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De Soto National Memorial
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National Park Contact Information |
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De Soto National Memorial
P. O. Box 15390
Bradenton, 34280-5390
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National Park Overview |
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On a sweltering day in May of 1539, Hernando de Soto and an army of over 600 soldiers splashed ashore in the Tampa Bay area. They arrived in nine ships laden with supplies two hundred and twenty horses, a herd of pigs, a pack of vicious war dogs, cannon, matchlock muskets, armor, tools and rations. It was everything they would need to execute the order of King Charles V sail to La Florida and "conquer, populate and pacify" the land.
But this expedition would never yield the gold and treasure these men so desperately sought. Instead, they marched from one village to the next, taking food and enslaving the native peoples to use as guides and porters. Hopes were dashed, fortunes squandered, and hundreds of lives lost on this calamitous journey. The de Soto expedition would change the face of the American Southeast forever, and cause Spain to drastically reevaluate her role in the New World. Ultimately, it was the first hand accounts of survivors, describing the native cultures and the richness of the land, which became the journeys enduring legacy.
The mission of De Soto National Memorial is to preserve the controversial story of this four year, four thousand mile odyssey and interpret its significance in American history. Visitors can attend living history demonstrations, try on a piece of armor, or walk the nature trail through a Florida coastal landscape similar to the one encountered by conquistadors almost five hundred years ago. |
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More Info | |
Beach area at De Soto National Memorial Photograph from NPS Destinations Magazine De Soto National Memorial in Bradenton, Florida, commemorates the landing and legacy of the 1539 expedition of ... | |
De Soto National Memorial HOME | TRAVEL BASICS | ACTIVITIES | FACILITIES |FEES/PERMITS Help Download Maps Aerial View of Park ... Aerial photograph of De Soto National Memorial and the adjacent ... | |
Florida Public Lands De Soto National Memorial ... 792-0458 Email DESO_Superintendent@nps.gov INFORMATIONAL LINKS De Soto National Memorial De Soto National Memorial On-line Maps Growing ... | |
Previous Photo < Photo Index > Next Photo Put this Listing in My TravelGuide!De Soto National Memorial, Florida Photo from National Park Service Send this picture as Free Internet postcard ... | |
Photo Index > Next Photo Put this Listing in My TravelGuide!De Soto National Memorial, Florida Photo from National Park Service Send this picture as Free Internet postcard Mainstay Suites ... | |
De Soto National Memorial. The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000 ... The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000. De Soto National Memorial De Soto National Memorial (duh SOH-toh ... | |
De Soto, National Memorial ... Links | Travel Games | Help/FAQ Home > United States > Florida De Soto National Memorial Theme(s) -Early Explorers- -Hispanic American- Description The ... | |
... States and Canada Travel Guides for Dogs of ALL Sizes! De Soto National Memorial and other Places to take your Pet in Tampa Bay ... Bay City Guide Page De Soto National Memorial De Soto National ... |
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PlaneSarasota-Bradenton Airport (20 miles) Tampa International Airport (50 miles)
CarDe Soto National Memorial is located at the northern terminus of 75th Street North West, Bradenton, Florida. Visitors can reach the park from I-75 or I-275. From I-75 follow State Road 64 west (also Manatee Avenue), for approximately twelve miles to 75th Street West. Turn right (north) onto 75th Street West, and proceed two and five-tenths miles to the park entrance and the terminus of 75th Street.
From I-275 exit 1, follow US-19 into Bradenton. Turn west onto State Road 64, for approximately five miles to 75th Street West. Turn right (north) onto 75th Street West, and proceed two and five-tenths miles to the park entrance and the terminus of 75th Street.
Public TransportationSeveral commercial bus lines serve the area, however, none stop at the memorial.
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De Soto National Memorial
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