TODAY ONLY
March 27
Ponce de Leon Spots Florida
On this day in 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sighted the coast of Florida. It was an Easter Sunday.
Flowery Easter. In Spanish, the Easter season is known as Pascua Florida, meaning flowery Easter. Because Florida was full of flowers, Ponce de Leon called the new land La Florida.
A Brief Bio. Ponce de Leon was born in San Tervas de Campos, Spain, in 1474. In 1493, he sailed with Columbus on his 2nd voyage to the Americas. Instead of returning to Spain with Columbus, Ponce de Leon remained on the island of Hispaniola ~ now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. There he was a military commander and deputy governor. After discovering gold on the island of Puerto Rico, he conquered the island.
Fountain of
Youth? The Natives told tales of the island of Bimini, where there were not only gold and pearls, but a special fountain. If you drank its waters, you would stay young forever. Ponce de Leon convinced the king to finance an expedition to find this legendary Fountain of Youth.
Hang a Left at
Cuba. Ponce de Leon sailed around the northwest corner of Cuba, searching for Bimini among the Bahama Islands.
That's No Fountain of Youth. That's Florida. He landed on the Florida coast near what is now St. Augustine. de Leon searched for pearls, gold and the fountain for a few days. Finding none, he continued on his way, toward the Gulf Stream.
