San Miguel and SoWal Day -- September 29, 2009 -- Brenda Rees -- Shaping Florida
San Miguel and SoWal – San Miguel Day, Tuesday, September 29, 2009 – Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida (c)
Let’s celebrate San Miguel Day – September 29!!
A typical street parade in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. We probably won't dress like this Tuesday in SoWal, but some of us will wear our San Miguel shoes to Cafe Thirty-A Martini Night. 2005 Photograph by Brenda Rees. All photos by BR.
There are current and historical reasons to highlight this day in SoWal.
Around September 29, 1528, on what became the failed expedition of Panfilo de Narvaez, Spanish boats probably sailed past the shores of South Walton, Florida. Many of the doomed explorers likely came ashore seeking food, water and other needed supplies. We know about this account as one of the few survivors, Cabeza de Vaca, wrote of this disastrous early Florida expedition. His account of this trip would lead the way for future explorers to South Walton and Northwest Florida’s coast. Tristan de Luna would come in 1559 to settle Pensacola, Florida. (It wasn't until later in 1565 that St. Augustine was established. However, Ayllon's San Miguel de Gualdape 1526 and Ft. Caroline 1564 figure into this interesting mix -- another story, another time.)
Original painting by Brenda Rees depicting Narvaez and Cabeza de Vaca as they sailed by the shores of South Walton, Florida in 1528.
San Miguel de Allende, Jardin, Cathedral and Allende's home in Mexico.
Today, one of Mexico’s great cities, San Miguel de Allende, is a favored destination for many from SoWal. A number have homes here in SoWal as well as San Miguel. Perhaps we’ll be official “Sister Cities” one day. St. Michael or San Miguel, the Archangel, is one of the Patron Saints of San Miguel de Allende as well as being a Patron Saint of mariners. A San Miguel Day is September 29.
View from the home of a South Walton, Florida resident of the Jardin in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
A quiet trip to the beach will also be in order this day. Look out across the horizon and imagine Spanish explorers crowded into their makeshift boats. Was the gulf calm that day? How was the weather? Where might they have come ashore? Having slaughtered and eaten their horses or made ropes from the horses tails and manes, the explorers had melted their stirrups and other metal for nails to build these ships and used their clothes for sails. Separated from their wives and provisions for a long time at this point, what hope did they have for reaching Mexico or Spain?
Gulf of Mexico and beach area between Deer Lake State Park and Eastern Lake, a rare coastal dune lake, in South Walton, Florida. Early explorers might have landed to seek shelter and supplies in these coastal dune lakes that line the shore of the Beaches of South Walton.
Spanish armor has been recovered along the Coastal Dune Lakes and Beaches of South Walton. Perhaps you’ll be lucky and find a Spanish artifact left behind by these earlier travelers on San Miguel Day. The deck at Deer Lake State Park will provide a most authentic view of how our shores looked when Narvaez and de Vaca passed by in 1528. Only four men survived from the original land group of 300. They were probably passing out of what is known as West Bay into the Gulf around San Miguel Day and so also named a pass in this area "San Miguel."
View of the Gulf of Mexico, our beautiful beaches and sand dunes from the deck at Deer Lake State Park in South Walton, Florida. You can sit here and imagine Spanish explorers sailing by in 1528. Spanish armour as well as native peoples arrowheads have been found in the area. All photographs by Brenda Rees.
Then, to further celebrate San Miguel Day, there are Spanish and Mexican food inspired establishments and menu choices in SoWal. Lunch or dinner with a Spanish flair will certainly be on many schedules.
To top off this special day, Tuesday, September 29 is the regular Martini Night at Café Thirty-A located in the heart of 30-A. I’ll be there with fellow local history enthusiast Maunsel White, and many of his Seagrove Beach relatives and our friends, to remember our areas early Spanish Explorers and today’s SoWal San Miguel Travelers. Perhaps we can invent the “San Miguel Martini!” Join us about 5:30 p.m. for a toast.
San Miguel Day in SoWal -- An original event researched and presented by Brenda Rees -- Shaping Florida.
Portrait in de Allende's Museum in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Another dancer in the San Miguel de Allende street parade. This picture was taken in 2005 in August. The Feast of Santo Domingo is around August 8th, so this parade might have been in honor of that special day. There is always a party or feast celebration going on in San Miguel and SoWal!! This man is one of my favorite pictures, so had to add him. His intensity and purpose impressed me.
BE SURE TO LOG IN TO SEE PICTURES.
San Miguel Day in SoWal 2009 Update. We had a great first celebration in SoWal for this San Miguel Day. Thanks to Harriet and staff of Cafe30A for the special service, Mayan Martini and wonderful tapas. Thanks to all who attended. See you and more next year, Sept. 29, 2010. I'd like to hear what others did on this day, where you ate, what you saw as you contemplated on our SoWal beaches. What a beautiful day!
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FLORIDA AND WALTON COUNTY HISTORY? CHECK OUT OVER 32 BLOGS BY BRENDA REES -- SHAPING FLORIDA ON SOWAL.COM. UNIQUE STORIES AND PICTURES NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE.
Let’s celebrate San Miguel Day – September 29!!
A typical street parade in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. We probably won't dress like this Tuesday in SoWal, but some of us will wear our San Miguel shoes to Cafe Thirty-A Martini Night. 2005 Photograph by Brenda Rees. All photos by BR.
There are current and historical reasons to highlight this day in SoWal.
