The leaflet establishes Gaspars legend, claiming that he chose Gasparilla Island as the best of the islands in Charlotte Harbor to establish his base. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate. Keep me posted! Jos Gaspar - Wikiwand Sarasota's Michael Gattuso and members of his . He successfully captured a few ships during his years long voyage. The ship at the center of it all: A history of the Jose Gasparilla II 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. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. No Result Found. 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. JOSE GASPAR TREASURE - 16 Photos - 2119 N Oceanshore Blvd, Flagler Lets do this. Icelanders and the Huldufolk: A Nation Gripped by Farinis Great Discovery: Is there a Lost City Top Ten Knights of King Arthurs Round Table. Many of the stories about Gasparilla were attributed to Juan Gomez. 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 . You are using an out of date browser. There is another treasure said to be buried on Kelly Island in Delaware by James Gillian, a member of Kidds crew. His methods were black and bloody, and he stands out among all the pirates who used Florida to bury their wealth. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. My grandfather had a book on all these when I was younger. This was to prove his doom as the ship he had targeted was no harmless cargo ship but in fact the USS Enterprise, a heavily armed and very dangerous pirate hunter. 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. Spending most of his time here and running a larger business would provide ample opportunity and necessity to hide valuables. 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.' 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? 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. Marias brother Mike believes the couple in the photo may be their great grandparents, Eve and Ernesto Lopez. However, there is another story, that has some validity, of what happened to his treasure. 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. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. The Gasparilla Inn was a hotel on the island. Starting in 1911, though, the event's founders, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, switched . Many believe it is Edward Teach, but some claim it is Edward Thatch. Josh Gates sets sail for Florida chasing the long-lost treasure of bloodthirsty pirate Jose Gaspar. will support that mission. Gasparilla 2023: The pirate party master list. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. Jose Gaspar Treasure 6 Jewelry Gift Shops Bookstores $ "We went in looking for a lite shark tooth for our son. "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. Gilchrist intended to turn the area into a community. When Gasparilla requested that they accompany him and his crew on a raid, the two young lovers assumed they would be slaughtered. The legend states that Gaspar terrorized the western coastal waters of Florida in the late 18th to early 19th century. The allures of Jose Gaspar's mythical treasure and Tampa's giant pirate parade have pulled strongly on producers of reality television lately. One of his ships has been discovered in the waters off of North Carolina and definitely proven to belong to Blackbeard. In the late 1600s a Scottish sailor named William Kidd came to America. So it is a huge, huge draw for people to come to Tampa.". The Legend of the Pirate Gasparilla | Coastal History For whatever reason, burial of chests laden with gold and jewels seems to be the norm, but is there any pirate treasure left? The pirate is one of the most notorious in the history of pirates. "It's a bunch of heartbreak with little reward and a lot of imagination," said treasure hunter Erin Melcher. Jose Gaspar commandeered the 'Floridablanca', the ship upon which he was serving, to commence his life of piracy. But the idea of a pirate named Gasparilla (or some variant) goes way back. 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. P.S. He soon picked a good spot in Charlotte Harbor, and began to build his pirate kingdom. Though he is a popular figure in Florida folklore, no evidence of his existence appears in writing before the early 20th century. You must log in or register to reply here. Here is what we have been able to piece together about this controversial pirate. The men were executed but Gomez was to be the final survivor of this piratical outfit. Or at least thats what Florida folklore would have you believe. Jose Gaspar (aka: Gasparilla) was a quasi-mythical Spanish pirate who roamed the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. If you choose to embark on a hunt for any treasure do so at your own risk. Gasparilla had decided to retire following the sale of Florida to the United States, and was dividing his treasure (valued at six times the purchase price of the entire state of Florida) between his crew. Despite his brutal reputation, Gasparilla was supposed to have a soft side as well. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. I was totally blown away," said Lopez. ", 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. He would even compensate for injuries if they were sustained while obtaining cargo from another ship. Wikipedia, 2022. We've been chasing his treasures. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. (PDF) The Real Pirate Billy Bowlegs: The Origins of the Billy Bowlegs The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure - CAROLYN ARNOLD On my recent visit, I was on a shell mission to use for a hairpiece for a . We have one with Gomez's name on it. