Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 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. He enjoyed telling stories about his adventures on the high seas and a large amount of Gasparillas treasure that was never discovered. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". John Gomez, also known as Juan Gomez and Panther John. 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 . Photos: Treasure Including Spanish Gold Found on Colombia Shipwreck "Possibly keep it forever. "The reason I believe in Gasparilla is because I believe in Juan Gomez," Mike Gattuso, a member of The Real Treasure Hunters, told Paluska. But Gasparilla himself did not survive the final battle. So, a real figure or a tall tale told by Floridians? What you don't expect to find is treasure. Shipwrecks: Who owns the treasure hidden under the sea? Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. Gaspar apparently did not share this attraction and instead gave his attention to other women of the court. Source of the stories which became inspiration for the legend of Jose Gaspar. Once again our legend states that he hid 3 large chests among a group of trees on San Jose Island. Or at least thats what Florida folklore would have you believe. The 300,000 partiers who will swarm the streets Saturday in Tampa for the annual Gasparilla pirate parade wont care. He would then sell these items to local customers in east Texas. "Maybe my great-grandparents were pirates," Mike Lopez said. Many of the stories about Gasparilla were attributed to Juan Gomez. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. There have been many stories told of treasure Captain Kidd buried back in America. He then tied himself to an anchor and jumped in the ocean disappearing for all time. A treasure said to be worth $30 million. Jose was also an officer of high standing in the naval affairs of the Spaniards. He ignored this order and stayed in Galveston for about another year before the Army returned forcing him to leave. Jose Gaspar Treasure Co. 2119 N Oceanshore Blvd. Is There Any Pirate Treasure Left? - treasure unknown The prices are great and you can walk more than one foot without seeing some adorable little trinket that you just can't live without. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These recommended links below will help you save money and book your trip: We use all the companies listed here or on the resource page. He apparently helped repeal a British Invasion on New Orleans. According to archives, the island community was created by Albert W. Gilchrist, Floridas 20th governor. As mentioned above one of the rumored locations for his treasure is on Woodland Beach in Delaware. Shopping, Gift & Specialty Shops. Our Florida pirate "Jose Gaspar enters history's scene in Spain where he was born in the year 1756 and started adult life with a career in the Spanish Navy, serving aboard the warship Floridablanca. Just . Whilst swimming in Key West, he and a team of specialists find a huge anchor that may have been from Gaspar's vessel. Louisiana makes sense because during most of his time here, he was considered a fugitive by the US. Jose Gaspar Treasure - Flagler Beach, FL - Yelp The author of the pamphlet readily stated that the spectacular tale was a work of fiction with no genuine facts in it. Treasure on Sunken Spanish Galleon Could Be Biggest Ever - History I love this place built around 1640 . ", Pirate treasure in grandpa's attic includes human hand. This endeavor lasted only about 5 years when the us army came to visit Lafitte, asking him to leave. May 4, 1904Gasparilla Pirate Festival / First event date. One day Gasparilla prepared to attack a merchantman, but to his surprise, it turned out to be a United States man-of-war. But they know long-lost treasures and artifacts are out there. A Treasured History: The Story of Gasparilla, Tampa's Most Prized This story seems to border on the outer limits, but a local historian doesnt believe that the hand belongs to the famed pirate. Strap yourself in for a wild ride and buy this international bestselling book today! Treasure hunter Michael Gattuso digs a hole in front of treasure hunters Stacey Hunt and Erin Melcher in an area where metal detectors notify of gold on a wetland believed to have lost treasure on the Peace River in Arcadia on Sunday, January 13, 2019. The first recorded reference of Jos Gaspar was in fact over 100 years after his supposed career, in a short biography included in an early 1900s promotional brochure for the Gasparilla Inn on Gasparilla Island in Charlotte Harbor. Top Image: Real pirate or later fiction? These stories really get your imagination scrambling about finding buried riches yourself. I'm here writing on Treasureunknown to provide helpful resources so others can get out and enjoy the thrill of the hunt! Blackbeard also spend some time in North Carolina, in fact he secured a Royal Pardon in the town of Bath. When Maria and Mike were children, their grandfather would tell them stories about his father, Ernesto Lopez, finding Jose Gaspar's pirate treasure. Also check state and local regulations before you begin any activities such as digging or metal detecting. Who was this figure, and what was he supposed to have done? Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark. Pirate Photo byScott UmstattdonUnsplash, Lafitte Photo By Anonymous Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas, Public Domain, Skully Photo byLuke SouthernonUnsplash. In the following years, he accumulated a board estimated at $30,000,000. Since 1904, pirates have invaded the City of Tampa to kick off the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Plundering the high seas and ports alike resulted in vast riches for some of these ruthless criminals. Indian River Shores, Florida A trove of Spanish coins dating back to a 1715 shipwreck during a storm have been found along a beach in Florida. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The pirate, whose full name is Jos Gaspar, is a legend from the 18th and 19th century. Dodge and Hardee get credit for creating Gasparilla, and Hardee and the krewe more so for crafting Gaspar's backstory (including giving him the first name Jose and a death date of 1821). Jose Gaspar Treasure Co 5 1 #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach Speciality & Gift Shops Visit website Write a review What people are saying " Fun shop with good prices! Overview. Another report states that he hid several chests in a small river somewhere in the vicinity of the Bay. The notorious pirate then committed suicide by wrapping a heavy chain around him and jumping over the side. All of it is built around the story of Gaspar. Michael Gattuso lends a hand to his wife Lauren as they dock on a wetland on the Peace River in Arcadia. It's light on history and heavy on action, suspense, and intrigue. We also participate in programs from eBay, CJ, Bluehost, Clickbank, ShareASale, and other sites. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is a gripping, heart-pounding action adventure that's akin to a modern-day Indiana Jones story. The man behind Gasparilla: Who was Jos Gaspar? Chasing Treasure: The myth of Gasparilla and the real-life man Juan Gomez Human hand found in Florida attic with coins, treasure map - ajc Groups gather in St. Petersburg park to shed light on local violence, Tampas St. Josephs Childrens Hospital holds prom for pediatric patients, Photos: Rays back at Trop in spring game against Twins, Photos: Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic, Photos: New York's Naked Cowboy makes brief appearance in Tampa, Photos: Opening day for the Florida Strawberry Festival, Photos: IndyCar Series takes over streets of St. Petersburg, Hundreds of USF students join statewide walkout to protest DeSantis education policies, Photos: Lightning return home to take on Ducks, Photo Gallery: Family mourns Josiah Pinner during a candlelight vigil. Hitting the scene in the early 1800s Billy Bowlegs Rogers was a pirate to be reckoned with. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. You are using an out of date browser. This hoard was allegedly buried by a group of pirates in the early 1800s. The Legend of Jose Gaspar. 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. World's largest 'treasure hoard' worth over $20 billion may soon be found Spain and Great Britain were adversaries in the complex tangle of European politics . New Castle Island in Delaware is said to house treasure hidden by pirates from Madagascar in 1699. Jose Gaspar Treasure Co. Is this your business? The legend of pirate Jose Gaspar, or Gasparilla as he is sometimes known, is shrouded in mystery. The story goes that Lafitte and his men used an old barn on LeBleau Plantation as a gathering location and perhaps buried treasure here. The team used metal detectors and shovels but didn't find anything. Leaving Spain at an early age, he sailed to the West Coast of Florida. Michael Gattuso and his crew got a cable debut Wednesday night in an episode of Discovery Channel's show "Expedition Unknown." Just like most pirates, there is little known about his early life. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? His theft discovered, he deserted his wife and children, gathered together a nice lot of cut-throats, stole the prize vessel of the Spanish fleet, and escaped. Here are some Metal Detectors for you to start your quest.