At the confluence of three bodies of water, bracketed by lush trees and white beaches, is a place of beauty and history.

Just beyond the tall water oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, next to a hut thatched with palmetto fronds, and between nature trails that lead to white beaches and thick mangroves, a grassy rise in Bradenton offers a view of Florida’s present-day natural beauty – and a peek into its early, turbulent history.

Standing at De Soto Point today, which on a map looks like an index finger pointing toward the northeast, your eyes gaze at the surging fresh waters of the Manatee River as it mingles with the saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay – the only place in Florida where three bodies of water flow into each other.

But in 1539, when Spanish conquistador Hernando De Soto sailed into the area, he saw not only the same confluence of river and sea but a series of 30-foot-high mounds made of earth and shells rising from the shore. The mounds held thatched huts at the very top, housing the native Tocobaga Indians and serving as burial grounds or religious centers.

De Soto’s ships headed toward a village of about 300 people, where men spent their days in dugout canoes, harvesting clams and mussels, or hunting, while women made pottery, wove baskets and cooked.

But on that day, the Tocobaga Indians had spotted De Soto’s fleet of nine ships. And as De Soto’s expedition moved along the coast, they sent puffs of gray smoke into the air, signaling danger. Conch shells also trumpeted a warning to beware of the Spaniards on the horizon.

The story of this intersection between two cultures comes alive at the De Soto National Memorial, a U.S. National Park within easy drive of downtown Bradenton. Today, sailboats and motorboats ride the waves and wooden docks jut out from the coastline in front of stately, Florida homes. In the De Soto Park itself, people stroll along sandy beaches, search for shells and swim in a nearby cove.

But the park offers a counterpoint to such pleasant, present-day activities with an eye toward the past. Park ranger interpreters offer a “living history” of the early 1500s by recreating scenes from that period, dressed up as Spanish soldiers and demonstrating European and Indian weapons. They also give kayak tours. Visitors can also view authentic armor and a historical video about the De Soto expedition in a theater housed in the 2,500-square-foot park center.

Looking out upon the bay, Ranger Dan Stephens evokes the images of that fateful day when De Soto first arrived near modern-day Bradenton. The story he relates captures the tension that ensued:

As De Soto’s ships filled with more than 700 people sailed toward them, the Tocobaga Indians made preparations to flee. They remembered the fearful stories of an earlier Spanish expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez, a mean and ruthless conquistador.

Pánfilo had ventured up the west coast of Florida about a decade before, in 1528, torturing and killing Indians he encountered. So when the Tocobaga Indians saw De Soto’s ships, the locals prepared to abandon their village, so the Spanish wouldn’t take them prisoners and make them slaves.

De Soto had been sent by the King of Spain, Charles V, to establish a colony on the west side of Florida. This self-financed expedition provided the King with new lands and 80 percent of the plunder while offering potential fame and fortune for adventurers such as De Soto. The ships moved cautiously, searching for a break in the mangroves. The Spanish wanted to avoid attacks from the natives. They also needed a bay deep enough to anchor in.

As the fleet sailed closer to the village, it became clear the waters were too shallow. Then, to their relief, the Tocobaga Indians watched as De Soto’s ships turned and headed north. The ships traveled along the coast for 10 miles, dropping anchor in the deep waters of what today is the port of Manatee.

This expedition by De Soto marked his return to the new world, Stephens explains. He had made his fortune in previous trips and returned to Spain a wealthy man. But his aspirations to become as famous as the Spanish conquistadores Hernán Cortéz, who had conquered the Aztecs, and Juan Pizzaro, who conquered the Incas, drew him back.

De Soto came in search of gold and glory. But this expedition, which took four years, crisscrossed 10 states, covered 4,000 miles and ultimately resulted in his death, brought him neither.

If You Go

- Daily, through April 21, De Soto Park rangers dress up as 15th-century Spanish soldiers and demonstrate the use of Spanish muskets and Indian bows and arrows. Replicas of chain mail, armor, a club lined with shark’s teeth and other artifacts of the day occupy outdoor display tables.

- Park rangers give kayak tours along the coastline during the weekends from April through October.

- The 2,500-square-foot park center houses a theater that displays life-size armor and a 20-minute historical video on the De Soto expedition.

- The park offers an award-winning Junior Ranger program with a book and activities that qualify for a Junior Ranger badge and certificate. From June through August, young people from 6-12 years of age can attend a Junior Ranger Summer Camp.

- Pets on leash are welcome.

- Located in Manatee County, the park features award-winning beaches.

Aly Colón for VISIT FLORIDA

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Aly Colón for VISIT FLORIDA