With a mere 45-minute drive from South Hillsborough it is possible to travel back nearly five centuries at De Soto National Monument. Perhaps what is most amazing is that you leave heavy traffic and stoplights in just a few hundred yards and enter a realm of peace and tranquillity that is increasingly difficult to find in ever-growing Florida.
Not that it was always peace and tranquillity, of course. In 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto made landfall with an army of 600 soldiers and hired mercenaries. They were immediately met with fierce resistance by the indigenous people. King Charles V ordered De Soto and his men to conquer, populate and pacify the land. De Soto’s expedition was the first known exploration of the southern United States.
But what began with blood and enslavement has ended in a memorial that is peaceful and beautiful. Those who perished have not been forgotten.
There is a re-creation of a Native American village, and there are trails with signs containing everything from quotes of those who kept journals of the expedition, to the ruins of the Tabby House, a home built in approximately 1843. In the woods and along the trails are lifesize images of Native Americans and conquistadors. In the visitor center are pieces of historic armor, weapons and artifacts from the period. There is also a bookstore. From December through April, the Park Service offers Camp Uzita, a living history camp that ends with a reenactment of De Soto’s landing on the beaches.
From the park, it is possible to lay your eyes on three major bodies of water: The Manatee River, Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Other than escaping back into time and visiting the handful of sites, the real attraction to De Soto National Memorial is the peace and beauty of the place.
A number of benches are placed at strategic locations, for sitting, contemplating and just letting your blood pressure fall a little bit. And within that peace is a riot of nature, from mangrove forests to white sand beaches, wild lime trees to buttonwood trees. And there is native wildlife in abundance.
Much of what you can see is the same as what De Soto saw in landing in the Tampa Bay area, presenting a rare opportunity for lovers of both nature and history.
Some historical accounts state that the expedition brought hundreds of horses, a herd of pigs and “war dogs.” Some locals believe that the wild pigs commonly seen in South Hillsborough are the half millennial descendants of the pigs from De Soto’s expedition.
In all, the expedition lasted four years and covered an estimated 4,000 miles, all to a great cost of life. In place of the hoped-for gold that was never found, natives were enslaved and the door to the southern portion of America had been flung wide open to Spain and other world powers of the time.
The story behind it isn’t a happy one. The mission of the memorial, established in 1948, is to preserve the story. Despite the brutality, the impact the expedition had on American history and advancement is vast.
But the world has changed, although challenges still remain in too many places. But here, at De Soto National Memorial, where there was once war and bloodshed, there is now peace and beauty.
Despite that the parking lot was full, I happened upon only a handful of people, some of whom were enjoying their Father’s Day with a respite surrounded by Florida’s stunning beauty. A mere 45-minute drive takes you from traffic and day-to-day mayhem into a beautiful place of peace.
De Soto National Monument is part of the National Park Service. It is located in Bradenton. From South Hillsborough take U.S. 41 S. to S.R. 64 west (toward the beaches). Take a right turn on 75th Street, which will wind through a residential area to the park. There is no fee to enter or park.