The De Soto Trail Monument was placed here by the National society of Colonial Dames of America. The granite monument was dedicated on May 30, 1939, during the 400th anniversary of the landfill of the Hernando de Soto expedition. In 1949 this monument and surrounding acerage were donated to the National Park Service.
The text on the monument reads: "Near here Hernando de Soto with his men landed May 30, 1539 and began his march westward to the Mississippi River. This marker commemorates the 400th anniversary of his arrival on the shores of Florida."
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De Soto National Memorial
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De Soto National Memorial, 5 miles (8 km) west of Bradenton, Florida, commemorates the 1539 landing of Hernando de Soto and the first extensive organized exploration by Europeans of what is now the southern United States.
De Soto expedition
In May of 1539, Hernando de Soto and an army of over 600 soldiers landed in the Tampa Bay area. They arrived in nine ships laden with supplies: two hundred and twenty horses, a herd of pigs, war dogs, cannon, matchlock muskets, armor, tools, and rations. They were executing the order of King Charles V to sail to La Florida and "conquer, populate, and pacify" the land.
The expedition did not yield the gold and treasure these men sought. Instead, they marched from one village to the next, taking food and enslaving the native peoples to use as guides and porters. Hundreds of lives lost on this calamitous four year, 4,000 miles (6,400 km) journey. The de Soto expedition would change the face of the American Southeast forever, and cause Spain to reevaluate her role in the New World. Ultimately, it was the first hand accounts of survivors, describing the native cultures and the richness of the land, which became the journey's enduring legacy.
Historic recognition
The national memorial was authorized on March 11, 1948. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the national memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
The mission of De Soto National Memorial is to preserve the controversial story of this exploration and interpret its significance in American history. Visitors can attend living history demonstrations, try on a piece of armor, or walk the nature trail through a Florida coastal landscape similar to the one encountered by conquistadors almost five hundred years ago.
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