He vowed revenge on those who had framed him and was forced to turn to a life of piracy. Marias brother Mike believes the couple in the photo may be their great grandparents, Eve and Ernesto Lopez. "So, it's interesting how Tampa, in a sense, stole; we were pirates ourselves. Our Florida pirate "Jose Gaspar enters history's scene in Spain where he was born in the year 1756 and started adult life with a career in the Spanish Navy, serving aboard the warship Floridablanca. Source of the stories which became inspiration for the legend of Jose Gaspar. Gaspar did not exist, but never mind that. Texas is also a logical location for this pirate to bury treasure. Treasure Hunters May Have Found Jos Gaspar's Pirate Vessel - YouTube 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. 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. Gaspar's Lost Treasure - WTF Florida? With Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses, How We Became Mr. and Mrs. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. His treasure might have been on the ship with him during this battle. Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla (supposedly lived c. 1756 - 1821), was a purported Spanish pirate, the "last of the Buccaneer s," who is claimed to have raided the west coast of Florida during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The team found a few nails, a beer can, and a screw during this hunt. Groups gather in St. Petersburg park to shed light on local violence, Tampas St. Josephs Childrens Hospital holds prom for pediatric patients, Photos: Rays back at Trop in spring game against Twins, Photos: Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic, Photos: New York's Naked Cowboy makes brief appearance in Tampa, Photos: Opening day for the Florida Strawberry Festival, Photos: IndyCar Series takes over streets of St. Petersburg, Hundreds of USF students join statewide walkout to protest DeSantis education policies, Photos: Lightning return home to take on Ducks, Photo Gallery: Family mourns Josiah Pinner during a candlelight vigil. But treasure hunters believe there is truth in his tall tale, and buried treasure is out there. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. wtfflorida.com/information/gaspars-lost-treasure/. First of all there was a Spanish Catholic missionary named Gasparillo that had a mission on the island that bears his name. 2. For whatever reason, burial of chests laden with gold and jewels seems to be the norm, but is there any pirate treasure left? This tale doesnt give the Lopezes a helping hand in solving the mystery of the finds from their grandparents attic. The Choctawatchee Bay is an area of a lot of speculation of the location of some of Bowlegs hidden treasure. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. So where did Blackbeard hide his treasures? What he thought was a British cargo ship turned out to be the USS Enterprise, on a mission to end piracy. Shipwrecks: Who owns the treasure hidden under the sea? History of Gasparilla: Jos Gaspar & his krewe. Treasure hunting can be a fun and exciting activity. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, no pirate was more feared in the southern United States than Jose Gaspar. His flagship was eventually ran aground and he was ultimately killed by English warships off the East Coast of America. Chasing Treasure: The myth of Gasparilla and the real-life man Juan Gomez. 11 The Cuerdale Treasures- $2.6 Million. The American Continents have a rich treasure history dating back to ancient civilizations of the Toltecs and Aztecs who understood the mining and smelting of gold and silver from which they made ornaments shields and household utensils. 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. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. The most famous Florida pirate was Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla. Captured ladies were not raped and murdered, but instead had the option of marrying one of his crew members or being transferred to Captiva Island in Florida. Website. " Mar 2021 We really enjoyed shopping here! His ship soon followed him to the watery depths. According to the sources we studied, Gaspar was probably born in Spain in 1756. By Geoff Dobson. His work appears here every third Monday; the views expressed. World's largest 'treasure hoard' worth over $20 billion may soon be found However, there is another story, that has some validity, of what happened to his treasure. Many say he buried treasure here during this time. Buumi . When Maria and Mike were children, their grandfather would tell them stories about his father, Ernesto Lopez, finding Jose Gaspar's pirate treasure. However, perhaps the most famous story of Gaspar concerns his death. What Became of Anne Bonny, Irish Pirate of the Caribbean? 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. Or show us love by sharing articles and leaving great comments. If there is one thing pirates are known for it is treasure. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Some historians say Caesar has between two-and-six million dollars of treasure stashed on Pine Island. Before deciding to pursue this ship, Gaspar left some of his men behind with the treasure. They bribed the owner with some of the treasure to not divulge their location. Flagler Beach, FL 32136. The team searched the waters at low tide for a canon buried in the sand. Accept Read More. He stated that it was buried beside 2 wind damaged trees and a large rock (one would think that with treasure this valuable one would choose landmarks a little more cautiously, but I guess trees and a rock is all we have to go on here). There are at least 3 different locations said to hold his riches in Connecticut. When a ship was taken, the people aboard were not immediately murdered but instead offered the option of dying or joining Gasparillas crew. He spoke to local TV news network WFLA about the discovery, and the story kept getting stranger. In the following years, he accumulated a board estimated at $30,000,000. This story seems to border on the outer limits, but a local historian doesnt believe that the hand belongs to the famed pirate. May 4, 1904Gasparilla Pirate Festival / First event date. "We do have some treasure maps, and we're working on them," Gattuso said. In Polish origin the meaning of name Gaspar is : Treasure keeper Spanish Meaning : The name Gaspar is an Spanish baby name. In all, he buried 13 casks and chests of treasure in the vicinity of his headquarters. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. The Story of Jose Gaspar Jos Gaspar allegedly lived between 1756 and 1821 and was based on southwest Florida, on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. Pirate Photo byScott UmstattdonUnsplash, Lafitte Photo By Anonymous Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas, Public Domain, Skully Photo byLuke SouthernonUnsplash. 