Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Led by the Lure of Gold
Florida De Soto Trail
— October 11, 1539 —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, November 14, 2018
1. Led by the Lure of Gold Marker
Near here, Captain Juan Añasco of Hernando de Soto’s army has entered the Apalachee village of Aute -
The village is deserted, but we have found a small supply of corn. My men captured several Indians. One is a young trader from a northern chiefdom. We have named him Perico – Parrot. He speaks of a chiefdom to the north called Cofitachequi with much gold and many mines. We will take Perico to De Soto, for he will make a useful guide.
”The Governor [De Soto] decided to go farther into the interior, because an Indian boy gave great news of what there was in the interior.”
- Account by Rodrigo Rangel
The De Soto Chronicles
The Conquistador Trail
Beyond the quest for gold, every major Spanish expedition of the 16th century had a religious mission. De Soto brought along 12 priests and friars, who tended to the spiritual needs of the men and attempted to convert the native population to Catholicism.
The Native Path
Perico became a valuable asset to De Soto’s expedition. He learned to speak Spanish and served as an interpreter and guide. When he failed to quickly lead De Soto to Cofitachequi, he feared torture and harsh reprisal. So, Perico fell to the ground and claimed to be possessed by demons.
this page online
Erected by Florida De Soto Trail, Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Park Service, and the National Park Service. (Marker Number 31.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Exploration • Native Americans. A significant historical date for this entry is October 11, 1539.
Location. 30° 22.27′ N, 84° 16.107′ W. Marker is in Tallahassee, Florida, in Leon County. Marker is on Woodville Highway (State Road 363) 0.3 miles south of Capital Circle Southeast (U.S. 319), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located at the north trailhead of the Tallahassee-St Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, near the south end of the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5057 Woodville Highway, Tallahassee FL 32305, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Tallahassee - St. Marks Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker); 1963 Civil Rights Protest Jail Overflow Site (approx. 2.4 miles away); Coach Alonzo "Jake" Gaither Home (approx. 3.7 miles away); Capital City Country Club (approx. 3.8 miles away); The Florida A&M University Hospital (1911-1971)
Courtesy of Hermann Trappman
2. Marker detail: “Cofitechequi” by Hermann Trappman
De Soto received a gift of freshwater pearls from the lady of Cofitachequi.
More about this marker. Marker is a large, composite plaque mounted vertically within a heavy-duty wooden kiosk.
Regarding Led by the Lure of Gold. Hernando de Soto landed at Tampa Bay in 1539 and made his way north in search of gold and riches. A controversial figure in American history, Spanish Conquistador Hernando de Soto is regarded as a hero and brave explorer by some — and an overzealous madman by others. The De Soto Trail shows him as a product of Medieval Europe, a brutal society forged over 780 years of warfare. It also tells the story of the Native American peoples of 16th-century Florida, a highly advanced collection of chiefdoms struggling against each other to gain dominance over their regions.
Related markers. Click here for
Photographed By De Soto National Memorial
3. Marker detail: Reenactments take place annually at De Soto National Memorial, Bradenton, Florida
Also see . . .
1. Cofitachequi. Cofitachequi was a chiefdom founded about 1300 AD and encountered by the Hernando de Soto expedition in South Carolina in April 1540. The town and ceremonial center of Cofitachequi was located near the present-day city of Camden, South Carolina. Cofitachequi ruled a large number of towns in an area of several thousand square miles in the northeastern part of South Carolina. It was the easternmost extension of the Mississippian culture that extended over much of the southern part of the future United States. (Submitted on November 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. De Soto’s Expedition to North America. In 1536, de Soto obtained a royal commission to conquer and settle the region known as La Florida (now the southeastern United States), which had been the site of earlier explorations by Juan Ponce de León and others. De Soto set out from Spain in April 1538, set with 10 ships and 700 men. After a stop in Cuba, the expedition landed at Tampa Bay in May 1539. They moved inland and eventually set up camp for the winter at a small Indian village near present-day Tallahassee. (Submitted on November 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Robin Brown, Florida’s First People
4. Marker detail: Freshwater pearls from ceremonial clothing discovered at Native American burial site
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, November 14, 2018
5. Florida De Soto Trail Map (panel to the left of marker in kiosk)
1539-1540
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, November 14, 2018
6. Led by the Lure of Gold Marker Kiosk (marker panel is on right side of kiosk; map is on left)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, November 14, 2018
7. Led by the Lure of Gold Marker Kiosk (wide view; trailhead in background)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 12, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 402 times since then and 28 times this year. Last updated on November 21, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on December 28, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5, 6, 7. submitted on November 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
