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1022 De Soto Park Drive
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| October 1539 | Hernando de Soto and his entrada occupied the native village of Anhaica. |
| December 25, 1539 | As devout Catholics, de Soto and his men celebrated the first Christmas Mass in what would become the United States. |
| March 1540 | De Soto and his men left Anhaica, continuing on their trek. |
| 1930-33 | John Martin, Florida's twenty-third governor, built his home here and called it Apalachee. |
| March 1987 | Archaeologists uncovered the first evidence this was the site of de Soto's winter encampment. |
| January | De Soto's 1539 Winter Encampment. |
Today, there is no visible evidence of Hernando de Soto's occupation of this site centuries ago. Visitors may walk around outside Governor Martin's 1930s home, and plans are underway for an interpretive display on the history and significance of the site. The best time to experience the property is each January, when a reenactment of de Soto's Winter Encampment takes place.
Hernando de Soto was given the task of conquering La Florida, which covered the area from the Chesapeake Bay to northeastern Mexico. He was to colonize this vast area for the Spanish, establishing settlements, and bringing back riches hoped to be located here.
His ship landed in Tampa Bay on May 30, 1539. He brought with him 600 people, livestock, and supplies to establish settlements.
By October of 1539, de Soto and his entrada reached the Tallahassee area. There were as many as 30,000 Native Americans living in the Apalachee Province. Their capital was located at the village of Anhaica, about a mile east of Florida's State Capitol building.
Hearing of de Soto's approach, the Apalachee abandoned Anhaica, its 250 buildings, and ample supply of food. De Soto occupied the Apalachee village for the winter, facing constant harassment by the Apalachee.
On December 25, 1539, the Spaniards celebrated the First Christmas Mass in what would become the United States. In addition, the Spaniards constructed the first European-built structures in this country.
The Spaniards left Anhaica in March of 1540, and continued on their expedition throughout the southeastern United States. Over a four year period, his expedition traveled 4,000 miles.
De Soto often captured native leaders, holding them until his entrada made it safely through the territory. They entered into violent battles with the Natives, in some instances massacring them and burning their villages. Diseases brought by the Spaniards decimated the local populations.
Many Spaniards died or were wounded in battles with the natives, or were exhausted by the arduous expedition. De Soto died on May 21, 1542, and was buried in the Mississippi River to prevent his body from being desecrated by Indians. The survivors left La Florida in July of 1543.
In the view of the Spanish Crown, de Soto's expedition was a failure. It resulted in no new settlements, and no riches were discovered.
The exact location of de Soto's winter encampment in Tallahassee was not known until archaeologists discovered the site in 1987. At first, they thought it was a Spanish mission site. However, artifacts such as chain mail and coinage indicated this was de Soto's winter encampment. It is the only documented site of de Soto's venture.
The State of Florida acquired five acres of the site in 1988.
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