Read Thy Book - Sam's Blog
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Pics
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Pics

Picture

August 18th, 2017

8/18/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Do any of you remember learning about this gentlemen way back in primary school?  You don't recognize him?  Neither did I, frankly.  Let me introduce you to Juan Ponce de Leon. Yup that's him, the fellow who, supposedly,  discovered the Fountain of Youth!  And then apparently lost it because nobody seems to know where it is now but that's another story. 

The whole Fountain of Youth thing supposedly took place on the other Florida coast.  There is no actual proof of the whole mythical fountain of youth/Ponce de Leon connection by the way.   The fact is that he was exploring, seeking new lands, it was an adventure.  And when, what turned out to be Florida was discovered, he actually initially believed it was just another pretty island.  He named it La Florida for the lush flowers and trees. 

There is some dispute over precisely where that first landing site was but generally it is believed to have been what is now St. Augustine  which has the distinction of being the oldest continual settlement in the United States. Seriously.  That's correct.  It's not the pilgrims in New England, it's Spanish settlers in Florida and 1513.  I'll repeat that 1513. I've not yet been to St. Augustine, but it is on my list!  It's a city rich with history and that is my cuppa tea!

And they didn't stop their exploration there!  Juan Ponce de Leon continued exploring the coastline of the entire peninsula and eventually made his way around to the gulf side in the general vicinity of Charlotte Harbor.  And it seems he really liked that area because returned in 1521 with a plan for colonization, bringing with him some 200 men including priests, farmers, artisans, farms implements and animals. It was a good plan other than the fact that the Calusa Indians already lived there and took issue with the idea.  Negotiations were attempted but tempers flared, followed by weapons.  Juan Ponce de Leon took an arrow to the leg.  His compatriots loaded him back onto the ship and took him to Cuba where he died.  I assume from infection though there is speculation that the arrow tip was poisoned. 

An inauspicious beginning. Still, on Charlotte Harbour today exists the Ponce de Leon park which is where that statue lives.  It is a charming park right on the water with a tiny beach, a board walk through the mangroves, pretty trees and flowering things and grassy areas with bench swings and loads of historic signage.
There is also a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center there which can be toured, but only if you are there when it's open and we were not.  But that's a darned good reason to return.  And return we shall!  And unlike Senior de Leon, with no arrows to the leg.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Yup, this is me. Some people said, "Sam, you should write a Blog".   "Well, there's a thought", I thought to myself. And so here it is.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly