April 15, 1528, is a momentous date in the early history of the Americas and it happened right here in west St. Pete. Jungle Prada was where two worlds collided, setting off a chain of events that changed pretty much everything.
When Spanish conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez stepped ashore, it kicked off a tragic series of events for the Tocobaga people, whose once-thriving community was soon devastated by disease, violence, and upheaval.
The expedition didn’t end well for the Spaniards either. Out of the hundreds who landed, only four survived - those four ended up becoming the first Old World explorers to journey across the North American continent.
- Álvar
Núñez Cabeza de Vaca – The group's leader and chronicler, who later
wrote a detailed account of their journey.
- Andrés
Dorantes de Carranza – A nobleman and military officer who helped
guide the group through the interior.
- Estevanico
– An enslaved North African who became a skilled interpreter and scout; he
is considered the first African explorer of the American Southwest.
- Alonso
del Castillo Maldonado – A pragmatic and resourceful survivor who
helped maintain group cohesion.
Today, we don’t mark this date to glorify what happened, but to remember the lives lost and the cultures changed forever. It’s also a chance to recognize our neighborhood’s quiet but powerful place in history—Jungle Prada wasn’t just a landing site, it was the starting point of a journey that would stretch across an entire continent. This spot in west St. Pete holds a story that shaped the course of the Americas, even if it’s not in most history books.
