In U.S. motorized iconography, the legendary Route 66 opened in 1926, providing a unified roadway stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, some 2,450 miles. By its creation, the myth of the endless straight road was born. Although the route officially disappeared in 1985, thousands still travel it every year looking to soak up some genuine Americana.
However, there’s a much older, far less known historical path that runs from ocean to ocean, across eight states and 2,500 miles: The Old Spanish Trail.
I began the route in St. Augustine, Florida, a charming town that proudly boasts of being the nation’s oldest city, founded in 1565 by the Spaniard Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (Florida ceased belonging to Spain in 1821).
Continuing towards Tallahassee, I visit the Hernando de Soto Winter Encampment Historic State Park—named after explorer Hernando de Soto who wintered in this spot in 1539, celebrating Christmas here. He and 700 men had landed that same year near Tampa and over the next two years carved their way across 3,100 miles, to discover the Mississippi River…