Perhaps some qualification of this thesis is in order, given its departure from the long-standing contention that Spain came to North America to explore for gold. That contention is founded on a misunderstanding of where Hernando de Soto, Spain's foremost American explorer, actually traveled. Since 1939 when Dr. John R. Swanton (1873 - 1958), as president of the American Anthropological Association, accepted Henry Rowe Schoolcraft's DeSoto Trail theory of 1857, academics have concluded the same things about DeSoto's motive for exploring North America. That conclusion, however, has some serious flaws.

Historians relinquished the study of conquest trails to archaeologists when Dr. Swanton pronounced that their new science would eventually prove his theory. Their crowning achievement: finding a few DeSoto era artifacts in Tallahassee which, they say, proves DeSoto Wintered there. Florida's Capitol city, its most excavated place, has, thereby, grossly misled others by claiming to be DeSoto's pivotal turning point in Florida; all to an historic loss for millions of Americans.

The internet has ushered in a decentralization of ideology among the sciences. Once the domain of archaeology alone, broader sharing of ideas from other sciences - geography, astrophysics and sociology - brings with it an emergence of perspective which transcends ancient conquest trail reconstruction. These new tools are available to today's students.

This Site provides a fresh start at understanding Hernando de Soto's journey and, thereby, his motive for coming here, by applying new tools to historic documentation. 20th Century pockets of power once slowed advances in historic understanding. The internet's mass publication capability allows disinterested publication of ideas counter to established conquest perception.   DES, 1/1/2008

Evidence Revealed

In March 1987, Archaeologist Calvin Jones of the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Archaeological Research, sought permission to dig several test holes on a six-acre tract of land destined for development near downtown Tallahassee. He believed that remains of a late 17th-century Spanish mission lay buried there, which would be destroyed by the Impending construction. To Jones's surprise, the limited excavation instead yielded Spanish and Indian artifacts from the early 16th-century, as well as building debris and other evidence suggesting occupation.

Of two known events that could be represented by these finds, de Soto's 1539-40 winter encampment seemed the more likely when historic documents were studied for details. If the site did harbor remains of the Spaniards' five-month bivouac, it would provide the first direct archaeological link with a de Soto encampment. The potential significance of the discovery was lost to no one, including the land developers, who agreed to postpone construction until the site could be studied scientifically.

Archaeologist Charles Ewen produced artifacts and other evidence supporting the site's de Soto connection. In addition to early 16th-century Spanish and Indian pot sherds, archaeologists unearthed coins, beads, nails, links of chain mail armor, and the tip of a crossbow arrow. Features indicative of long-term occupation, including trash pits, hearths and building remains, also were found. But the most important discovery came in the form of bone fragments and teeth from a pig's jaw. De Soto was the first European to bring pigs to La Florida.

To ensure that part of the encampment site would be preserved, the Trust for Public Land, a private preservation organization, negotiatec with the developers to purchase about five acres of the imperiled property, agreeing to hold it until the State could buy the land from the Trust. The parcel which the State purchased In August 1988 also included the home of Florida's twenty-third governor, John Martin, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

DeSoto's Actual Visit to Tallahassee       Front Page