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. 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? St. Vincent Island off the coast of Florida is said to have been an island frequented by early pirates. A Florida family may have discovered some unusual treasure belonging to legendary pirate Jose "Gasparilla" Gaspar. When he was wrongfully arrested, he hijacked a ship and fled, promising to seek revenge on his homeland. Gasparilla had fallen into a trap! The poem, maps, comments from other searchers, and other guides to finding the treasure are online and easy to find. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Gaspar, Sachs, S, 2022. The pirate is one of the most notorious in the history of pirates. Treasure hunters search for Jose Gaspar's lost riches - Tampa Bay Times 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. Michael Gattuso lends a hand to his wife Lauren as they dock on a wetland on the Peace River in Arcadia. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. "Maria came across it and once she told me she found a hand in a box. "The reason I believe in Gasparilla is because I believe in Juan Gomez," Mike Gattuso, a member of The Real Treasure Hunters, told Paluska. Youll read about many that are hidden and a few that were found, so it can happen. The legend of Gaspar began making its way into other writings after that, without any other historical evidence to back it up. 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. He soon picked a good spot in Charlotte Harbor, and began to build his pirate kingdom. Theyve done this every Sunday for a year, looking for the booty of 19th century pirate Jose Gaspar. The choice of the navy career wasn't courage and thirst for adventure on the part of Jose but an expediency of the moment. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The prices are great and you can walk more than one foot without seeing some adorable little trinket that you just can't live without. I'm here writing on Treasureunknown to provide helpful resources so others can get out and enjoy the thrill of the hunt! Pirate Blackbeard entered the history books in the early 1700s. Gasparilla 2023: The pirate party master list. Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? 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. It's located on the north side of town, next door to the Turtle Shack cafe. And he's fueled a cottage industry of treasure-hunting books, guides and metal . Just a salty pirate looking to explore and document the wonders of the Caribbean. 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. Some say it reveals compass bearings around Lettuce Lake. While Gaspar chained the anchor of his ship to his waist and dove into the water to avoid giving the enemy the satisfaction of killing him, Gmez lived to tell the tale. He subsequently set fire to all his buildings before sailing out to sea, never to be heard from again. jose gaspar, coins, and treasuremap found. | TreasureNet The Original Afterwards, he sailed his ship, the Floridablanca, to the Gulf Coast and set up a pirate base on what is now known as Gasparilla Island in Southwest Florida. Go find it, unbury it, take tons of pictures, bury it back again, and prove to the world that you found it. So, a real figure or a tall tale told by Floridians? Lopez wasn't a fan of pirates when he was growing up. link to A Beginners Guide to Magnet Fishing: 15 Sure Fire Tips. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Dropa Stones: Are They 12,000 Year Old Discs? Gasparilla began on horseback in 1904 as a way to add a little pirate-themed fun to the city's May Day festivities. His ship was scuttled in the battle sending the valuables to the bottom of the ocean. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. JavaScript is disabled. He has taken his place in local folklore and culture and has an annual festival in his honor. Here Lafitte had a very fair treasure distribution policy that everyone seemed to like. But Rodney Kite-Powell, a Tampa-Bay curator, doesn't believe that the legendary figure was even real. 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 . The legend of pirate Jose Gaspar, or Gasparilla as he is sometimes known, is shrouded in mystery. One of the most popular pirates in Florida folklore is Jose' Gaspar. We have one with Gomez's name on it. Legends tell how he amassed a huge fortune, and hid an enormous treasure before dying a hero facing the might of the US Navy. Was there really a pirate named Jose Gaspar? Jose Gaspar: Myth or Pirate? Quiz | People | 10 Questions - Fun Trivia The pirate is one of the most notorious in the history of pirates. I'm Clint, the guy behind Treasureunknown. Lafitte was wanted by the US government for they deemed his acts as piracy, not privateering. Years ago I hunted the fabled Jose Gaspar treasure pirate who, as the story goes, was a pirate on the gulf coast and when attacked by a US Navy vessel, wrapped the anchor chain around him and jumped in while his crew escaped up Peace River with treasure to a property owner named Lady Boggess near an area called Lettuce Lake. Jean Lafitte. To learn more, visit our. Keep me posted! Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. He would then sell these items to local customers in east Texas. Plundering the high seas and ports alike resulted in vast riches for some of these ruthless criminals. Other than news articles, the first story ever published in print about the Story of Gasparilla was commissioned by the Charlotte Harbor & Northern Railroad. We" more 2. What date is Gasparilla 2021? Most stories agree he was an aristocratic Spanish Navy Officer who later. It's located in Florida, United States.A real, albeit, small treasure chest on a real small island. A few months ago, Gattuso found a Calusa bone tool that is now part of the Useppa Island museum's collection. This allegedly infuriated the young lady who devised a plan to essentially frame Gaspar for stealing some jewels. It is said that he and his brother buried all of his money on the islands in and around Charlotte Harbor. "I'm considering it," he said with a big smile. "It's a bunch of heartbreak with little reward and a lot of imagination," said treasure hunter Erin Melcher. Okay, that was. Gasparilla seized her ship, and the hostages were brought to his hideout on Gasparilla Island. Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. 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. Save. Legacy | Useppa Island . But they know long-lost treasures and artifacts are out there. You must log in or register to reply here. We actually located the great great, great, great-granddaughter of Juan Gomez.
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