the area of Charlotte Harbor, north of the present day Fort Myers on an Island he named "Gasparilla." He is said to have also taken that name for himself as it means "Gaspar the outlaw." If we find that buried treasure together, we can split the booty among all of our readers and we never have to work again. " Mar 2021 We really enjoyed shopping here! He renamed this ship Queen Anns Revenger which gave him one of the largest fleets on the East coast of America and Caribbean. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The pirate is one of the most notorious in the history of pirates. Rumors take on a life of their own and ultimately cause hurt or expense. The men were executed but Gomez was to be the final survivor of this piratical outfit. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Gaspar was a rebel from an aristocratic upbringing. In or around 1806 the brothers arrived in New Orleans Louisiana and were licensed privateers operating in the Gulf of Mexico. "Maria came across it and once she told me she found a hand in a box. He even set up a blockade of the port of Charleston in South Carolina for 6 days. Gasparilla 2023: The pirate party master list. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Tampa family finds pirate treasure in grandpa's attic Box found in Tampa attic has coins, a map, a hand and a mystery - WFLA News Channel 8 Share or comment on this article: Tampa family finds. So are you juiced up and just caught the gold fever? Ill post one a week Treasure Tuesdaysthis that lame? The notorious pirate then committed suicide by wrapping a heavy chain around him and jumping over the side. Inside was a tattered map of the Hillsborough River, century-old coins, a family picture and a hand wearing a ring. According to the story, Gaspar had underestimated the USS Enterprise as an easy target. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. Sarasota's Michael Gattuso and members of his . The family thinks the hand belongs to famous Tampa Bay pirate Jose Gaspar. There has been a lot of permanent damage to archaeological sites due to the misinformation about buried treasure in prehistoric mounds, and pushing some aspects of this myth may lead to others following suit (leading to arrests and seizures as well as loss of cultural information). (5) The first written version of Gasparilla appeared in an advertising brochure of the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad Co. printed in 1900. Crystal and I greatly appreciate any support! It may not display this or other websites correctly. Leaving Spain at an early age, he sailed to the West Coast of Florida. His death seems to come straight from Hollywood. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This tale doesnt give the Lopezes a helping hand in solving the mystery of the finds from their grandparents attic. . There have been many stories told of treasure Captain Kidd buried back in America. Story continues below video. There are at least 3 different locations said to hold his riches in Connecticut. Jose Gaspar (aka: Gasparilla) was a quasi-mythical Spanish pirate who roamed the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. This endeavor lasted only about 5 years when the us army came to visit Lafitte, asking him to leave. Gaspar did not exist, but never mind that. One of his ships has been discovered in the waters off of North Carolina and definitely proven to belong to Blackbeard. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Definitely try, Find our recommended Caribbean hotels, restaurants, charters, & tours. The Legend of Jose Gaspar. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? Read another story from us:Norways Saint Olaf Uncovered: Archaeologists Believe They have Discovered the Shrine of the Lost Viking King. These men witnessed the battle and when the pirate ship began to sink, they loaded this vast treasure onto small boats and escaped unnoticed to a place called Spanish Homestead around the Peace River. A band of pirates in Wisconsin operated out of a cave on Hermit island. He apparently helped repeal a British Invasion on New Orleans. The prices seem lower, but not my thing. Mike Lopez said his sister was not expecting to find a human hand, a treasure map, and gold coins. Gaspar did not exist, but never mind that. Gasparilla seized her ship, and the hostages were brought to his hideout on Gasparilla Island. There are many differing versions about the pirates origins and life, but there is no real historical evidence that he ever existed. