The legend of pirate Jose Gaspar, or Gasparilla as he is sometimes known, is shrouded in mystery. May 4, 1904Gasparilla Pirate Festival / First event date. The parade that follows is one of the largest in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to Tampa Bay. Lopez wasn't a fan of pirates when he was growing up. CBS affiliate WPEC-TV reported that 43-year-old treasure hunter Jonah Martinez located the coins using a . According to other versions of the narrative, Gaspar was a nobleman who rose through the ranks of the Spanish Royal Navy and became a councilor to King Charles III of Spain. However there are several problems with the story which have led many to question whether Gasparilla as he was known was a real historical figure. Maybe you can find one and claim the fame and wealth that will ultimilty accompany your successful efforts. Is There Any Pirate Treasure Left? - treasure unknown These wealthy civilizations flourished for hundreds of years spreading Youll read about many that are hidden and a few that were found, so it can happen. A Treasured History: The Story of Gasparilla, Tampa's Most Prized JavaScript is disabled. The story of the famed pirate may have been the tall tale of a U.S. naval officer. Email him at elcompa29@gmail.com. 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. All had been going along fine for Gasparilla until the year 1822. The team searched the waters at low tide for a canon buried in the sand. And to this day, Jose Gaspar returns on board his pirate ship every year to capture the city.". After that, they searched his cabin and found a jar of gold coins and a small sheet of copper engraved with a code indicating the location of buried treasure. Mysterious box containing a map, coins and a mummified hand found in Tampa Bay attic. According to Floridian folklore, Gaspar was a fearsome pirate that operated out of a secret base in southwest Florida in the late 18th and early 19th . The Legend of the Pirate Gasparilla | Coastal History There are a few pirates who may have hidden treasure at this spot, including Billy. He supposedly buried large amounts of treasures on the islands around the bay. 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. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. One of his ships has been discovered in the waters off of North Carolina and definitely proven to belong to Blackbeard. What you don't expect to find is treasure. All rights reserved. "Either my great-grandfather made the best, most elaborate pirate hoax ever and never shared it with anyone or he really did find some treasure on the Hillsborough River. . Source: Theartofphoto / Adobe Stock. Deleware holds one more possibility around Woodland Beach. He then tied himself to an anchor and jumped in the ocean disappearing for all time. Instead, he pursued a merchant ship and insisted that it convey Batista and Ann Jeffries to England and that its captain marry them on board after they were out of sight of his ship, the Jose Gasparilla II. Strap yourself in for a wild ride and buy this international bestselling book today! As mentioned above one of the rumored locations for his treasure is on Woodland Beach in Delaware. Gilchrist intended to turn the area into a community. The Pirates of Charlotte Harbor (2) Most of the islands around Charlotte Harbor were named by the Cuban Spanish fishermen that lived there since the 1600's. There is not much known about his adventures in Florida but there is rumors of him hiding a large treasure around Choctawatchee Bay. Accept Read More. "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. The notorious pirate then committed suicide by wrapping a heavy chain around him and jumping over the side. Jos Gaspar - Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias The choice of the navy career wasn't courage and thirst for adventure on the part of Jose but an expediency of the moment. Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. Other possible locations of Kidds treasure include Maryland in Druid Park, and Money Island off the coast of Connecticut is also claimed to be used by Kidd. The rest of the treasure remains hidden, waiting to be found. Mysterious Pirate Treasure Box Found in Tampa Bay Attic - Cult of Weird Jose Gaspar Treasure 6 Jewelry Gift Shops Bookstores $ "We went in looking for a lite shark tooth for our son. Plundering the high seas and ports alike resulted in vast riches for some of these ruthless criminals. Jos Gaspar allegedly lived between 1756 and 1821 and was based on southwest Florida, on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. It's located in Florida, United States.A real, albeit, small treasure chest on a real small island. He's rumored to have had a secret base in Charlotte Harbor and would sail back and forth to Spain as well as roam around the Gulf of Mexico until his death in 1821, at the hands of the U.S. Navy. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Texas is also a logical location for this pirate to bury treasure. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. While doing some spring cleaning a few weeks ago, Maria Lopez made an unusual discovery in her grandfathers attic. 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. Did Grandpa find pirate treasure? We have one with Gomez's name on it. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Or they were always togahter. Tales of pirate treasures are very difficult to substantiate due to many factors. Caesar was forced to push his pirate pack north to the Gulf of Mexico. Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News, Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, BUGA UP was an influential movement of graffiti artists who battled the promotion of unhealthy products, Before the development of photography, the Portrait miniature was highly popular in introducing people to each other over distances, Police arrest a 72-year-old suburban grandfather suspected of being the Golden State Killer, Im not dead yet: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The Walk of Shame in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gdel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, Little Ease: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. To add more to the story, the treasure map contained the name of the infamous mythical pirate Gaspar. From seashells to lost treasure, this shop has it all. 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. Stingy Jack and the History of the Jack-o-Lantern, The Varangians: Viking Conquerors turned Byzantium Honor Guard, The Secret Necropolis of Ancient Varna and the First Goldsmiths. 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. Jose Gaspar | bakersfield.com Treasure hunter and researcher Lauren Gattuso sits on the boat as it heads toward an area where her and a small group of treasure hunters believe lies lost treasure. Old hand, coins and treasure map found in Florida attic - The Vintage News . We also participate in programs from eBay, CJ, Bluehost, Clickbank, ShareASale, and other sites. And indeed there are serious problems with the stories of Gasparilla. Treasure Unknown is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. 