What Is De Soto National Memorial?
De Soto National Memorial preserves 30 acres of coastal mangrove forest to commemorate the landing of Hernando de Soto in La Florida on May 29, 1539!
What Makes It Historical?
A nature trail and recreation of Camp Uzita mark what may have been the start of Hernando de Soto’s 4,000+ mile journey across what is now the southeastern part of the United States! Having joined the conquest of Nicaragua and Peru, 39-year old Hernando de Soto was far from finished. It’s not definitively known where he landed with his 9 ships and 620 men, but this area, known as Shaw’s Point, with its thick mangroves and shell mounds, is a good candidate!
From here, the De Soto expedition recruited Juan Ortiz, a fellow Spaniard who’d gotten stuck here 12 years earlier, to guide them north through what is now Tallahassee to what is now Knoxville, across the Mississippi River to what is now Texas! Along the way, the expedition made notes about the geography and the Native folks they encountered, and even though they encountered no gold at all, their findings did encourage Spain to invest more in colonizing north of Mexico. Sadly, the conquest-minded De Soto also lay the groundwork for further brutality against Native folks, which persisted long after he died of fever on May 21, 1542. About half of the expedition survived the overland journey back to Mexico City!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer at De Soto National Memorial!
- Become a member of the The Friends of De Soto National Memorial!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
8300 Desoto Memorial Hwy
Bradenton, FL 34209
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
Park grounds are open from dawn until dusk, and the visitor center is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM!
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