Indian River Lagoon National Scenic Byway
McLarty Treasure Museum, FL

In the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the Spanish took vast quantities of silver and gold from Mexico and South America and transported it in wooden sailing ships to Spain. Each summer they would sail north along Florida's Atlantic coast on the way home. Pirates were a peril they could fight, but hurricanes often did them in. In 1715 a storm wrecked the fleet just off the coast and the survivors came ashore where the McLarty Museum is now located. Since 1928, salvors have taken treasures from the sea. This state-sponsored interpretive center chronicles the story of the fleet and the ordeal of the survivors and also displays numerous artifacts.