Time Line of Ponce de Leon events and celebrations

Timeline of Ponce de Leon events, sources and celebrations.

1511 Peter Marty published "Opera" a map.

1511 Andres Morales Map published.

1512, February 23rd, Contract presented by Ferdinand to Juan Ponce for exploration and settlment of Bimini. Three ships Santiago, Santa Maria de la Consolacion, and San Cristoball.

April 2, 1513 Florida Landing, exact location has been debated. Many say Melbourne Beach others in the past have said St. Augustine, Deland, Ponce Inlet, and Stuart.

April 21, 1513 Ponce's encountered the Gulf Stream. (first written reference to the Gulf Stream). Encountered local Indians and a fight broke out. Traveled and landed and encountered more Indians and took one to serve as a scout.

April 22, 1513 Stuart Florida, sighting and naming by Ponce de Leon the River of the Cross, thought by author Robert Fuson to be at St. Lucie Inlet at the southern end of Hutchinson Island, near the town of Stuart.

May 8th, the doubled the Cape of Florida couldn't sail in the direction
they wanted because of the strong current so they anchored behind a cape,
next to a village named Abaido near Jupiter Florida.

June 4 & 5, Explore Charlotte Harbor area, encounter and battle with Calusa Indians

1521 Ponce de León organized a colonizing expedition in SW Florida but was fatally wounded by an arrow from a Calusa Indian.

1537 Alonso de Chaves published document as the Chaves rutter.

1541 Alonso de Santa Cruz's Map published.

1601 Herrera map published.


1910-April 1, Another commemoration of the Landing of Ponce de Leon with an elaborate historical and spectacular celebration on March 30th and April 1st. Hundreds of Indians, Spanish Nobles, Soldiers participated.

January 24, 1913 The Christian Science Monitor published the article "Motor Boat Clubs to Aid Florida in the big celebration." Expect Big Races Will Attract More Entries Than Usual This Season at Four Hundredth Anniversary MOTOR BOAT CLUBS TO AID FLORIDA IN BIG STATE CELEBRATION


April 1, 1923
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., March 31. -- Juan Ponce, Knight of Leon, who, on Easter Sunday just 412 years ago today, landed in Florida in quest of the Fountain of Youth, will again land this week with all his pomp and glory in St. Augustine, when one of the most picturesque celebrations ever undertaken in Florida will be presented in a three-day historical pageant

December 13, 1934
TOAST TO PONCE DE LEON.; Floridans Join Puerto Ricans in Salute to Their First Governor. Floridans and Puerto Ricans toast Ponce de Leon in San Juan

January 18, 1935,
House of Ponce de Leon Identified in Puerto Rico

January 09, 1938,
PONCE DE LEON'S TRAIL; Tourists Follow It to Those Springs He Bathed In on Quest for Youth CASSADAGA, FLA. ON Summerlike days which are sprinkled through the Winter months in Florida tourists visit the famous "miracle" springs of crystal-clear waters where Ponce de Leon bathed in his historic search for a "fountain of youth."
Section Resorts-Travel


March 22, 1964
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Participation by Central and South American countries and Spain in St. Augustine's quadricentennial, to be celebrated in 1965, has been assured. The celebration will take place between April 3, the date of the discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon in 1513, and Sept. 8, the date on which Pedro Menendez landed here in 1565 to establish St. Augustine.

1982
SAN JUAN, PR, Statue in Old Juan Puerto erected was originally made from the bronze from
English cannons seized after the English attacked San Juan in 1794.

2000, Author Robert H. Fuson published, "Juan Ponce De Leon and the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida". Fuson thought that Ponce de Leon may have landed 30 miles North of the Daytona Beach area at the Palm Coast (pg 105) and that Ponce was told by the King of Spain to keep an eye out for the fabled, Fountain of Youth.


Newspaper reported in 1920's WHERE PONCE DE LEON EXPLORED; All historical evidence places him in area near De Land, Fla. DE LAND, Fla. -- According to legend, Ponce de Leon, the Spanish explorer, discovered the springs north of here nearly 450 years ago, when he was searching for the mythical Fountain of Youth.