For thousands of years tales of miraculous spring waters able to restore one's youth have been shared around the campfire, the hookah, the feast table and the carafe. During the 16th century Juan Ponce de Leon searched the uncharted lands of Florida and surrounding waters for the supposed Fountain of Youth. There is no documentation to prove or disprove his findings, other than the fact that he is no longer alive. However, it is because of his search that the Spanish first came to know of what is now Florida and lay claim to it.
Juan Ponce de Leon was born in northern Spain to a large noble family, unfortunately due to very poor record keeping no one really knows who his parents were. This lack of administrative procedure would play a role throughout his life. After accompanying Christopher Columbus to the New World, serving as governor of the new province of Puerto Rico, and colonizing the island of San Juan, Ponce de Leon was looking for a new challenge. Ferdinand II of Aragon was king at the time and favoured Ponce de Leon. Ferdinand urged the explorer to travel the lands outside the jurisdiction of his rival, Colon.
By this time there were rumours floating around fellow adventurers that the islands of Benimy were home to life-restoring waters. The Arawak tribes had often spoken of spring waters able to stave off the aging process, and always pointed to the Bahamas when asked of their location. Thus, the western district of the Bahamas includes a chain of islands called Bimini. This is the location Ponce de Leon sought for his Fountain of Youth. Unfortunately he was searching the wrong place.
Perhaps Ponce de Leon was mistaken in his place of exploration. More likely, Ferdinand pointed Ponce de Leon in the wrong direction in hopes of humiliating Colon by making discoveries at his doorstep. The second scenario is more fitting as the realisation of Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth did not emerge until well after his death. Plus, it is far more likely King Ferdinand II of Aragon would have funded the search for gold and expansion of the Spanish empire than spring water that supposedly brought youth. Either way, the result was the re-discovery of central, western and northern Florida.
There is no Fountain of Youth in Florida. Some might think it does not exist at all, anywhere. An optimist on the other hand, might believe any sort of adventuring involves sunshine, exercise, and learning - all things that keep us young at heart.
Juan Ponce de Leon was born in northern Spain to a large noble family, unfortunately due to very poor record keeping no one really knows who his parents were. This lack of administrative procedure would play a role throughout his life. After accompanying Christopher Columbus to the New World, serving as governor of the new province of Puerto Rico, and colonizing the island of San Juan, Ponce de Leon was looking for a new challenge. Ferdinand II of Aragon was king at the time and favoured Ponce de Leon. Ferdinand urged the explorer to travel the lands outside the jurisdiction of his rival, Colon.
By this time there were rumours floating around fellow adventurers that the islands of Benimy were home to life-restoring waters. The Arawak tribes had often spoken of spring waters able to stave off the aging process, and always pointed to the Bahamas when asked of their location. Thus, the western district of the Bahamas includes a chain of islands called Bimini. This is the location Ponce de Leon sought for his Fountain of Youth. Unfortunately he was searching the wrong place.
Perhaps Ponce de Leon was mistaken in his place of exploration. More likely, Ferdinand pointed Ponce de Leon in the wrong direction in hopes of humiliating Colon by making discoveries at his doorstep. The second scenario is more fitting as the realisation of Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth did not emerge until well after his death. Plus, it is far more likely King Ferdinand II of Aragon would have funded the search for gold and expansion of the Spanish empire than spring water that supposedly brought youth. Either way, the result was the re-discovery of central, western and northern Florida.
There is no Fountain of Youth in Florida. Some might think it does not exist at all, anywhere. An optimist on the other hand, might believe any sort of adventuring involves sunshine, exercise, and learning - all things that keep us young at heart.
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