Ponce de Leon - The Conquistadors mural - Punta Gorda, FL
N 26° 56.181 W 082° 03.016
17R E 395735 N 2979818
Quick Description: Panel 2 of this three-panel mural is dedicated to Ponce de Leon and his exploration of Charlotte Harbor, Florida.
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 10/3/2008 9:25:53 AM
Waymark Code: WM4VXD
Views: 22
Long Description:The mural was painted in the summer of 2008 by artist Charles Peck
on the exterior walls of Dean's South of the Border Mexican food
restaurant in historic downtown Punta Gorda near the banks of the
Peace River.
The
Punta
Gorda Murals website states about the panel:
Ponce de Leon was most likely born
in 1460 in San Teruas de Campos, Spain, although there are no
official records. In 1493 he sailed with Columbus on his second
voyage to the Americas. He was a Military Commander and Deputy
Governor of Hispaniola. (Dominican Republic) In 1506 Ponce found
gold in Puerto Rico and became Governor for 2 years, until replaced
by Columbus’s son. Hurt by the Kings action he set sail again and
landed at St. Augustine in late March of 1513, after looking for
gold and the Fountain of Youth in the Bahamas and Bimini. He named
the place La Florida. He continued to explore the Florida coast,
and finally found Charlotte Harbor and the Calusa Indians. Due to
the ferocity of the Calusa, he returned to Puerto Rico in 1521. He
returned to Charlotte Harbor with 200 settlers, horses, tools and
seed to colonize the area. They landed on the gulf beaches between
Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay. As they tried to move inland for
water and land to start a colony, they found the Calusa did not
agree with their plans. Ponce was shot with a Calusa arrow and died
upon returning to Havana, Cuba.