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 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. The treasure: Slave-turned-pirate Henri Caesar stole a ship in Haiti to seek his fortune on the Spanish Main and Florida waters. The gold coins were too thin and too old to pass as authentic Spanish treasure. Legends tell how he amassed a huge fortune, and hid an enormous treasure before dying a hero facing the might of the US Navy. But Rodney Kite-Powell, a Tampa-Bay curator, doesnt believe that the legendary figure was even real. (3) The Spanish kept meticulous records and there is no mention of Gasparilla in the archives. He finally returned with his wife to find all but a handful of his crew had died. Chasing Treasure: The myth of Gasparilla and the real-life man Juan Gomez. He is even said to have buried treasure somewhere on the island near where the lighthouse now stands. The history of Gasparilla and legacy of Jose Gaspar | wtsp.com You are using an out of date browser. 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 family thinks the hand belongs to famous Tampa Bay pirate Jose Gaspar. JavaScript is disabled. Old hand, coins and treasure map found in Florida attic - The Vintage News As mentioned above one of the rumored locations for his treasure is on Woodland Beach in Delaware. However, like Billy Bowlegs, Jose Gaspar the lack of historical evidence suggests he never existed.21 Although most Tampa residents and several books claim Jose Gaspar was authentic, so far no documentation has proven he was real.22 The Gasparilla Pirate Festival started in 1904, and since it started a full fifty years before the Billy Bowlegs . Was there really a pirate named Jose Gaspar? The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The ship contained $1,000,000 in assorted treasure, and should be there today. When Maria and Mike were children, their grandfather would tell them stories about his father, Ernesto Lopez, finding Jose Gaspar's pirate treasure. 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. The Search for Florida's Lost Pirate - IMDb Gaspar realized in this moment that he had found the treasure he was searching for. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Gaspar, Sachs, S, 2022. Hitting the scene in the early 1800s Billy Bowlegs Rogers was a pirate to be reckoned with. First of all there was a Spanish Catholic missionary named Gasparillo that had a mission on the island that bears his name. He supposedly buried 3 chests under a palm tree somewhere in the vicinity. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. In or around 1806 the brothers arrived in New Orleans Louisiana and were licensed privateers operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Here Lafitte had a very fair treasure distribution policy that everyone seemed to like. Photos show a centuries-old shipwreck found off Colombia's coast carrying lost treasure worth billions of dollars, including gold coins and emeralds. Whilst swimming in Key West, he and a team of specialists find a huge anchor that may have been from Gaspar's vessel. "We are not sure what we're going to do with it," said Lopez. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. . The legend of pirate Jose Gaspar, or Gasparilla as he is sometimes known, is shrouded in mystery. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Jose Gaspar Treasure Co - Tripadvisor For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? Gasparilla the Pirate and his Charlotte Harbor Treasure "Possibly keep it forever. Interesting history topics are just a click away. You must log in or register to reply here. It's part of our family now.". Or show us love by sharing articles and leaving great comments. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Treasure on Sunken Spanish Galleon Could Be Biggest Ever - History While in Florida, Caesar palled up with Jose Gaspar, better known as "Gasparilla.". This treasure as well as the tunnels remain lost. And indeed there are serious problems with the stories of Gasparilla. However, perhaps the most famous story of Gaspar concerns his death. Show more. He then sailed back across the world, landing on what we now know as our home of Tampa Bay. Gasparilla seized their ship, as well as their 11 dowries, but fell madly in love with the Spanish princess. Thread starter seeker41; Start date Apr 29, 2015 Apr 29, 2015 Inspired by the Legend of Pirate Jose Gaspar - Ye Mystic Krewe of What year did Gasparilla start? There are at least 3 different locations said to hold his riches in Connecticut. As with any treasure hunting adventure, be sure and obtain permission from any applicable parties before your hunt begins. Most confirm that the "Floridablanca" was the name of his pirate ship and the one that he served upon in the Navy. What year did Jose Gaspar invade Tampa? Professional blogger, rum judge, consultant, marketer, and consumer of blue water beauty. He was most likely a sailor for the English Navy who became unemployed and turned to a life of piracy. Tales of pirate treasures are very difficult to substantiate due to many factors. The brochure relied heavily on the stories told by John Gomez. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The Search For The Real Captain Morgan. 2. "So, it's interesting how Tampa, in a sense, stole; we were pirates ourselves. Gaspar caught wind of his coming doom, and escaped via ship to America. They then buried the chests in numerous places along the river and its tributaries and swamps. Bald Point is another hotspot but for rumors of pirate treasure. "Maria came across it and once she told me she found a hand in a box. The notorious pirate then committed suicide by wrapping a heavy chain around him and jumping over the side. New details have emerged about the San Jose, a Spanish galleon sunk by British ships 300 years ago. Legacy | Useppa Island Having spent some time here, Blackbeard built a fort near a swamp west of Charleston. 128 were here. Rather than be captured by the United States Navy, he wrapped an anchor chain around his leg and jumped overboard, the heavy metal dragging him out of sight into the deep blue waters. Gaspar - Meaning of Gaspar Name, Boy Gaspar Origin and Astrology It may not display this or other websites correctly. We have compiled a list of 11 potential pirate treasure troves left unfound. 