Should Kansas Have a Coronado Day?

If we have “Columbus Day” for a man that discovered the New World but never set foot on America then why should we have a “Columbus Day” why not a day for Francisco Coronado?

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish explorer born in 1510 Salamanca, Spain and died in 1554 Mexico City, Mexico. Coronado first was a governor in New Spain (Mexico) when he heard about the “Seven Cities of Gold”. After that he searched north looking for them. He took 300 Spaniards and 1,000 Native Americans. Even though Coronado did not find the Cities of Gold he discovered Kansas, the Grand Canyon and other physical landmarks.

According to History.com, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was one of the youngest in his family and did not inherit the family title or estate. So he went to the New World to find his fortune. In 1535 he traveled to New Spain with Antonio de Mendoza the Spanish viceroy. Within a year of Coronado’s arrival to the New world he married Beatriz, the younger daughter of Alonso de Estrada a former colonial treasurer.

After marrying Beatriz he got a huge some of money. In 1537 Coronado put black and native american slaves in the mines so he could gain more money. A year later he became the governor of Nueva Galicia a region that was made up of what became to be Mexican states of Jalisco. In 1540 reports of “seven golden cities” coming from Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and confirmed by missionary Marcos de Niza convinced Coronado to find them.

During their travels Coronado and his man found a Native American tribe. A member of the tribe gave Coronado an offer if he would not kill his whole tribe. He would lead to him to the golden cities. According to tshaonline.org, Coronado took his offer and called the Native American “El Turco” the Spanish word for the “Turk”. In Spanish hands the Turk described a region in the east known as Quivira which had much gold, silver, and rich fabrics.

Coronado made the Turk a guide on his travels. In 1541, Coronado’s guide and his men traveled through New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle and beyond to the area of present-day Kansas. Quivira however contained only buffaloes, the grass huts, and cornfields of the Wichita Indians-not golden cities. Because the Turk had lied about the wealth of the land and conspired with the Quivirans to kill the Spaniards and their horses, Coronado reluctantly ordered his men to kill him and return to New Mexico.

In conclusion if we are able to celebrate a man like Columbus why not Francisco Coronado?