Casa de Ponce de Leon

It is thought that Ponce de León first landed on the site where Cockburn Town is, on Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos Islands but soon settled in Hispaniola. He helped conquer the Tainos of the eastern part of Hispaniola and was rewarded with the governorship of the Province of Higuey that was created there. While there, he heard stories of the wealth of Borinquen (now Puerto Rico), and he sought and received permission to go there.

Conquistador Juan Ponce de León had a residence built in the countryside near San Rafael del Yuma and used it on occasion during the time he governed Higüey for the Spanish Crown. Nearly 500 years later, his two-storey stone residence still stands, now as a museum to a man who led a momentous life.

Born in Spain in 1460, León accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to America. He governed Higüey from 1502 to 1508, conquered and governed Boriquén (present day Puerto Rico) from 1510 to 1512 and become one of Spain's most trusted conquistadors.

Chasing a rumoured fountain of youth on the island of Bimini, Juan Ponce de León obtained in 1512 permission from the Spanish king to find, conquer and colonise Bimini. The next year he led an exploratory expedition, sighted and named Florida.

The party landed on the west coast Florida, where it came under fierce attack from Indians. Ponce de León was wounded by an arrow. The expedition withdrew and sailed to Cuba, where he died shortly after landing.