forida buccaneer and pirate sites in west Fl.

[jacobite]

Hullo list

while doing some home work for some projects that I'm working on Actual sites on the west coast of florida that buccanees and pirates used as hide outs ect Davis Walker sent me a copy of a time line that he has been working on for Sealers Buccaneers for the back ground infor foe Sears rad in St Augusinetine... that made a refference to • In the fall of 1681, French buccaneers established

themselves on Anclote Key, just south of Tampa Bay, three miles west

off Tarpon Springs, to prey on shipping in the Gulf. Within six

months, they had taken at least seven prizes, including a loaded

supply frigate bound for St. Augustine.

I have also found some futher in Ghost towns of Florida Aurytown Aurytown is a barren site (A.E. nonthing is there to see no info on any digs that have been prefomred there..It was a pirate town located on the north side of />Honeymoon Island, across from Crystal Beach, which is due west of Tampa. It was founded and named after the French pirate,Louis de Aury . Several dozen buildings were located here in the early 1800s. Interesting enough this is roughly a couple a miles from Anclote Key Louis de Aury

I do Belive was second in comand of Gregor Macgregors 1817 invasion of florida... (well Amelia Island at least)

Another class A pirate town on the east side of Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay. It had about 20 buildings and dates to the early 1800s. Nothing remains.

Next

Gulf town

This ancient pirate town was established by Ben Margoza, a mid 1600s English pirate. He set up the town on the south bank of Little Manatee River, between Tampa & Bradenton. A community actually remained until the 1920s.

Does anyone have any furhter info on these sites let alone any further info on sites like these on the west coast?

YHS

Collin

[Matusalem]

I know that Boca Grande "aka Gasparilla island" is claimed to be named after Jose Gaspar, the pirtate celebrated in 'Pirate Days' up in Tampa, however there is some dispute if this actually true, here's a link from the Boca Grande internet newspaper:

Jose Gaspar

My parents have a house where the Myakka river meets Charlotte Harbor, and directly across it is a cove called "Pirate Cove" and I am very interested how it became named as such.

[Captain Jim]

Jose Gaspar is a fictional character commandeered if not created by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce in the early 1900’s. For a good run-down on the fictional account as well as the truth I recommend the Pirate Mythory site .

As for the cove, find out how far back the name appears on charts, if it appears on charts at all. Anytime after about 1825 to 1850 or so and the probability increases that the name is a romantic invention. Can you say "General Development Corporation?"

That having been said, there were lots of pyrates active in the area, but I haven’t got the resources at hand to expound on that.

[jacobite]

thanks gents for the Reply......

Another fine piece on Uncle Jose is here http://www.lib.usf.edu/ldsu/digitalcollect...v02n2_80_05.pdf

[capnwilliam]

This is an interesting topic.

I'm based in New Orleans, portray a Baratarian cannoneer at the Battle of New Orleans (1815) reenactment, and have done a GAOP portrayal at Dauphin Island, so am always interested in U.S. Gulf-sites piracy.

Hope I can get to St. Augustine for Searles' Raid, and for Drakes' Raid, one of these years.

Capt. William