Around September 29, 1528, on what became the failed expedition of Panfilo de Narvaez, Spanish boats probably sailed past the shores of South Walton, Florida. Many of the doomed explorers likely came ashore seeking food, water and other needed supplies. We know about this account as one of the few survivors, Cabeza de Vaca, wrote of this disastrous early Florida expedition. His account of this trip would lead the way for future explorers to South Walton and Northwest Florida’s coast. Tristan de Luna would come in 1559 to settle Pensacola, Florida. (It wasn't until later in 1565 that St. Augustine was established. However, Ayllon's San Miguel de Gualdape 1526 and Ft. Caroline 1564 figure into this interesting mix -- another story, another time.)
Original painting by Brenda Rees depicting Narvaez and Cabeza de Vaca as they sailed by the shores of South Walton, Florida in 1528.
San Miguel de Allende, Jardin, Cathedral and Allende's home in Mexico.
Today, one of Mexico’s great cities, San Miguel de Allende, is a favored destination for many from SoWal. A number have homes here in SoWal as well as San Miguel. Perhaps we’ll be official “Sister Cities” one day. St. Michael or San Miguel, the Archangel, is one of the Patron Saints of San Miguel de Allende as well as being a Patron Saint of mariners. A San Miguel Day is September 29.
View from the home of a South Walton, Florida resident of the Jardin in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
A quiet trip to the beach will also be in order this day. Look out across the horizon and imagine Spanish explorers crowded into their makeshift boats. Was the gulf calm that day? How was the weather? Where might they have come ashore? Having slaughtered and eaten their horses or made ropes from the horses tails and manes, the explorers had melted their stirrups and other metal for nails to build these ships and used their clothes for sails. Separated from their wives and provisions for a long time at this point, what hope did they have for reaching Mexico or Spain?
Gulf of Mexico and beach area between Deer Lake State Park and Eastern Lake, a rare coastal dune lake, in South Walton, Florida. Early explorers might have landed to seek shelter and supplies in these coastal dune lakes that line the shore of the Beaches of South Walton.
Spanish armor has been recovered along the Coastal Dune Lakes and Beaches of South Walton. Perhaps you’ll be lucky and find a Spanish artifact left behind by these earlier travelers on San Miguel Day. The deck at Deer Lake State Park will provide a most authentic view of how our shores looked when Narvaez and de Vaca passed by in 1528. Only four men survived from the original land group of 300. They were probably passing out of what is known as West Bay into the Gulf around San Miguel Day and so also named a pass in this area "San Miguel."
View of the Gulf of Mexico, our beautiful beaches and sand dunes from the deck at Deer Lake State Park in South Walton, Florida. You can sit here and imagine Spanish explorers sailing by in 1528. Spanish armour as well as native peoples arrowheads have been found in the area. All photographs by Brenda Rees.
Then, to further celebrate San Miguel Day, there are Spanish and Mexican food inspired establishments and menu choices in SoWal. Lunch or dinner with a Spanish flair will certainly be on many schedules.
To top off this special day, Tuesday, September 29 is the regular Martini Night at Café Thirty-A located in the heart of 30-A. I’ll be there with fellow local history enthusiast Maunsel White, and many of his Seagrove Beach relatives and our friends, to remember our areas early Spanish Explorers and today’s SoWal San Miguel Travelers. Perhaps we can invent the “San Miguel Martini!” Join us about 5:30 p.m. for a toast.
San Miguel Day in SoWal -- An original event researched and presented by Brenda Rees -- Shaping Florida.
Portrait in de Allende's Museum in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Another dancer in the San Miguel de Allende street parade. This picture was taken in 2005 in August. The Feast of Santo Domingo is around August 8th, so this parade might have been in honor of that special day. There is always a party or feast celebration going on in San Miguel and SoWal!! This man is one of my favorite pictures, so had to add him. His intensity and purpose impressed me.
BE SURE TO LOG IN TO SEE PICTURES.
San Miguel Day in SoWal 2009 Update. We had a great first celebration in SoWal for this San Miguel Day. Thanks to Harriet and staff of Cafe30A for the special service, Mayan Martini and wonderful tapas. Thanks to all who attended. See you and more next year, Sept. 29, 2010. I'd like to hear what others did on this day, where you ate, what you saw as you contemplated on our SoWal beaches. What a beautiful day!
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FLORIDA AND WALTON COUNTY HISTORY? CHECK OUT OVER 32 BLOGS BY BRENDA REES -- SHAPING FLORIDA ON SOWAL.COM. UNIQUE STORIES AND PICTURES NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE.
Total Comments 6
Comments
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what a wonderful story and idea for celebrating San Miguel in SoWal!!! I do love it.Posted 09-10-2009 at 03:54 PM by Tootsie
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Sounds great!
If I am back and vertical I'll be there!
Posted 09-10-2009 at 05:16 PM by scooterbug44
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Very cool- thanks Brenda!Posted 09-10-2009 at 09:39 PM by kurt 
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Wonderful! I always kick myself for not going to San Miguel de Allende when I lived in Mexico! Perhaps one day..... Thanks for posting.Posted 09-14-2009 at 05:47 PM by Gidget
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Great, Brenda. See you there!Posted 09-27-2009 at 09:09 AM by Maunsel
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Tristan de Luna -- love that name!!
Love your painting too!!!Posted 09-28-2009 at 11:08 PM by DD
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