De Soto National Memorial is a national memorial located in Manatee County, approximately west of Bradenton, Florida. The national memorial commemorates the 1539 landing of Hernando de Soto and the first extensive organized exploration by Europeans of what is now the southern United States. The memorial site comprises , where the Manatee River joins Tampa Bay. It has of coastline; eighty percent of the area is mangrove swamp.

De Soto expedition

thumb|left|Hernando de Soto

In May 1539, Hernando de Soto and an army of over 600 soldiers landed in the Tampa Bay area. They arrived in nine ships laden with supplies: two hundred and twenty horses, a herd of pigs, war dogs, cannon, matchlock muskets, armor, tools, and rations. They were executing the order of King Charles V to sail to La Florida and "conquer, populate, and pacify" the land.

The expedition did not yield the gold and treasure these men sought. Instead, they marched from one village to the next, taking food and enslaving the native peoples to use as guides and porters. Hundreds of people died on this calamitous four-year, journey. The de Soto expedition changed the face of the American Southeast and caused Spain to reevaluate their role in the New World. It was the first-hand accounts of survivors, describing the native cultures and the richness of the land, which became the journey's enduring legacy.

Activities

thumb|right|Reconstructed Camp Ucita

Exhibits at the visitor center include historic armor, 16th-century weapons, and period artifacts. A theater displays the movie Hernando de Soto in America, about the DeSoto Expedition and the area's Native American population. A bookstore is also available.

During the cooler months, visitors can observe Camp Uzita, a living history camp which runs from December through April. The season ends with a re-enactment of DeSoto's landing on the beaches of Tampa Bay.

Other park activities include nature trails and guided trail walks, fishing, bird watching, and picnicking. Park admission is free.

See also

  • List of national memorials of the United States
  • De Soto National Forest, in southern Mississippi
  • Narváez expedition, the predecessor to De Soto's, having also begun near Tampa Bay on La Floridas west coast
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Manatee County, Florida

References

Further reading

  • The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.
  • Hernando de Soto Historical Society