Written records about life in Florida began with the arrival of the Spanish explorer and adventurer Juan Ponce de León in 1513.  Sometime between April 2 and April 8, Ponce de León waded ashore on the northeast coast of Florida, possibly near present-day St. Augustine. 

He called the area la Florida, in honor of Pascua florida ("feast of the flowers"), Spain? Eastertime celebration.  Thinking he had found the island of Bimini, he searched for the mythical Fountain of Youth which was said to rejuvenate those who drank from it.  

Don Juan Ponce de León  had coasted almost the entire island (as it was first thought), navigating down the east coast from the mouth of the St. John's River, to Cape Kennedy and Biscayne Bay, around the Florida Keys and the Tortugas and Gulf of Mexico coast past the area Naples to Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay. 

Led by Ponce de León, the Conquistadors came ashore in Punta Gorda and gave it this Spanish name that literally translates to Broad Point.  

Ponce de León and the Calusa Indians

It was during the final phase of the first voyage that Ponce de León led the first documented Spanish landing party ashore near Lovers Key in 1513 and first encountered the Calusa Indians. 

The Calusa culture was thriving with people divided into two distinct castes.  Common people worked at tasks ordered by the nobility.  They provided food, dug canals and labored at the construction of immense, complex shellworks and mounds like those that still exist on Mound Key today.

A well-armed, highly structured military defended the Calusa realm.  The Calusa paramount, or king, was said to have had supernatural ties to the heavens through which the day-to-day well-being of his subjects was assured. 

Visit Mound Key when you're here

Mound Key is believed to be "Calos" the capitol town of the Calusa Indians and the place where Ponce de León first encountered the Calusa Indians.   It is also very near the location of Ponce de León's final battle with the Calusa's.  He was mortally wounded during his second voyage.  (Lovers Key is located at the lower right corner of map.)

As Ponce de León and his men explored inland for wood and fresh water, they saw the Calusa tribal village at Mound Key.  They encountered the Calusa and discovered that they were an unfriendly tribe.  The explorers fled back to their ships and decided to leave the area. They sailed back to Puerto Rico.

2nd Voyage to Florida

In 1521, Ponce de León returned to the Southwest coast of Florida to build a colony.  He landed on the gulf beaches near Lovers Key in Estero Bay with over 200 settlers, 50 horses, numerous beasts of burden, tools, and seeds. 

The plan was to set up a farming colony.  As they went inland for fresh water, the Calusa ambushed them.  Ponce de León was shot in the thigh by an arrow and was seriously wounded.  The settlers decided to abandon the settlement and sail back to Cuba.

As a result of his wound, Ponce de León died at the age of 61 in Cuba.  He will always be remembered as the brave conquistador who first explored many parts of Florida and searched for the mythical fountain of youth.

Although the Calusa's eventually died out due to the introduction of European disease for which they had no natural immunities, they succeeded in keeping their would-be Spanish conquerors at bay for almost two hundred years.

Like most Spanish conquistadors, Ponce de Leon had been motivated by "gold, glory and God."  While his colonization attempts quickly failed because of attacks by the Calusa's, Ponce de León? activities served to identify Florida as a desirable place for explorers, missionaries, and treasure seekers.

He also sought an elusive "fountain of youth".  He had repeatedly heard of the magical fountain during the 30 years he traveled the Caribbean and surrounding waters.  He died without ever discovering the legendary fountain.  However, many who live and visit Florida believe he did find a paradise.

Sources:  Florida Secretary of State's Office; M. C. Bob Leonard, Professor of History, Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, Florida, the Florida State Archives and the town of Fort Myers Beach, Florida.