De Soto National Memorial, national memorial authorized in 1948. Located in Bradenton, Florida, at the mouth of the Manatee River on the Gulf of Mexico, this site commemorates the landing of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1539. De Soto and his followers spent four years and traveled 6,400 km (4,000 mi) searching for gold across what would eventually be the southeastern United States. They journeyed as far north as Tennessee and as far west as Texas, discovering the Mississippi River along the way. The memorial includes armor and weapons from the 16th century and a replica of De Soto’s ship. Administered by the National Park Service. Area, 11 hectares (27 acres).