The Jay Historical Society welcomes guest speaker John R. Bratten, Ph. D, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of West Florida at 6 p.m., Thursday (tonight), July 12 at The Jay Museum on Highway 4 in Jay, Fla.
Bratten, while working with students, discovered a third shipwreck from the Spanish fleet linked to Tristan de Luna y Arellano's 16th century expedition to modern-day Pensacola.
Tristan de Luna y Arellano led an expedition from Veracruz, Mexico to modern-day Pensacola, Florida in 1559 to begin the Spanish colonization of the northern Gulf Coast.
One month after they arrived, the colony was struck by a hurricane, sinking many of their ships and devastating their food supplies.
After two years, the remnants of the colony were rescued by Spanish ships and returned to Mexico.
Refreshments served at the meeting include watermelon and boiled peanuts.
The public is invited to join in learning more Northwest Florida history and visit the Jay Museum to experience the history of Jay.