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. When you go in the attic you expect to find something old. He eventually retired and settled down on Shell Creek near Lettuce Lake in DeSoto County, where he lived for many years. From real buried treasure, to massive pearl finds, these . Shipwrecks: Who owns the treasure hidden under the sea? Michael Gattuso lends a hand to his wife Lauren as they dock on a wetland on the Peace River in Arcadia. Tampa family finds pirate treasure in grandpa's attic - USA TODAY We actually located the great great, great, great-granddaughter of Juan Gomez. "I'm considering it," he said with a big smile. He told where the body would be found and a sketch was prepared under his direction, and in recent years in the exact location as described, the skeleton of a beheaded woman was found.". 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. He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. Therefore hiding treasure might have seemed like a logical choice. Historic City Memories: Pirate treasure rumors 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 . Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. According to the story, Gaspar had underestimated the USS Enterprise as an easy target. Inside, bound to the box by copper wire, she found a dessicated hand wearing a ring with the word "Gaspar" on . In fact, we dont even know for certain his real name. By clicking Accept Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Most, if not all, historians agree the pirate named Jose Gaspar never existed. And she actually had maps, and she had stories that were passed down to the family about these treasures. It's located on the north side of town, next door to the Turtle Shack cafe. Jos Gaspar. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate. Ye be walkin the plank if ye so think. He would even compensate for injuries if they were sustained while obtaining cargo from another ship. This tale doesnt give the Lopezes a helping hand in solving the mystery of the finds from their grandparents attic. Sometime later a large sum of gold coins was found near the Spanish Homestead. They gave him a first name, Jose Gaspar, and they really gave him the full backstory to create that in 1904. Ancient Viking treasures found in England actually seems to be a thing, as many of relative value have been found throughout the years. He relocated to Galveston Island around 1817 where he set up a pirate empire. Old Hand Found In Florida Attic With Coins And Treasure Map. Supposedly this fort had hidden tunnels leading under the fort. The man behind Gasparilla: Who was Jos Gaspar? Flagler Beach, FL 32136. His sister found a box in their grandfather's attic in Tampa, Fla., a few weeks ago while doing some spring cleaning. 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 . Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Gasparilla Pirate Festival - Wikipedia (5) The first written version of Gasparilla appeared in an advertising brochure of the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad Co. printed in 1900. There are also inherent dangers involved with any of these types of adventures. Gasparilla Season | Visit Tampa Bay Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? Louisiana makes sense because during most of his time here, he was considered a fugitive by the US. Inside was a tattered map of the Hillsborough River, century-old coins, a family picture and a hand wearing a ring. There are numerous tales and stories of pirate treasures hidden thought the world, some of which are not attributed to any particular pirate. ", According to the railroad brochure, the "narrative was compiled by the writer from incidents told by John Gomez, better known as Panther Key John, a brother-in-law of Gasparilla and a member of his crew, who died at the age of 120 years, at Panther Key, Florida, 12 miles below Marco, in the year 1900; also from records left by John Gomez, Jr., the cabin-boy on Gasparilla's ship, who was kidnapped by Gasparilla and who witnessed the death of this pirate and all on board his vessel. Bipin Dimri is a writer from India with an educational background in Management Studies. 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. Jose Gaspar Treasure Company | Flagler Beach FL Many believe it is Edward Teach, but some claim it is Edward Thatch. The battle raged and the story goes that as Jose Gaspar realized the inevitable, he stood on the bow of the ship and stated something like Gaspar dies by his own hands. History Gattuso will keep them busy on Useppa and across Florida. His theft discovered, he deserted his wife. I love this place built around 1640 . 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. Also check state and local regulations before you begin any activities such as digging or metal detecting. WFLA | What is Gasparilla? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Leaving Spain at an early age, he sailed to the West Coast of Florida. The story goes that Lafitte and his men used an old barn on LeBleau Plantation as a gathering location and perhaps buried treasure here. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He vowed revenge on those who had framed him and was forced to turn to a life of piracy. Named for legendary pirate, Jose Gaspar, who terrorized the coastal waters of West Florida during the 18th and early 19th centuries, Tampa Bay's destination-wide annual Gasparilla celebration kicks off each January with a full schedule of exciting pirate-themed events. 1 Review #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach. Name of The Day. Much of his treasure was carried to him up the Peace River. His ship was scuttled in the battle sending the valuables to the bottom of the ocean. "Possibly keep it forever. Available at: https://www.wfla.com/news/gasparilla/history-of-gasparilla-jose-gaspar-his-krewe/, ymkg, 2022. For whatever reason, burial of chests laden with gold and jewels seems to be the norm, but is there any pirate treasure left? Jose Gaspar: Myth or Pirate? Quiz | People | 10 Questions - Fun Trivia The author of the pamphlet readily stated that the spectacular tale was a work of fiction with no genuine facts in it. Report from the Florida Zone: Buried Treasure - Blogger Just . 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. Pirate treasure rumors. In this time Spain controlled a huge swathe of the Americas and Gaspar grew rich. ", The story said Gaspar hid in the Charlotte Harbor area, and "while taking the census of 1900, two gentlemen stopped at Panther Key and spent the night with *John Gomez. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story.