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. He has written for 8 years in a variety of fields including history, health and politics. They will be focused on the Florida coastline, right in my back yard. He enjoyed telling stories about his adventures on the high seas and a large amount of Gasparillas treasure that was never discovered. Hiding treasure under a well constructed fort is a much more logical thought than those previously mentioned. 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. The poem, maps, comments from other searchers, and other guides to finding the treasure are online and easy to find. Treasure hunter Stacey Hunt holds an old nail found under the ground on a wetland believed to have lost treasure. Josh is on a mission to find Jos Gaspar's hidden treasure. 6 reviews of Jose Gaspar Treasure "This sweet little shell shop is nestled in along A1A and the beautiful Atlantic shoreline. Jose Gaspar Treasure - Flagler Beach, FL - Yelp This is believed to be part of the bribe money given to the owner. https://www.cultofweird.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/pirate-treasure-hand.jpg, https://www.cultofweird.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/cultofweird-new-logo.png, Mysterious Pirate Treasure Box Found in Tampa Bay Attic, February 17, 2023 - 9:45 pm by dEBRINA bLACKMOON. This story seems to border on the outer limits, but a local historian doesnt believe that the hand belongs to the famed pirate. WFLA | What is Gasparilla? And that's what we've been chasing. It's located in Florida, United States.A real, albeit, small treasure chest on a real small island. Find the treasure, don't report it, melt it down or sell it on the black market using a different name. Rumor has it, that the stolen goods are still hidden somewhere on the island. The coins are believed to be 18th century Spanish and Portuguese coins and the ring on the hand's is expected to be from around the same time period. I have never found any real evidence he lived. 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. Many took the deal. Youll read about many that are hidden and a few that were found, so it can happen. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? 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. These wealthy civilizations flourished for hundreds of years spreading 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 seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. All rights reserved. Some say it reveals compass bearings around Lettuce Lake. And to this day, Jose Gaspar returns on board his pirate ship every year to capture the city.". The story of Juan Gomez is also published in the Library of Congress. Tyrons Landing located between the towns of Wethersfield and Naubuc. 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 . But Gasparilla himself did not survive the final battle. Finally Pirates Cove, which is on the southern tip of Connecticut may house these valuable chests. 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. Have you ever hunted a treasure story? | Friendly Metal Detecting Forum If we find that buried treasure together, we can split the booty among all of our readers and we never have to work again. We're back to the hotel brochure. This is the spot for all of your seaside decorating needs. The pirate, whose full name is Jos Gaspar, is a legend from the 18th and 19th century. Some historians say Caesar has between two-and-six million dollars of treasure stashed on Pine Island. History of Gasparilla: Jos Gaspar & his krewe. Jos Gaspar - Wikipedia According to some versions of the story, Gaspar started as a troubled adolescent who kidnapped a little girl for ransom. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure: A gripping, heart-pounding "We do have some treasure maps, and we're working on them," Gattuso said. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! 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. He renamed this ship Queen Anns Revenger which gave him one of the largest fleets on the East coast of America and Caribbean. Jose Gaspar has come in handy for parades and celebrations. 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. Read another story from us:Norways Saint Olaf Uncovered: Archaeologists Believe They have Discovered the Shrine of the Lost Viking King. The pirate, whose full name is Jos Gaspar, is a legend from the 18th and 19th century. For one, there is no evidence of his pirate empire. The 300,000 partiers who will swarm the streets Saturday in Tampa for the annual Gasparilla pirate parade wont care. Pirate Treasure on Goodland in Southwest Florida - LITTLE BAR Restaurant The eerie discovery of a mysterious wooden box bearing a disembodied mummified hand with a ring on the wedding ring finger, an old map of the Tampa area and several coins has stirred up memories of pirate Jose Gaspar. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. He supposedly buried large amounts of treasures on the islands around the bay. So it would seem that Gasparilla is a fiction, no more real a figure than Mickey Mouse. 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. "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. Jose Gaspar Treasure - MapQuest GC3FZAF Jose Gaspar (Traditional Cache) in Florida, United States On the Trail of Gasparilla'S Treasure Haunted by The Ghost of Notorious We will discuss a few of them here. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Another logical location said to hide this cache of valuables is in South Carolina. Maybe you can find one and claim the fame and wealth that will ultimilty accompany your successful efforts. Supposedly this fort had hidden tunnels leading under the fort. So where did Blackbeard hide his treasures? 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