Jose Gaspar (aka: Gasparilla) was a quasi-mythical Spanish pirate who roamed the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. On one occasion, his right-hand man Lopez had become tired of the pirate life and desired to return to Spain to see his love, Sanibel, after 13 long years. It seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. 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. Jose Gaspar | bakersfield.com 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. Top Image: Real pirate or later fiction? Do you think there's buried treasure out there? Name of The Day. Location & Hours 2119 N Oceanshore Blvd Flagler Beach, FL 32136 Get directions Edit business info You Might Also Consider Sponsored Purple Haze 22 23.4 miles away from Jose Gaspar Treasure Marcus E. said "Hand crafted glass smoking utensils. Finally Pirates Cove, which is on the southern tip of Connecticut may house these valuable chests. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, no pirate was more feared in the southern United States than Jose Gaspar. Jose Lopez's sister, Maria, was cleaning out the attic of a home owned by her great-grandparents, Eve and Ernesto Lopez, in Tampa's historic Ybor City area, when she stumbled upon the box, WFLA-TV reports. When you go in the attic you expect to find something old. Just pick any island and start digging, because Gasparillas loot is buried on many of them, including Cayo Pelau. 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. 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. Go find it, unbury it, take tons of pictures, bury it back again, and prove to the world that you found it. At The Jose Gaspar Treasure Co. visitors and locals can find treasures of all kinds. Jose Gaspar Treasure - MapQuest He was well-liked in court, but when he abandoned one lover for another, his spurned lover falsely accused him of stealing the crown jewels. The family thinks the hand belongs to famous Tampa Bay pirate Jose Gaspar. Whilst swimming in Key West, he and a team of specialists find a huge anchor that may have been from Gaspar's vessel. 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 . Sometime later a large sum of gold coins was found near the Spanish Homestead. 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. The History of Gasparilla - Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Whether the coins are authentic or not, Mike thinks the hand is real, and may belong to Jose Gaspar himself. Legend states they marked a tree by driving a sword into it. Or they were always togahter. So it would seem that Gasparilla is a fiction, no more real a figure than Mickey Mouse. Jose Gaspar Treasure Co | Flagler Beach, FL 32136. One such account concerns Maria Louise, a lovely Spanish princess, who was returning to Spain after a journey to Mexico with 11 Mexican princesses who were to be educated and married in Spain. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 3.5, terrain of 5. He even set up a blockade of the port of Charleston in South Carolina for 6 days. According to historians, it was a real man named Juan "Panther John" Gomez from Gasparilla Island, or as he was known locally, John, or Panther Key John. The Pirates of Charlotte Harbor Hiding treasure under a well constructed fort is a much more logical thought than those previously mentioned. (386) 439-3061. The legend of Gaspar began making its way into other writings after that, without any other historical evidence to back it up. "And it was from that little nugget of information that came from the Charlotte Harbor railroad about a pirate named Gaspar that the whole legend of Gasparilla and Jose Gaspar came about, but it was Ye Mystic Krewe that fleshed it out. Once it was in print, people kept spreading it as absolute truth. It appears Philip Gosse got the story from Bradlee's book. What year did Jose Gaspar invade Tampa? Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. After sustaining heavy damage, the famed Spanish pirate tied himself to his anchor and leaped to his watery death apparently not wanting to be killed at the hands of the enemy. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla (supposedly lived c. We actually located the great great, great, great-granddaughter of Juan Gomez. Is There Any Pirate Treasure Left? - treasure unknown The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure: A gripping, heart-pounding "We are not sure what we're going to do with it," said Lopez. The pirate, whose full name is Jos Gaspar, is a legend from the 18th and 19th century. So that's why we believe that it was Juan Gomez. 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. "I'm considering it. Some say it reveals compass bearings around Lettuce Lake. Though he is a popular figure in Florida folklore, no evidence of his existence appears in writing before the early 20th century. He renamed this ship Queen Anns Revenger which gave him one of the largest fleets on the East coast of America and Caribbean. And indeed there are serious problems with the stories of Gasparilla. Lets do this. Charlotte Harbor is an ideal spot to go treasure hunting. This endeavor lasted only about 5 years when the us army came to visit Lafitte, asking him to leave. The San Jose galleon was believed to have been . But treasure hunters believe there is truth in his tall tale, and buried treasure is out there. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story. St. Vincent Island off the coast of Florida is said to have been an island frequented by early pirates. "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. There are numerous tales and stories of pirate treasures hidden thought the world, some of which are not attributed to any particular pirate. Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? Gaspar - Meaning of Gaspar Name, Boy Gaspar Origin and Astrology When Gasparilla requested that they accompany him and his crew on a raid, the two young lovers assumed they would be slaughtered. A fortune worth $1 million when it was hidden in 2010 is waiting to be picked up somewhere in the Rocky Mountains just a few miles from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Aged Rum. Jose Gaspar Treasure 6 Jewelry Gift Shops Bookstores $ "We went in looking for a lite shark tooth for our son. The poem, maps, comments from other searchers, and other guides to finding the treasure are online and easy to find. The most notorious and successful pirate was Jose Gaspar, better known as Gasparilla. JavaScript is disabled. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? According to some versions of the story, Gaspar started as a troubled adolescent who kidnapped a little girl for ransom. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Marias brother Mike believes the couple in the photo may be their great grandparents, Eve and Ernesto Lopez. So, we stole Jose Gaspar. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. Treasure Unknown is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. We are constantly looking for opportunities to metal detect, magnet fish, pan for gold, and search for real life lost treasures. Definitely try, Find our recommended Caribbean hotels, restaurants, charters, & tours. Lopez wasn't a fan of pirates when he was growing up. 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. 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. 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. There are at least 3 different locations said to hold his riches in Connecticut. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. GC3FZAF Jose Gaspar (Traditional Cache) in Florida, United States Most, if not all, historians agree the pirate named Jose Gaspar never existed. Gasparilla not only granted Lopez permission but also bestowed his blessing on his long-time friend, providing a ship and several men to accompany him back to Spain. The story states that Rogers discovered these lost tunnels and used them to store his treasure. They used Barataria Bay in Louisiana as a hub for their enterprise. Keep me posted! Having spent some time here, Blackbeard built a fort near a swamp west of Charleston. Another report states that he hid several chests in a small river somewhere in the vicinity of the Bay. The author of the pamphlet readily stated that the spectacular tale was a work of fiction with no genuine facts in it. Treasure hunter Erin Melcher. 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. These men witnessed the battle and when the pirate ship began to sink, they loaded this vast treasure onto small boats and escaped unnoticed to a place called Spanish Homestead around the Peace River. His headquarters were at Boca Grande, on what is today known as Gasparilla Island. Leaving Spain at an early age, he sailed to the West Coast of Florida. During this time a woman of the royal family, rumored to be the kings daughter-in-law sought the attention of this young naval officer. Buumi . The experts dont believe that their find is a real treasure map or that the legend of Gaspar is anything more than children story or a folk tale that adds to the culture of the area.
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