Discover Layers of History

Tocobaga Village

The Tocobaga were the people living around Tampa Bay when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century.  They were a complex chiefdom and part of what archaeologists call the broader Safety Harbor culture, which flourished in the region from about 900 – 1600 CE.  The Tocobaga participated in a vast trade network that extended across much of eastern North America.  They built their communities near the rich estuaries of Tampa Bay, with villages often centered around large mounds of earth and shell and an open central plaza.

The Narváez Expedition Lands — 1528

On April 14, 1528, conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez anchored his four ships outside the mouth of a shallow bay, at the head of which his scouts had observed houses and habitations of Indigenous people.  Narváez had been appointed adelantado of Florida in 1526, succeeding Juan Ponce de León.  He and his expedition of soldiers, settlers, and priests, came ashore near the Jungle Prada Site, where they celebrated Easter.

After discovering small amounts of gold, Narváez set out with about 300 men in search of more.  Only four mean ultimately survived, including Estevanico, the first known person of African descent to explore what is now the United States.  Over the next eight years, the survivors made an incredible journey across the continent before eventually reaching the Pacific coast of Mexico.

The roaring twenties

In 1924, developer Walter P. Fuller built a Mediterranean-style commercial plaza near the Tocobaga mounds, naming it “The Jungle Prado” after Havana’s “Paseo del Prado.” It featured shops, dining, and nightlife for guests of the nearby Jungle Hotel. During Prohibition, the Jungle Prado’s “Gangplank” social club became a local speakeasy after Fuller accepted a shipment of illegal whiskey.

Peacocks

Colorful peacocks have been strutting through the Jungle Prada neighborhood since the 1950s. You can enjoy watching them in our private seaside garden along Boca Ciega Bay.