May 3 (R) – Palma Sola Botantical Park >> DeSoto National Memorial >> Braden Castle
Today we started our day at a castle. Well, the ruins of one anyway. Or that’s what they called it. Feeling kinda loopy. Took an antihistamine after winding up in a red fire ant bed trying to help this dad get his kid out of them.
Braden Castle historical site[1] and the tale of two brothers. In the early 1840s two brothers, Dr. Joseph Addison Braden and Hector Braden, arrived from Tallahassee to what is now the town of Bradenton, seeking to rebuild their lost fortunes. They were taking advantage of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, where the US government granted cheap land to those willing to cultivate and defend it in an attempt to further push the Seminole natives from the land following the Second Seminole War.
The Braden brothers eventually acquired 1,100 acres for raising sugar cane, making it one of the largest plantations in the country. The main two-story manor, which locals referred to as “the Castle,” was built by slave laborers using a material called “tabby,” a mixture of crushed and sifted oyster shells, lime, water, and sand. In 1856, Seminoles attacked the Castle, which Dr. Braden successfully defended. The following year Hector passed away and the plantation fell on hard times after corn borers destroyed acres of sugar cane. Eventually, Dr. Braden found himself deeply in debt. The Castle went into foreclosure and Dr. Braden returned to the panhandle. The Castle then changed hands and became a local landmark for early settlers and treasure seekers who came to the area hoping to find a cache left by Spanish explorers. After a fire destroyed the structure in 1903, the remains were abandoned and left for nature to reclaim.
Then the “tin can tourists” started arriving Florida around 1919. Ford’s Model T had made it possible for Northerners to drive down for the winter (making them, arguably, Florida’s first “snowbirds”) and the visitors quickly discovered the need for a more permanent site of their own after tensions arose with the locals. The “Camping Tourists of America,” incorporated in 1924, put up tents, and then cottages, around the skeletal remains of Braden Castle. The first boat dock went up in 1927 and by the early 1930s most of the structures were in place, with a seasonal population of roughly 1,000 people from 26 different states. Victory gardens were planted in the 1940s, and the town of Manatee was absorbed into Bradenton in the 1950s. The park that built up around the Castle, named Braden Castle Park, was recognized as a unique historical district in 1985, and the once-seasonal visitors to the area were joined by a new wave of retirees.
Fun fact: The Braden brothers traveled to the area with Robert Gamble, who later built the Gamble Mansion that we visited yesterday.
Most of that blathering all came from what I can remember from the sign-thingies. I’ll admit it was a nifty kinda stop but more because Lev and Benny like that weird stuff.
From there we went to spend a couple of hours at Palma Sola Botanical Park[2]. Palma Sola Botanical Park was green and quiet. You can wander around in the 10 acres looking at native and exotic flowers, trees and bushes, and rare fruit trees. Those all attract local birds and butterflies, turtles, fish and pond life. Nature photographers and painters are welcome, as well as, visitors who enjoy wandering the shell paths as they discover plants familiar and new to them. The Park grounds are open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk, admission to the Park is free. The Park Office is open M-F 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lunch was just a normal-ish gluten-free wrap with … what else … chips. I put salsa on the picnic table just to make things interesting. That’s where I got in trouble with the fire ants – blasted little demons – but I didn’t really notice it right away. Sometimes I react to things funny and sometimes not. I guess I’ll put it down to a delayed reaction.
Last fun of the day was a trip to the DeSoto National Memorial[3] and yes Benny, there is a national Junior Ranger badge you can earn here. And he did. Naturally.
In May 1539, Conquistador Hernando de Soto’s army of soldiers, hired mercenaries, craftsmen, and clergy made landfall in Tampa Bay. They were met with fierce resistance by indigenous people protecting their homelands. De Soto’s quest for glory and gold would be a four year, four-thousand-mile “odyssey of intrigue, warfare, disease, and discovery that would form the history of the United States.” Or so said one of the sign-thingies at the park.
We were scheduled for a 1.5 hour kayak tour. That’s probably why I didn’t pay attention to the mess my ankles were turning into. We couldn’t use our kayak but had to use the approved ones provided by the park. Even had to use their Personal Floatation Devices (PFD vests) which was kinda nasty. Benny and I have really good ones and I’d made sure that we had something on par for Rick and Lev early on.
Almost didn’t get to go because while they’d specified that kids had to weigh at least 50 lbs they hadn’t mentioned that there was an age restriction of being at least seven years of age. Rick and Lev both ran interference and no one asked Benny’s actual age. I wouldn’t have broken the rules if Benny didn’t have the experience and skills that he has. I know it didn’t set a very good example, and under other circumstances I might not have done it, but at least Benny doesn’t know. That doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty. It was a nice guided kayak experience.
Last thing we did before heading for tonight’s camp was Camp Uzita which is the living history set up for the park. It was the last week it was open and I can understand why. Rangers and volunteers dressed in period clothing gave talks on a variety of historical topics related to the De Soto Expedition and Florida's Native Americans. There were also weapons and Spanish and native craft demonstrations on display. But the costumes had to have been very hot. Everyone was sweating like crazy.
It was about that time that I started not feeling so hot but I had to drive the van. I got us to our RV resort for the night but after that I was done in. Rick noticed first while Lev was on the phone with his people who were complaining they needed more content.
“Gus?”
“I know. I think it was the fire ants. I’m going to take an antihistamine, make dinner, and then I’m going to just blank out for the night. That okay?”
“Are you kidding? Of course. And you aren’t cooking. I’ll get something delivered. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I didn’t notice until around the time we were leaving the park. They got inside my socks,” I explained while I was pulling down my crew socks and wincing at how many “bites” there were.
“After the histamine, soak your feet. Maybe that will take the fever out some.”
“Experience talking?” I said trying to grin.
“Definitely. During some of the storm clean up … trust me, you don’t won’t to know.”
Uh huh. I didn’t feel like eating so I’m not sure what Rick had “ordered in.” Benny’s anxiety is pinging but not too bad. He’s asleep and so are my other caballeros. Rick is still coming back from whatever he had running around in his head. And honestly Lev was a little steamed himself but not at the team. His people can go through unreasonable phases as well.
And now I think I’m just going to lean over and put a little more itch cream on the ant bites and just sleep it off.
[1] Braden Castle Ruins
[2] Palma Sola Botanical Park Foundation, Inc.
[3] De Soto National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)
