He was said to have been extremely active for many years, attacking merchant ships and evading justice, and in this time he won himself a huge fortune. 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. Who has not heard the rumor which has been going on in St. Augustine that Six Flags is coming to St. Johns County and will be constructed off of State Road 206? "We are not sure what we're going to do with it," said Lopez. Jos Gaspar. The items found by his sister were neatly packed inside a wooden box. Jos Gaspar - Wikipedia His sister found a box in their grandfather's attic in Tampa, Fla., a few weeks ago while doing some spring cleaning. Blackbeard also spend some time in North Carolina, in fact he secured a Royal Pardon in the town of Bath. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by, Jose Gaspar is not the only mythical pirate character that has. We" more 2. Jose Gaspar Treasure Company | Flagler Beach FL The family thinks the hand belongs to famous Tampa Bay pirate Jose Gaspar. Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. Also check state and local regulations before you begin any activities such as digging or metal detecting. ", "Jose Gaspar, from my understanding, was a name that was made up by Ye Mystic Krewe, which they tied to Gasparilla, which was tied to the railroad pamphlet that you're talking about, which that is not real. 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. It seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. The leaflet establishes Gaspars legend, claiming that he chose Gasparilla Island as the best of the islands in Charlotte Harbor to establish his base. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. Flagler Beach, FL 32136. 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. 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. Show more. We've been chasing his treasures. It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue. There are numerous legends and tales of buried treasure on this island. In fact, we dont even know for certain his real name. He did what all retired people do in Florida he fell ill one day and died. Kidd set sail for England and was commissioned as a privateer by the English government. Lopez wasn't a fan of pirates when he was growing up. Toward the end of his pirate career, Bowlegs was being pursued by an English warship. The choice of the navy career wasn't courage and thirst for adventure on the part of Jose but an expediency of the moment. Gaspar's legend is one of a murderous, bloodthirsty swashbuckler who stole money from Spain, stole a ship, kidnapped a Spanish Princess, and left a trail of death and gold throughout the high seas. Leading a group of escaped convicts, Gaspar with his stolen ship established a home base in 1783 in the area of Charlotte Harbor, north of the present day Fort Myers on an Island he named "Gasparilla." He is said to have also taken that name for himself as it means "Gaspar the outlaw." Millions of dollars have been found literally lying in front of people's feet, the world's beaches. 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. Find the treasure, report it, and go to jail for committing a 3rd Degree Felony. What remains of Jos Gaspar today are his stories and legends, but most significant of them all is the secret of these mysterious cherries. Always being on the run from mercenaries, armies, navies, and any and all other law enforcement agencies of the day, often resulted in the necessity to hide their riches. Many of the stories about Gasparilla were attributed to Juan Gomez. ", The story of Gaspar begins in 1782; the brochure states, "he stood high in the graces of the Spanish Court, so high indeed that he niched the crown jewels. Here Lafitte had a very fair treasure distribution policy that everyone seemed to like. And he's fueled a cottage industry of treasure-hunting books, guides and metal . (5) The first written version of Gasparilla appeared in an advertising brochure of the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad Co. printed in 1900. "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. Florida's Pirate Jose Gaspar and his Treasure Story But treasure hunters believe there is truth in his tall tale, and buried treasure is out there. Jose Gaspar - A Real Pirate? | TreasureNet The Original Treasure He remembers their grandfather telling stories when they were children of Ernesto finding the treasure of Tampa Bay pirate legend Jose Gaspar. His flagship was eventually ran aground and he was ultimately killed by English warships off the East Coast of America. Captured ladies were not raped and murdered, but instead had the option of marrying one of his crew members or being transferred to Captiva Island in Florida. This happened in the year 1782. Human hand found in Florida attic with coins, treasure map - ajc One of the most popular pirates in Florida folklore is Jose' Gaspar. 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. Later that fall, he captured a large French slave ship bound for some sugar plantations. Lacking experience in seamanship, he and his crew of escaped slaves limited their raids to smaller ships and coastal villages but managed to amass a large amount of treasure, which was hidden in several caches on the . USEPPA ISLAND, Fla. Most, if not all, historians agree the pirate named Jose Gaspar never existed. You must log in or register to reply here. Sign up for our WTFF Newsletter to get weird Florida news delivered straight to your email: WTFF News: Because regular news is depressing. Read another story from us:Norways Saint Olaf Uncovered: Archaeologists Believe They have Discovered the Shrine of the Lost Viking King. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Website. Another report states that he hid several chests in a small river somewhere in the vicinity of the Bay. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark. This allegedly infuriated the young lady who devised a plan to essentially frame Gaspar for stealing some jewels. In all, he buried 13 casks and chests of treasure in the vicinity of his headquarters. All rights reserved. Gasparilla began on horseback in 1904 as a way to add a little pirate-themed fun to the city's May Day festivities. Gattuso leads a a small group called the The Treasure Hunters who spend their weekends hiking the wilderness near the Peace River in search of lost treasure believed to have been left behind by Jose Gaspar. At The Jose Gaspar Treasure Co. visitors and locals can find treasures of all kinds. History of Gasparilla: Jos Gaspar & his krewe. Pricing is not too high. 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. There are a few pirates who may have hidden treasure at this spot, including Billy. Deleware holds one more possibility around Woodland Beach. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate. It seems the mythical pirate was a tall tale concocted by a man named Juan Gmez. Who was this figure, and what was he supposed to have done? Photos: Treasure Including Spanish Gold Found on Colombia Shipwreck Hiding treasure under a well constructed fort is a much more logical thought than those previously mentioned. According to the sources we studied, Gaspar was probably born in Spain in 1756. Jose Gaspar Treasure Company | Flagler Beach FL All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. Treasure hunter Erin Melcher. Is this the hand and treasure of Jose Gaspar? Top 10 Best Bookstores in Palm Coast, FL - February 2023 - Yelp Since the 1870s, treasure hunters have been trying unsuccessfully to crack this code you see below: Some say its Spanish. 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. So it would seem that Gasparilla is a fiction, no more real a figure than Mickey Mouse. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. 2 chests are also rumored to be buried on Clarkes Island on the Connecticut River. Enjoy. Jos Gaspar, also known by his nickname Gasparilla , is an apocryphal Spanish pirate who terrorized the Gulf of Mexico from his base in southwest Florida during Florida's second Spanish period . Name of The Day. No contemporaneous mention of his existence or achievements has ever been found in Spanish or American ship logs, court documents, newspapers, or other archives, and no tangible items associated with Gaspar have been unearthed in the area where he is said to have operated. The history of Gasparilla and legacy of Jose Gaspar | wtsp.com The most famous Florida pirate was Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla. However, if they do, they are still up for grabs. Years ago I hunted the fabled Jose Gaspar treasure pirate who, as the story goes, was a pirate on the gulf coast and when attacked by a US Navy vessel, wrapped the anchor chain around him and jumped in while his crew escaped up Peace River with treasure to a property owner named Lady Boggess near an area called Lettuce Lake. "They were the ones that profited from the story to attract visitors to their new train stop and hotel (Gasparilla Inn)," Crystal Diff, Executive Director of the Boca Grande Historical Society and History Center, wrote in an email. Tampa family finds pirate treasure in grandpa's attic Box found in Tampa attic has coins, a map, a hand and a mystery - WFLA News Channel 8 Share or comment on this article: Tampa family finds. He soon picked a good spot in Charlotte Harbor, and began to build his pirate kingdom. He was most likely a sailor for the English Navy who became unemployed and turned to a life of piracy. Jose Gaspar (aka: Gasparilla) was a quasi-mythical Spanish pirate who roamed the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. However, this treasure is also attributed to the infamous pirate Blackbeard. The map is estimated to be from the 1930s and shows the Tampa area. Paluska and ABC Action News photojournalist Reed Moeller took a 20-minute ferry ride from Pine Island to Useppa Island, the location where Gaspar is said to have beheaded a Spanish Princess. The story of Juan Gomez is also published in the Library of Congress. Gaspar - Meaning of Gaspar Name, Boy Gaspar Origin and Astrology Other than news articles, the first story ever published in print about the Story of Gasparilla was commissioned by the Charlotte Harbor & Northern Railroad. 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. So it is a huge, huge draw for people to come to Tampa.". Jos Gaspar. In Polish origin the meaning of name Gaspar is : Treasure keeper Spanish Meaning : The name Gaspar is an Spanish baby name. I love this place built around 1640 . 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. The pirate is one of the most notorious in the history of pirates.
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