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. All had been going along fine for Gasparilla until the year 1822. We are constantly looking for opportunities to metal detect, magnet fish, pan for gold, and search for real life lost treasures. In the following years, he accumulated a board estimated at $30,000,000. "They were the ones that profited from the story to attract visitors to their new train stop and hotel (Gasparilla Inn)," Crystal Diff, Executive Director of the Boca Grande Historical Society and History Center, wrote in an email. Magnet fishing is a hobby that is quickly increasing in popularity with good reason. Therefore hiding treasure might have seemed like a logical choice. But the idea of a pirate named Gasparilla (or some variant) goes way back. "The reason I believe in Gasparilla is because I believe in Juan Gomez," Mike Gattuso, a member of The Real Treasure Hunters, told Paluska. No Result Found. This story states that the vast treasure was actually siting on the beach in numerous chests waiting to be divided. If you choose to embark on a hunt for any treasure do so at your own risk. They took the box to a few antique stores around Tampa and the contents were described as "gruesome and authentic.". The author of the pamphlet readily stated that the spectacular tale was a work of fiction with no genuine facts in it. 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. Around noon on the Gasparilla Day, members of YMKG set sail across Tampa Bay from near Ballast Point Park to downtown aboard the Jose Gasparilla, a 165' long flat . If there is one thing pirates are known for it is treasure. Top Image: Real pirate or later fiction? 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. I'm Clint, the guy behind Treasureunknown. Seeing the writing on the wall, he decided to scuttle his own ship and hide with his crew in the forrest. JavaScript is disabled. They gave him a first name, Jose Gaspar, and they really gave him the full backstory to create that in 1904. (2) Most of the islands around Charlotte Harbor were named by the Cuban Spanish fishermen that lived there since the 1600's. From real buried treasure, to massive pearl finds, these . The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story. Name of The Day. When he finally realized that it was a warship, it was too late. You'll need a boat or kayak for this cache. Gaspar is presented as dignified, noble in heart and rich and titled in some versions. 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. 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. This location is said to be on the southern end at False Live Oak Point. CBS affiliate WPEC-TV reported that 43-year-old treasure hunter Jonah Martinez located the coins using a . His headquarters were at Boca Grande, on what is today known as Gasparilla Island. 1 Review #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach. Treasure hunting can be a fun and exciting activity. Many ship captains and pirates alike came to Lafitte and could sign articles to become a part of his pirate fleet. This hoard was allegedly buried by a group of pirates in the early 1800s. He met and married his wife in New York and had 2 daughters. The first recorded reference of Jos Gaspar was in fact over 100 years after his supposed career, in a short biography included in an early 1900s promotional brochure for the Gasparilla Inn on Gasparilla Island in Charlotte Harbor. TAMPA, Fla. - Docked in downtown Tampa, the Jose Gasparilla II is one of the most iconic parts of Gasparilla and a year-round reminder of Tampa's biggest party and quirkiest tradition. I was totally blown away," said Lopez. It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue. 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. The map is estimated to be from the 1930s and shows the Tampa area. 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. Some historians say Caesar has between two-and-six million dollars of treasure stashed on Pine Island. With his crew of cut-throat mercenaries, the last of the buccaneers terrorized shipping in the Gulf of Mexico for years, striking from his secret Florida base. However, he spotted a British merchant ship and could not resist one final prize. 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. He then sailed back across the world, landing on what we now know as our home of Tampa Bay. Perhaps this suggested location is merely a case in mistaken identity. This action helped turn opinion of Lafitte from villain to hero. They will be focused on the Florida coastline, right in my back yard. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f2/ferret-iii.htm, Florida's Pirate Jose Gaspar and his Treasure Story. Supposedly this fort had hidden tunnels leading under the fort. However his name and supposed deeds are still celebrated to this day, not least with the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival, which began in 1904 in Tampa, Florida, which honors his tale. Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. Source: Theartofphoto / Adobe Stock. 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. Cleaning the dreaded attic turned up a darling wedding photo of the Lopezes grandparents, but it also uncovered some interesting but creepy finds. It's located on the north side of town, next door to the Turtle Shack cafe. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, no pirate was more feared in the southern United States than Jose Gaspar.
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