McLarty Museum: a historic site

This is Paul Janensch with a Treasure Coast Essay about the McLarty Treasure Museum on highway A-1-A south of Sebastian Inlet.  It’s a great place to visit now because survivors of the Treasure Fleet disaster made camp here 300 years ago.  On July 30, 1715, eleven ships carrying gold, silver and jewels from the Americas to Spain were hit by a hurricane and went down off our shore.  That’s why Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties are called the Treasure Coast.  A few sailors made it to the beach.  Later, the site was taken over by salvagers, including pirates.  The museum is named for Robert McLarty, who donated the property to the state.  It features artifacts, displays, a video and a deck overlooking the beach.  You may see modern-day salvagers with metal detectors hunting for coins.  I’m Paul Janensch.